Toenails usually turn yellow due to the presence of yeast infection beneath the nails. Yellow toenails are generally not very harmful, but they are ugly to look at and hence can become a cause of embarrassment in social settings.
Although this is a benign condition, it should be cured effectively before the infection spreads further on the nail, even up to its root. The condition can be healed naturally at home with the help of several home remedies:
6 Natural Home Remedies
1. Lemon
Soak your toenails in water mixed with a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice. This helps to remove yellow stains from the nails. Directly rubbing lemon slices is also beneficial.
2. Baking Soda
- Take about three tablespoons of baking soda and one tablespoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide.
- Mix them to form a paste and apply on your toenails.
- Wash your feet after 10 minutes and dry them thoroughly to remove the yellow discoloration.
A mixture of baking soda and lemon juice can also be used in the same way.
3. Tea Tree Oil And Lavender/Olive Oil
Use a combination of tea tree oil and lavender oil, or tea tree oil and olive oil, for a few weeks to get rid of yellow toenails.
4. Olive Oil And Oregano Essential Oil
Regularly apply a mixture of one teaspoon of olive oil and two drops of oregano essential oil. Do not follow this therapy for more than three weeks.
5. Juniper Berries
Soak your feet in a bucket of warm water mixed with a teaspoon of crushed juniper berries.
6. Apple Cider Vinegar
Soaking your nails in a mixture of warm water and apple cider vinegar (taken in equal quantities) is a popular remedy for yellow toenails caused by fungal infection.
Use this solution for about 15–20 minutes, three times a day, to reduce the infection as well as the discoloration. Dry the feet completely after soaking in this solution.
Diet For Yellow Toenails
- To deal with infections, include more probiotics like yogurt in the diet. The well-balanced diet should also constitute a judicious mix of fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains containing essential vitamins and nutrients that help improve immunity against infections. Consumption of ginger tea and other beneficial herbal teas also helps to cure fungal infections.
- Diets for reducing yellow toenails caused by specific diseases like liver problems should aim healing those diseases.
Causes Of Yellow Toenails
[pullquote]Psoriasis, diabetes, liver problems, and certain other diseases increase the risk of developing yellow nails.[/pullquote]
Toenails are susceptible to this condition because of infections. Factors like wearing dirty socks over and over again, prolonged use of closed-toed shoes, excessive sweating in the toes, and not maintaining adequate hygiene tend to create an environment that facilitates microbial growth in your feet.
Toenails can also turn yellow because of wearing nail polish for a long time, thereby leaving no scope for the nails to breathe.
Apart from fungal infections, yellow toenails can also be caused by other conditions such as “yellow nail syndrome.” This rare disorder is mostly associated with systematic diseases like lymphedema and compromised respiration.
Symptoms Of Yellow Toenails
The condition usually affects only a single nail, except in case of the “yellow nail syndrome,” which may affect all the nails. Plus, only a particular area of the affected toenail becomes yellowish or brownish in color, not the whole nail.
[pullquote]In severe cases, the underlying infection in yellow toenails, if not healed in time, can also cause pain.[/pullquote]
Additionally, yellow toenails may also lead to other symptoms like unpleasant odor and cracked and brittle toenails with uneven edges. These toenails ultimately become thick, dull, and lusterless.
It is important to remember that any home treatment should be complemented with an appropriate lifestyle.
- Maintain good hygiene.
- Avoid nail polish.
- Dry your feet thoroughly after bathing.
- Change socks frequently.
- Wearing comfortable shoes that provide adequate ventilation to facilitate the process of healing.
