I need help with my yellow nails

[jiminyC_fan]

Does anyone have any suggestions to help rid me of my yellow nails? I had acrylics and took them off about 6 months ago. Now my nails are icky yellow. I have tried the polish that "takes" it away but in reality all it does is react with the sun. And that is according to my nail technician. My nails are nice and strong. Now if I could only get rid of the yellow. Can you help me??? Please???

 

[Van Helsing]

Have you tried washing them

 

[stinkerbelle]

hmmm...I never had yellow nail problems after removing my acrylics (which I will never ever do again)...took my nails a full year to be strong again.

do you wear alot of polish now? especially dark polish? if you do - switch to lighter colors and ALWAYS use a good basecoat.

as for attempting to get rid of the discoloration - I think it's lemon juice you soak your nails in?

are your nails growing IN yellow though? could that maybe be a sign of a fungal infection?

they do make UVB (or is it UVA?) topcoats that will protect polishes from the sun.

 

[Jeafl]

You might want to PM Poohandwendy. She is a manicurist and has been helpful in the past with manicure/pedicure questions.

Just an FYI, you may have a nail infection from the acrylics. Do your nails seem a little thicker than normal? I had my acrylics taken off last year because my real nails were separating from the nail bed causing an infection. On my right thumb, it turned into a secondary infection so bad that my thumb was 4 times the normal size and bright purple. The doctor had to slice it open in 3 places to get the infection out. (sorry if that's TMI!). In any case it was very serious and it didn't happen until about 3 months after my nails came off so be very careful.

 

[ILUVDXL]

I wear polish all the tiem and I find I get a very waxy yellow build up from the polish. I usually just saok my nails in bleach with a little water added. It's always worked so far.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

Thanks guys, I don't think I have an infection because my manicurist has seen them. It was a reliable salon. I do use expensive nail polish. I use Nail Tech Intensive Therapy. And....I have only been wearing clear polish for at least 3 months. My nails are not overly thick just perfect. I just don't know what to do. I swear I will never put back on the acrylics!! I will try and pm Pooh and Wendy. Thanks guys. I am definitely at a loss!

 

[jiminyC_fan]

Oh shoot, the search function has been disabled by the administrator.

 

[stinkerbelle]

Originally posted by jiminyC_fan
Oh shoot, the search function has been disabled by the administrator.

wait until after lunch - this board hops during the noon hour!

(at least - that's what i've noticed here on the east coast)

 

[poohandwendy]

Hey, my ears were burning, I just knew someone was talking about me, LOL....

A few questions,
Is the yellowing even with all of the nails? As mentioned before...is the new growth also yellow?

Do you go tanning? Exposure to UV rays (and/or tanning products, especially self tanners) can cause yellowing

Do you smoke? Also can cause yellowing

Do you always have a base coat of nail strengthener under your polish (even clear)? Always apply a base coat before polish. Try switching strengtheners and see if that helps.

If you use a fine file to buff the surface of the nail, does the yellow appearance/stain go away?

Are you constantly changing polish or strengthener (excessive use of polish remover)? Can cause yellowing in some people.

If your nails were filed alot for the acrylic applications, the nails are more likely to be sensiutive to yellowing until they grow out (which can sometimes take up to a year, sorry to say).

If you answer all of the above questions and still have a problem, I would have our doctor check it out. But, I suspect it is just a reaction to the products you are using. Try changing products.

Hope I helped,
take care,
wendy

 

[monkeyboy]

Several tricks can be used to make your tips look whiter. Nail expert Fran Manos (author of Beautiful Hands and Nails Naturally) recommends bleaching them in a solution of 1 tablespoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide mixed with 2 1/2 tablespoons of baking soda in a small plastic bowl. Use a cotton swab to press some of the mixture (it should achieve a pastelike consistency) firmly under the tip of each nail as well as over the top of the nail, covering all the nails on one hand. Allow the mixture to remain in place for about three minutes before rinsing with warm water. Repeat with other hand. Try this treatment every six to eight weeks. Or, soak your tips in a commercial denture cleaner for about five minutes. For a super-speedy fix, use a nail-whitening pencil (available at drugstores) under your tips for a brighter look

 

[poohandwendy]

Just wanted to add, Nail Tek products cause yellowing in some of my clients, switch to Nail Envy (or a similar professional grade strengthener) and see if that helps.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

Wendy, very very interesting! Thanks so much!!! Wow, so much to ponder. Not a smoker, the whole nail beds are yellow and even, not a tanner, new growth appears to be yellow, wasn't using a base coat because of the Nail Tek Intensive therapy, no color polish, only had acrylics for about 4 months so I would say that there wasn't excessive filing with the acrylics and not a smoker. Maybe I should change from Nail Tek. I was using a Sally Hansen product first and blamed it on that product and then switched to Nail tek. Should I use a base coat BEFORE the nail tek? I have been following instructions and putting on a coat a day and on the 7th day I start over again. Is there a better brand of nail polish remover than another? I will go see if I can find Nail Envy.

