How to get rid of yellow fingernails depends on what caused the discoloration

One of the telltale signs of a smoker is yellow fingernails. However, other factors can discolor your nails, turning them yellow. If the discoloration is caused by an underlying medical treatment, it must be treated. Conditions such as kidney disease, diabetes, liver and lung disease as well as nutritional deficiencies can cause nails to turn yellow.

If your nail or nails turn yellow, this may mean you have an infection and most likely the infection is fungi that often affect nails. Trichophytonrubrum is the most common type of fungi to infect nails. It also infects the skin. 

When fungi get embedded under a nail, it produces various pigments, which turn your nail yellow. In addition, you may smell an odor, which is caused by fungi that is breaking down the components of the nail. A yellow fingernail caused by a fungal infection requires medical intervention because oral anti-fungal medicine is required. A bacterium called Pseudomonas can also infect the nail bed which turns the nails green.  

If suffering from a chronic disease of the heart, kidney, lung or diabetes, this can cause your fingernails to become discolored. 

Another problem called yellow nail syndrome is inherited and is associated with swelling of the tissue because of fluid accumulating, which is called lymphedema. The swelling must be addressed. Adding vitamin E and nutritional supplements to the diet helps control yellow nail syndrome.Yellow nail syndrome makes the nails will grow slowly and become discolored. When suffering from yellow nail syndrome, the cuticle and lunula of the nail are not present. The nail is thick and yellow or yellow-green in color. In addition to lymphedema, those with yellow nail syndrome often have systemic disease or pulmonary problems. 

When a nail becomes separated from the nail bed (onycholysis), this can cause the nail to turn a yellowish-white color. 

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Yellow or discolored nails can be caused by nutritional deficiencies, including lack of zinc and iron. To get more iron into your system eat greens, beans, red meat and liver. Dairy products, peanuts, whole grains and meat are excellent sources of zinc.  

If you yellow fingernails are caused by cosmetic issues, rather than by disease, you can correct the problem. How do you get rid of those pesky yellow fingernails? Try these tips:

When you constantly wear nail polish, this can deprive your nails of oxygen, which can discolor them, turning them yellow. Stop wearing polish for a while and let the nails get a big dose of oxygen. 

If forgoing nail polish isn?t an option, coat the nails with a clear nail polish base coat before applying the colorful nail polish. The clear base protects the nails from exposure to color, which prevents the nail from becoming discolored.

Let denture tablets absorb in water and then soak the nails in the solution. Denture tablets are good at whitening discolored nails.  

Another idea is soaking your fingernails in fresh lemon juice. Moisturize the cuticles and nails using lemon essential oil. Soak fingers in the oil.

Purchase whitening pencils that you will find in the nail section at the drug store and which can be used to whiten the tips of nails that have turned yellow.  

Buff the nails but do it gently and not too frequently. If buffed too often, this can break the nails. When buffing is done it prompts nail growth because it increases circulation, and it also helps get rid of discoloration. When buffing your nails, do so in one direction.