Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsStainingDiseasesMedicationsTreatmentTreatmentPreventionWhen to Seek Medical Care
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Staining
Diseases
Medications
Treatment
Prevention
When to Seek Medical Care
Yellow nails can range from slightly discolored to a distinctly dark yellowish tint. Treatment for yellow nails generally involves treating the underlying condition.
Charlotte Bleijenberg/ Getty Images
Staining is a common reason why you may notice that your nails are yellow. There are a few things that can cause this:
Yellow Nails and Lung CancerHeavy smokers are at greater risk of developing lung cancer and are also more likely to have yellow nails. However, this is not because lung cancer causes yellow nails (or vice versa) but because heavy smoking contributes independently to both stained nails and the increased risk of lung cancer.
Yellow Nails and Lung Cancer
Heavy smokers are at greater risk of developing lung cancer and are also more likely to have yellow nails. However, this is not because lung cancer causes yellow nails (or vice versa) but because heavy smoking contributes independently to both stained nails and the increased risk of lung cancer.
Diseases That Cause Yellow Nails
Many medical conditions can cause yellow nails. These include:
Yellow nails can also be a symptom of a health problem that affects another part of the body. For example:
To diagnose the cause of your yellow nails, a healthcare provider (usually adermatologist, a doctor specializing in skin and nails) will examine your nails and take a detailed medical history, including symptoms and any medications or health conditions you have. This information can often direct the next steps, if any.
What Medications Can Cause Yellow Nails?
Certain medications may also cause nails to turn yellow. These include:
Most of the time, nail discoloration resolves after you stop taking the medication. However, sometimes the problem persists even after you discontinue it.
Never stop taking a medication without first talking with a healthcare provider. They may decide it’s best to finish the course (if it’s short-term), or they may find another treatment option.
How to Get Rid of Yellow Nails
Getting rid of yellow nails depends on the cause. For example, if you’re a smoker and your nails are tobacco-stained, you’ll need to quit smoking. If you wear dark nail polish and your nails are stained, you may need to switch to a lighter color and wear a base coat.
You may be able to improve the look of stained nails with hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. Hydrogen peroxide can penetrate the nail to remove stains beneath the surface. Try soaking your nails in a solution made from warm water, hydrogen peroxide, and baking soda.
If medication is causing your nails to turn yellow, you should talk with a healthcare provider about alternatives that don’t have that side effect.
Treating Nail Fungus
If you have nail discoloration due to a fungal infection, you can try the following home remedies:
Medical Treatments for Yellow Nails
Treatment for yellow nails depends on the cause. If your nails are yellow from melanonychia, treatment may involve stopping medication or treating the underlying disease or trauma.
If yellow nail syndrome is the cause, treatment may include antibiotics,vitamin Esupplements, andcorticosteroids. Sometimes surgery is required for respiratory problems, likepleural effusions(fluid-filled membranes in the lungs).
Fungal nail infections are often treated withantifungal medications, laser therapy, or nail removal. Nails that are stained from nail polish may need a break from nail polish. Once the nails grow out, they often clear up on their own.
Your skin and nails stop yellowing when youstop smoking.
Preventing Yellow Nails
To prevent nail staining, avoid frequent use of nail polish remover and choose a remover that does not contain acetone. Acetone can dry and damage your nails, making them more prone to staining.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
In addition, fungal nail infections are notoriously stubborn to treat, so the sooner you receive a diagnosis and treatment plan, the more likely it will be that your infection will clear promptly.
Summary
Many things can cause yellow nails, including staining from substances like nail polish or a serious underlying health condition. In addition to discoloration, you may also notice nails that stop growing, separate from the nail bed, or are brittle. Infections, trauma, nail polish stains, smoking, and medication side effects may be to blame for yellow nails.
Treatment of yellow nails is geared toward resolving the underlying cause.
12 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.John G, Louis C, Berner A, Genné D.Tobacco stained fingers and its association with death and hospital admission: A retrospective cohort study.PLoS One. 2015;10(9):e0138211. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0138211Zhang W, Ramezani R, Naeim A.Causal inference in medicine and in health policy: A summary.Handbook On Computer Learning and Intelligence (In 2 Volumes). 2022:263.Singal A, Bisherwal K.Melanonychia: Etiology, diagnosis, and treatment.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2020;11(1):1-11. doi:10.4103/idoj.IDOJ_167_19Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center.Yellow nail syndrome.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Ringworm and fungal nail infections basics.American Academy of Dermatology Association.12 nail changes a dermatologist should examine.Khurshid M.Narrative review skin presentations of diabetes mellitus.J Rev Med Sci. 2021;1(3):e169. doi:10.22034/jrms.2021.366881.1018Dhingra G, Ahmad N, Tanwar S, Goyal S, Chaturvedi V, Tanwar K.Nail disorders: An updated review.Int J Pharm Sci Rev Res. 2022:75(2):135-44. doi:10.47583/ijpsrr.2022.v75i02.022Piraccini BM.Drug-induced nail disorders. In: Baran R, de Berker D, Holzberg M, Piraccini BM, Richert B, Thomas L, eds.Baran & Dawber’s Diseases of the Nails and Their Management. John Wiley & Sons; 2018:574-603. doi:10.1002/9781119323396.ch16Chaftar N, Girardot M, Labanowski J, et al.Comparative evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of 19 essential oils.Adv Exp Med Biol. 2016;901:1-15. doi:10.1007/5584_2015_5011National Organization for Rare Disorders.Yellow nail syndrome.American Cancer Society.Health benefits of quitting smoking over time.
