I love nail paints and my nails are almost always painted. However, I also let my nails stay polish-free once a while to let them gain back their lost shine. But every time I douse my fingers in a nail polish remover and the polish wears off, I end up with ugly yellow stains on my nails.

I am sure most of you must have experienced the same. The pigments in nail-polish (especially the dark ones) and even repeated use of nail polish without giving your nails a chance to recover can cause these stains.

There are many other reasons such as smoking, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, unhealthy diet, liver problems, etc. which can also cause yellow nails. You need to find out whether the stains on your nails are just due to nail polish damage or the issue is more serious in which case these natural remedies might not be the best solution.

However, for temporary damage due to harsh products, there are tons of natural ways to restore the health and colour of your nails.

1. Hydrogen Peroxide Soak

Hydrogen peroxide is known to be a whitening agent, that’s why it is used in most whitening toothpastes. It gets deep inside the nails to lighten their colour.

• Mix 3-4 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide with one-half cup of warm water in a bowl, and stir well. To make this solution more effective you can even add a tablespoon of baking soda which is another excellent bleaching agent.

• Soak your nails in this solution for two minutes and use a soft toothbrush to gently scrub the surface of your nails.

• Now rinse your hands and slather on some lotion.

• Repeat it every 2 weeks to let your nails survive the nail paint damage.

Also Read: Do It Yourself Manicure (At Home)

2. Whitening Toothpaste

If you don’t have hydrogen peroxide, the most convenient replacement is any whitening toothpaste. As I have already mentioned most whitening toothpastes contain hydrogen peroxide, they work great to whiten yellow nails.

• Apply some toothpaste on your nails and let it stay for 5-10 minutes.

• Then use a soft toothbrush to scrub it off.

• Rinse your nails using warm water.

• Use this remedy 2 – 3 times a week on a regular basis.

3. Denture Cleaning Tablets

Denture tablets contain sodium bicarbonate and citric acid which help get rid of stains.

• Dissolve 2 – 3 denture cleaning tablets in a bowl of lukewarm water.

• Soak your nails in this water for 15 minutes and dry your nails.

• Apply moisturiser.

• Repeat it regularly for 3 times a week.

Also Read: How To Remove Nail Polish Without A Nail Polish Remover

4. Lemon

Lemon is an excellent bleaching agent and can effectively remove the yellow stains on the nails. You can use lemon in different ways to get rid of the stains.

• Squeeze some fresh lemon juice in a bowl and soak your nails in it for 10-15 minutes. Use a soft brush to scrub the top surface of your nails. Now rinse your hands with warm water and moisturise them.

• For dry and sensitive skin then only lemon juice and make your skin further dry. So, fill a bowl with half of the freshly squeezed lemon juice and water. Now soak your nails for 10 minutes.

• Squeeze one lemon in a bowl and add 1 teaspoon of baking soda to make a paste. Apply it on the nails and wash off with lukewarm water after 15 minutes. Baking soda is a bleaching agent and increases the effectiveness of this remedy.

• Mix equal quantities of glycerin and fresh lemon juice. Apply it on your nails and keep it for 15 minutes. Rinse it off with lukewarm water. This remedy apart from removing stains also acts as a moisturiser.

5. Orange Peel

Orange peel is rich in vitamin C and citric acid that helps remove stains.

• Mix dried orange peel powder with some water to form a thick paste.

• Apply this paste on your nails and let it stay for 10 minutes.

• Use a soft brush to scrub it off.

• You could also rub fresh orange peel to rub your nails for 2 – 3 times daily.

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6. Tea Tree Oil

This remedy is especially great if your nails turned yellow due to infection. It has anti-fungal, antimicrobial and antiseptic properties that help you to get rid of yellow nails.

• Mix a few drops of tea tree oil and 1 tablespoon of any nourishing oil such as olive oil, jojoba oil, etc.

• Apply this mixture to your nails.

• Massage it gently on your nails and rinse it off after a few minutes.

• Repeat this twice daily till the infection wears off.

7. Apple Cider Vinegar

Acetic and Malic acid in apple cider vinegar help get rid of the yellow stains. It also has anti-fungal, antimicrobial and antiseptic properties so it can also be useful to treat nail infection.

• Pour 1/2 cup organic apple cider vinegar and lukewarm water in a bowl and stir well.

• Soak your nails in this solution for 15-20 minutes.

• Repeat this 3 times daily for a week.

Also Read: 5 Easy DIY Lip Tints (At Home)

8. Nail Buffing

Use a buffing board or emery board to lightly remove the upper surface of your nails. Move the board back and forth, perpendicular to your nails. Light buffing can remove the top, yellow stained layer of the nails. But do not buff hard or for more than 10 seconds.

9. Use a Whitening Pencil

If you need a quick fix to whiten nails, you can also use a nail whitening or any other white pencil available. Just clean your nails and wet the tip of the pencil. Now rub it to whiten your yellow nails.

10. Oregano Oil

Just like tea tree oil, oregano oil is also good for yellow nails due to infection. It has antimicrobial properties that help you to get rid of yellow nails.

• Mix a few drops of oregano oil and 1 tablespoon of any carrier oil.

• Apply this mixture to your nails.

• Massage it gently on your nails and rinse it off after a few minutes.

• Repeat this twice daily till the infection wears off.

Also Read: Everything You Need To Know About Keratin Treatment

11. Listerine

Listerine is another effective treatment of yellow nails caused by fungal infections. Ingredients such as menthol, eucalyptol, methyl salicylate, and thymol have anti-fungal properties.

• Pour 100 percent Listerine in a bowl and soak your nails for half an hour.

• You can also mix equal amounts of Listerine and vinegar. This will increase the effectiveness of the solution.

• Repeat this daily for a week.

12. Juniper Berries

Juniper berries are a strong disinfectant and help treat discoloured nails due to fungal infection.

• Add one teaspoon of crushed juniper berries to a bowl of warm water.

• Soak your nails in the water for 15 minutes.

• Repeat this once daily for several months.

13. Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a successful treatment for yellow nails. Since vitamin E stimulates nail growth, it can be applied on your nails or taken orally to help your nails grow quickly. Use the oil inside Vitamin E capsules to massage your nails daily.

Also Read: How To Get Rid Of Upper Lip Hairs At Home

How To Prevent Yellow Nails

• Dark nail polish can leave behind yellow stains. So, avoid using dark polishes too often.

• Although using base coat is highly advised, we generally give it a miss. However, using a base coat provides a protective layer between the nails and the polish. Take out some time and apply a base coat first to avoid stained nails in the future.

Bottomline

If these remedies don’t work and you still have yellow nails or worse have other symptoms such as flaking and peeling of the nail, along with an unpleasant odour, chances are this is not just nail polish damage. In some cases, yellow nails could remain unchanged despite repeated treatment this can be a symptom of thyroid conditions, psoriasis, or diabetes. In rare situations, yellow nails can indicate the presence of skin cancer. A condition called yellow nail syndrome (YNS) is indicated by continually yellow nails and respiratory or lymphatic problems.

If you experience any serious symptoms or continually yellow nails, consult a doctor asap. Also, start making some lifestyle and diet changes such as drink plenty of water, include vitamins (B & E), iron, calcium, and zinc along with fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet, quit smoking, intake of tobacco and drinking alcohol, as they harm your body and also your nails.

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