This Helps Against Yellow Fingernails
Yellow fingernails can also be a symptom of nail fungus, so you should talk to a doctor if you cannot get rid of the problem in the long term.
Yellow fingernails look neglected and are often whitewashed with nail polish so that the discoloration cannot be seen. Try our tips against yellow fingernails. If that doesn’t help, quit smoking or ask your doctor.
Reasons for yellow fingernails
There are several factors that cause yellow fingernails. Some require treatment, so you should definitely see a doctor if yellow fingernails persist or the condition worsens.
The following causes, pathological or caused by yourself, can trigger yellow fingernails:
- Nicotine / smoking
- Nail fungus
- Discoloration from nail polish
- Contact with chemicals
- Skin diseases
- Coloring foods
You can usually remember what brought you yellow fingernails because you usually know the reason for the discoloration. If not, that is a clear sign that you should ask your doctor.
Until then, try the following methods:
Lemon juice
Lemon juice is a natural bleach that is also popular to lighten hair in the sun. You can also use lemon juice to bleach yellow fingernails.
Apply lemon juice to your nails so that they are completely moistened. Then go into the sun and let the UV radiation increase the bleaching effect.
Please do not use on open skin areas and make sure that only the nails and not the skin are moistened with lemon juice, as otherwise skin spots can occur. After sunbathing with lemon juice on your nails for 20 minutes, wash your hands thoroughly and repeat the process if necessary.
It is faster with only superficially discolored nails: If you have processed strongly coloring foods such as dark red berries, beetroot, salsify or other coloring foods, it often happens that the nails are discolored.
Rub it thoroughly with lemon juice and let it sit. UV radiation is for stubborn cases, you will see!
Hydrogen peroxide
Gardening, kitchen work, or plant extracts staining can stain hands and fingernails. Hydrogen peroxide bleaches all stains of organic origin (i.e. no chemical colors) from your skin and nails.
Soaking your fingernails in hydrogen peroxide bleaches the nails and removes color changes, dirt and yellow tones. Then rinse hands and nails well with clear water and treat with a rich care product. This product not only has a bleaching effect, but also degreases!
A nail oil is important afterwards, maybe you use it before going to bed and leave it on under cotton gloves until the next morning in order to maintain the nails and not make them brittle by the hydrogen peroxide.
Orange terpenes
These are natural solvents made from orange oil, which have a very high cleaning power and dissolve paints, varnishes, adhesives and heavy greasy dirt.
If you have yellow fingernails because you are handling coloring chemicals or have residues of nail polish or other colors on your nails, then orange terpenes could be a solution for you.
Apply the orange oil to a cotton ball and use it like nail polish remover by rubbing the nails with gentle pressure. You cannot read the success on the cotton pad, because the oil will turn it yellow. Only after rinsing with water will you see whether or not you have succeeded.
However, since orange oil has an extremely degreasing effect and does not dissolve in any other way than brake cleaner or nail polish remover, it is important to wash your hands well after use (the washing water becomes milky, this is normal) and then to do intensive nail care, for example with nail oil.
Yellow fingernails require patience
If you know the cause of yellow fingernails, namely nail fungus or nicotine, you will not get rid of the discoloration with any of the methods mentioned above. It is important to eliminate the cause, kill the nail fungus with medication and stop smoking.
And then you need patience. Nails grow 0.5 to 1.2mm a week. Each nail has a different speed. So you can work out how long it takes for brittle fingernails to grow out completely! So don’t give up too quickly!
