What Are Yellow Toenails?
Toenails usually turn yellow due to the presence of yeast infection beneath the nails. Toenails are susceptible to this condition because of the warm, dark and moist environment created by factors wearing uncomfortable shoes, not maintaining proper hygiene etc.
Yellow Toenails are generally not very harmful but they are ugly to look at and hence can become a cause embarrassment in social settings. Although this is a benign condition still, 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 for Yellow Toenails natural treatment.
The home treatment should also be complemented with adequate hygiene and steps like avoiding nail polish, drying the feet thoroughly after bathing, changing the socks frequently and wearing comfortable shoes that provide adequate ventilation so as to facilitate the process of healing and avoid Yellow Toenails from getting worse.
What Are The Causes Of Thick Yellow Toenails?
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.
As for infection, factors like wearing dirty socks over and over again, prolonged use of closed-toed shoes, excessive sweating in the toes and not maintain adequate hygiene tend to create a dark, warm and damp environment in the foot area, thereby facilitating microbial growth.
Toenails can also become turn yellow because of wearing nail polish on the nails for a long time, thereby leaving no scope for the nails to breathe. Psoriasis, Diabetes, Liver Problems and certain other diseases increase the risk of developing this condition.
Symptoms of Yellow Toenails
The condition usually affects only a single nail, except in case of Yellow Nail Syndrome that may affect all the nails. Plus, only a particular area of the affected toenail becomes yellowish or brownish in color, not the whole nail.
Additionally, Yellow Toenail may also lead to other symptoms like unpleasant odor, cracked and brittle toenails with uneven edges. Yellow Toenails ultimately become thick, dull and lusterless. In severe cases, the underlying infection, if not healed in time, can also cause pain.
Natural Home Remedies for Yellow Toenails
- Soaking the toenails in some water mixed with a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice is one of the simplest natural home remedies for Yellow Toenails as it helps to remove yellow stains from the nails. Directly rubbing lemon slices is also beneficial in this regard.
- Take about three tablespoons of baking soda and one tablespoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide. Mix them to form a paste and then apply this paste on the toe nails.
- Finally, wash the feet after 10 minutes and dry them thoroughly to remove the yellow discoloration naturally at home. A mixture of baking soda and lemon juice can also be used in the same way.
- Combination of tea tree oil and lavender oil, or tea tree oil and olive oil make for excellent Yellow Toenails home remedies. You can use either of these natural remedies for a few weeks to get rid of this problem.
- Another Yellow Toenails home remedy with essential oils is to 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.
- Soaking the feet in a bucket of warm water mixed with a teaspoon of crushed juniper berries serves as a good natural cure for Yellow Toenails.
- Soaking the nails in a mixture of warm water and apple cider vinegar (taken in equal quantities) is one of the most popular home remedies for Yellow Toenails caused by fungal infection in the nails.Use this solution for about 15-20 minutes three times in a day to reduce the infection as well as discoloration of toe nails. Dry the feet completely after soaking in this solution.
[Read: How To Get Rid Of an Ingrown Toenail?]
Natural Cure: Diet for Yellow Toenails
When dealing with Yellow Toenails caused by infections, it is recommended to include more probiotics like yogurt in the diet. The well balanced diet should also constitute a judicious mix fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains containing essential vitamins and nutrients like that help improve immunity against infections.
Diet for reducing Yellow Toenails caused by specific diseases like liver problems should be aimed at healing those diseases.
Besides, consumption of ginger tea and other beneficial herbal teas also helps to cure fungal infections causing discoloration of nails, thereby serving as one of the most valuable dietary measures as well as natural home remedies for Yellow Toenails home treatment.
