Have you ever looked down at your nails and noticed a yellow cast? It happened to me recently after taking off my nail polish. At first, I was a bit anxious, but after doing some research, I found that there are multiple causes for yellow nails—many of which are relatively minor and easily addressed.
For this story, I spoke with a few dermatologists and nail experts about everything related to yellow nails, from what causes them to how to get rid of them. Plus, you’ll find some product recommendations that can help get rid of yellow nails if the cause isn’t related to an underlying health issue.
What are yellow nails?
Yellow nails, also known as xanthonychia, occur when the nail plate develops a dull, brown-yellow appearance. This can happen for a plethora of reasons, from using a nail polish that has stained your nails to contracting a fungal infection.
In other cases, “underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, thyroid dysfunction, or lymphedema can contribute to yellow nails,” says Nicole Lee, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist at Epoch Dermatology.
“More rarely, yellow nail syndrome, characterized by slow-growing, thickened yellow nails along with respiratory disease and lymphedema, may be the underlying cause.”
What causes yellow nails?
There are several causes of yellow nails, from the type of nail polish you use to underlying health conditions.
1. Nail polish
According to Dr. Lee, nail polish and gel manicures are the most common cause of yellow nails. “This is common with prolonged wear or darker shades, as pigment can gradually penetrate and stain the nail plate over time,” she tells Good Housekeeping. “Yellowing that develops after recent gel polish or nail polish removal and gradually fades over a few weeks is usually not concerning and is often simply staining of the nail plate.”
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