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.John G, Louis C, Berner A, Genné D.Tobacco stained fingers and its association with death and hospital admission: A retrospective cohort study.PLoS One. 2015;10(9):e0138211. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0138211Zhang W, Ramezani R, Naeim A.Causal inference in medicine and in health policy: A summary.Handbook On Computer Learning and Intelligence (In 2 Volumes). 2022:263.Singal A, Bisherwal K.Melanonychia: Etiology, diagnosis, and treatment.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2020;11(1):1-11. doi:10.4103/idoj.IDOJ_167_19Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center.Yellow nail syndrome.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Ringworm and fungal nail infections basics.American Academy of Dermatology Association.12 nail changes a dermatologist should examine.Khurshid M.Narrative review skin presentations of diabetes mellitus.J Rev Med Sci. 2021;1(3):e169. doi:10.22034/jrms.2021.366881.1018Dhingra G, Ahmad N, Tanwar S, Goyal S, Chaturvedi V, Tanwar K.Nail disorders: An updated review.Int J Pharm Sci Rev Res. 2022:75(2):135-44. doi:10.47583/ijpsrr.2022.v75i02.022Piraccini BM.Drug-induced nail disorders. In: Baran R, de Berker D, Holzberg M, Piraccini BM, Richert B, Thomas L, eds.Baran & Dawber’s Diseases of the Nails and Their Management. John Wiley & Sons; 2018:574-603. doi:10.1002/9781119323396.ch16Chaftar N, Girardot M, Labanowski J, et al.Comparative evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of 19 essential oils.Adv Exp Med Biol. 2016;901:1-15. doi:10.1007/5584_2015_5011National Organization for Rare Disorders.Yellow nail syndrome.American Cancer Society.Health benefits of quitting smoking over time.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
John G, Louis C, Berner A, Genné D.Tobacco stained fingers and its association with death and hospital admission: A retrospective cohort study.PLoS One. 2015;10(9):e0138211. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0138211Zhang W, Ramezani R, Naeim A.Causal inference in medicine and in health policy: A summary.Handbook On Computer Learning and Intelligence (In 2 Volumes). 2022:263.Singal A, Bisherwal K.Melanonychia: Etiology, diagnosis, and treatment.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2020;11(1):1-11. doi:10.4103/idoj.IDOJ_167_19Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center.Yellow nail syndrome.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Ringworm and fungal nail infections basics.American Academy of Dermatology Association.12 nail changes a dermatologist should examine.Khurshid M.Narrative review skin presentations of diabetes mellitus.J Rev Med Sci. 2021;1(3):e169. doi:10.22034/jrms.2021.366881.1018Dhingra G, Ahmad N, Tanwar S, Goyal S, Chaturvedi V, Tanwar K.Nail disorders: An updated review.Int J Pharm Sci Rev Res. 2022:75(2):135-44. doi:10.47583/ijpsrr.2022.v75i02.022Piraccini BM.Drug-induced nail disorders. In: Baran R, de Berker D, Holzberg M, Piraccini BM, Richert B, Thomas L, eds.Baran & Dawber’s Diseases of the Nails and Their Management. John Wiley & Sons; 2018:574-603. doi:10.1002/9781119323396.ch16Chaftar N, Girardot M, Labanowski J, et al.Comparative evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of 19 essential oils.Adv Exp Med Biol. 2016;901:1-15. doi:10.1007/5584_2015_5011National Organization for Rare Disorders.Yellow nail syndrome.American Cancer Society.Health benefits of quitting smoking over time.
John G, Louis C, Berner A, Genné D.Tobacco stained fingers and its association with death and hospital admission: A retrospective cohort study.PLoS One. 2015;10(9):e0138211. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0138211
Zhang W, Ramezani R, Naeim A.Causal inference in medicine and in health policy: A summary.Handbook On Computer Learning and Intelligence (In 2 Volumes). 2022:263.
Singal A, Bisherwal K.Melanonychia: Etiology, diagnosis, and treatment.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2020;11(1):1-11. doi:10.4103/idoj.IDOJ_167_19
Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center.Yellow nail syndrome.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Ringworm and fungal nail infections basics.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.12 nail changes a dermatologist should examine.
Khurshid M.Narrative review skin presentations of diabetes mellitus.J Rev Med Sci. 2021;1(3):e169. doi:10.22034/jrms.2021.366881.1018
Dhingra G, Ahmad N, Tanwar S, Goyal S, Chaturvedi V, Tanwar K.Nail disorders: An updated review.Int J Pharm Sci Rev Res. 2022:75(2):135-44. doi:10.47583/ijpsrr.2022.v75i02.022
Piraccini BM.Drug-induced nail disorders. In: Baran R, de Berker D, Holzberg M, Piraccini BM, Richert B, Thomas L, eds.Baran & Dawber’s Diseases of the Nails and Their Management. John Wiley & Sons; 2018:574-603. doi:10.1002/9781119323396.ch16
Chaftar N, Girardot M, Labanowski J, et al.Comparative evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of 19 essential oils.Adv Exp Med Biol. 2016;901:1-15. doi:10.1007/5584_2015_5011
National Organization for Rare Disorders.Yellow nail syndrome.
American Cancer Society.Health benefits of quitting smoking over time.
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