Various nail polish colors should enhance your nail looks. However, prolonged nail polish application may lead to yellowing of the nail, which is not really attractive. Yellowing of the nails may affect your fingernails and toenails, and is usually triggered by the application of darker-colored nail polish and excessive use of acetone-based polish remover.

Why nail polishes cause yellow nails

Nail polishes, in fact, do not necessarily cause yellow nails. Compared to the light-colored ones, darker-colored nail polishes tend to cause the yellowing of the nail after application. This is possible since the nails are actually porous and are able to absorb nail polish chemicals. Darker-colored nail polishes leave color stain that is not easy to remove when you are taking off the polish. As a result, the polished nails tend to have dull yellowish color.

Nail polishes that are formaldehyde-based also tend to cause yellow nails once they are removed. This substance reacts with the nail protein or keratin, causing chemical reaction with yellowing of the nail as the side effect. Thus, it is important to use nail polishes which do not contain formaldehyde, although the price is usually much higher than the formaldehyde-based ones.

Fixing yellow nails from nail polish

Although yellow nails are commonly caused by nail polish, it may also be caused by some chronic diseases, such as liver disease. It may also be a result of excessive smoking and poor lifestyle. Luckily, yellow nails caused by nail polish are commonly not permanent and can be improved using some effective remedies you can do at home.

• To fix yellow nails, stop wearing dark nail polish. Dark nail polish can be worn occasionally, but be sure not to constantly wear dark-colored polish that may cause nail discoloration. Switch these nail polish with lighter one until your natural nail color is restored.
• If you prefer dark nail polish no matter what, base coat is your choice to get rid of yellow nails occurring after dark nail polish application. This coat adds an additional protective layer to the nails so that they will not absorb as much stain from the nail polish as the nails without any base coat will.
• Rub the nails in lemon juice. Lemon juice is a natural bleacher, which does not only help lightening your complexion, but also your yellow nails. To use this remedy, soak a cotton ball in lemon juice and rub it to the affected nails. Let the juice sit for 10 minutes before rinsing it with warm water. Despite its effectiveness to lighten dull nails from nail polish, lemon juice is acidic, and it is not advised to soak your nails in this juice.
• Use your toothpaste. Toothpaste contains substances used for whitening teeth, which can be used as a solution for yellow nails from nail polish. White toothpaste or herbal-based toothpaste is advised, instead of any gel toothpaste. To use this remedy, use an old, soft-bristled tooth brush to rub your yellow nails. Rinse with warm water afterwards and repeat the treatment every day.
• Use nail buffer. This is also an effective treatment to get rid of yellow nail resulted from nail polish stain. Since the outer layer of the nail is where the stain is, it is helpful to buff this surface lightly to get rid of this causal trigger. Light buffing will help remove the outer layer of the nail as well as the stain. However, nail buffing may cause the nails to weaken, that it is not recommended to be used as long-term yellow nail treatment. It is also important to choose high-quality nail buffer that will not peel the nails too deep.
• Conceal it. Although yellow nail can be treated, it does take time before it restores its natural color. Therefore, if you have yellow nail and thus, do not wear any nail polish, you can improve your yellow nail tips by concealing it using a white nail tip pencil. This will not get rid of the yellow part of the nail, but will surely make it less visible. You can combine this white tip pencil with clear base coat to enhance your nails look.