Monkey Boy, you came up with some cool ideas.

Thanks for all the input. What would we do without the community board?

 

[poohandwendy]

Hi jiminy,

If the new nail is growing out yellow it isn't because of the products you are using. But, that would be hard to say unless you completely stop using all products because it would just continue to stain the new growth making it appear that the new growth is coming in yellow. As far as Nail Envy, it is made by OPI and can be found in most full service salons that retail nail polishes.

Are you taking any medications or vitamin supplements in the last year or so? That could also be a cuplrit. I still think it is a reaction to the product you are using. If you had an infection, your would notice a change in the actual nail consistency by now. (like peeling, flaking, softness, crumbling, tenderness, etc)Also, infections usually don't show signs consistently on all of the nails at once, usually it starts on one finger and then gradually infects all of the nails.

You should use the strengthener as the base coat, then polish and then top coat. A separate base coat would defeat the purpose of the strengthener. A top coat isn't necessary if you don't apply polish. It sounds like you are applying the strengthener correctly. A far as remover, always use non acetone based remover, less harsh. I also recommend washing the residue of the remover off before applying polish. All nail products should be applied to clean, dry nails.

Did you try buffing one of the nails to see if the stain can be buffed off? That would also give you a clue as to whether or not it is the product being applied. If you can't buff it, I would have doctor look at the nails and see if there is anything systemic going on.

Let me know how it works out or if you have any more questions.

take care,
wendy

 

[stinkerbelle]

Originally posted by monkeyboy
Several tricks can be used to make your tips look whiter. Nail expert Fran Manos (author of Beautiful Hands and Nails Naturally) recommends bleaching them in a solution of 1 tablespoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide mixed with 2 1/2 tablespoons of baking soda in a small plastic bowl. Use a cotton swab to press some of the mixture (it should achieve a pastelike consistency) firmly under the tip of each nail as well as over the top of the nail, covering all the nails on one hand. Allow the mixture to remain in place for about three minutes before rinsing with warm water. Repeat with other hand. Try this treatment every six to eight weeks. Or, soak your tips in a commercial denture cleaner for about five minutes. For a super-speedy fix, use a nail-whitening pencil (available at drugstores) under your tips for a brighter look

omg - did you pull that out of your own bum?

seriously monkeyboy - you're usually pretty quick with the quips - but this just blew me away! heheheh

PS - that nail-whitening pencil is a POS...I have decent length nails (at times) and I just got more white on my fingertips then under my tips.

 

[poohandwendy]

LOL, stinker,
You said it first, I wasn't going to say a word. The pencils really are a temporary cosmetic and as you said "a POS"...they really don't work all that well

The rest of the advice is sound, but it takes constant (as in daily) bleaching to achieve any decent results. As a matter of fact, if you have that much time on your hands, it is unlikely you work enough to get your nails dirty, LOL.

JMHO.

 

[poohandwendy]

For anyone with healthy nails that have free edges (white tips) that aren't quite as white as you'd like, I recommend scrubbing something (like your shower or tub) with a good old fashioned soapy bleach water solution (not full strength bleach) and then wash your hands and apply hand lotion immediately afterwards. That should do the trick.

 

[stinkerbelle]

Originally posted by poohandwendy
For anyone with healthy nails that have free edges (white tips) that aren't quite as white as you'd like, I recommend scrubbing something (like your shower or tub) with a good old fashioned soapy bleach water solution (not full strength bleach) and then wash your hands and apply hand lotion immediately afterwards. That should do the trick.

is that why my nails look so nice after I soft-scrub the tub? hehehe

I never wear gloves when cleaning - I know, so bad.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

Well, I buffed them and the yellow is still there but definitely not as bad. Guess I will change my strengthener and also soak in denture cleaner. Thanks for the help!

I am not on any medication but have recently started taking vitamin e, flaxseed oil supplements and also a " menopausal" supplement with soy and black cohosh. Hmmmm, wonder if it is one of those!