Why Are My Toenails Changing Color
Why Are My Toenails Yellow?
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If your toenails are turning yellow, it could be a result of aging, nail polish, or due to an infection.
Healthy nails are usually clear in color and don’t have any major issues like cracks, indentations, ridges, or abnormal shapes. If your toenails are turning yellow, it could be a result of something less serious, like aging or nail polish. Or it could be due to a more serious issue, like an infection.
Aging
Aging can be a natural cause of yellow toenails and fingernails. As people grow older, the color, thickness, and shape of their nails tends to change. Aging individuals will often have a more yellow color to their nails.
Nail polish
If you paint your nails frequently with nail polish that’s red or orange in color, your nails can also be discolored as a result of the polish. Taking a break from painting your nails should make the yellow go away.
Medical condition
Having yellow toenails isn’t dangerous by itself. However, if the cause for the yellow toenails is an underlying medical condition, it may be a sign that something is wrong. For example, yellow toenails can be caused by an infection, fungus, or medical disorder.
In rare cases, yellow toenails can actually be a sign of a disorder called yellow nail syndrome (YNS). Doctors don’t know what exactly causes YNS, but people who have it have yellow, curved, thickened nails that grow slowly, along with other symptoms like respiratory problems. Their nails also may have ridges or indentations in them and can also turn black or green.
Go see your doctor if your nails also have any of the following:
- change in shape or thickness
- any bleeding
- discharge
- pain
- swelling
Infection
One of the most common causes of yellow toenails in an infection by a fungus that attacks the nails. This is called onychomycosis, and it happens more in adults than children. It can lead the nail to turn yellow, have yellow spots, white patches, or even turn black.
The fungal infection is caused most often by dermatophytes, which eat keratin to grow. Keratin is found in skin and nails. According to American Family Physician, onychomycosis occurs in about 10 percent of the adult population, and the risk of getting it increases with age. About half of people over the age of 70 get the fungal infection.
Some people are more prone to getting yellow toenails or catching a fungal infection. If you have a medical condition that causes poor blood circulation in the legs, like diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, or other autoimmune disorders, you’re more prone to foot disorders in general.
Athletes or people who spend a lot of time in hot or moist conditions are also more prone to getting a foot infection.
In most cases, yellow toenails are treatable. There are some medications and home remedies that might help cure yellow toenails or help lighten the yellow color. What treatment your doctor recommends will depend on what’s causing the yellow nails.
For example, if your yellow toenails are being caused by a fungal infection, you’ll need antifungal medication to treat it. One of the most common prescription antifungal medications is ciclopirox 8 percent solution, which is applied to the nails like nail polish.
Other medications that can help cure yellow toenails include applying vitamin E, zinc, and a topical corticosteroid with Vitamin D-3.
One study found that using antibiotics, such as 400 milligrams of clarithromycin, cleared up yellow toenails. Using antibiotics is especially helpful if there’s an infection present somewhere in the body, like pneumonia.
Two nonprescription home remedies that’ve been studied to treat yellow toenails are Vicks VapoRub (a topical mentholated ointment) and tea tree oil.
Studies suggest that tea tree oil isn’t really effective in fighting off a fungal infection, but that Vicks VapoRub did work completely in over a quarter of people with yellow toenails and helped cure some of the infection in over half.
You may not be able to prevent yellow toenails from ever happening again, but your best bet is to practice proper nail care and regularly inspect and monitor your nails for any signs of an issue, especially if you have poor circulation or are prone to nail disorders. Be sure to:
- Always wear properly fitting shoes. Have your shoe size fitted by a professional if you’re unsure of your correct shoe size. Feet can change in shape and size with weight gain, loss, or pregnancy.
- Cut toenails straight across with clean nail clippers.
- Keep nails clean and dry.
- Be careful when choosing a salon for a pedicure and check to make sure that they’re changing water and sanitizing stations between customers.
- Regularly air out your shoes after sports or other outdoor activities to ensure that they’re not wet while you wear them.
- Always wear clean socks.
In general, yellow toenails are a sign that something may be wrong. In some cases, yellow toenails may just be a result of nail polish or the normal aging process, but just to be on the safe side, you should always regularly monitor your nails for any changes.
Most cases of yellow toenails are caused by a fungal infection that’s treatable. If you notice that your nails are turning yellow — and especially if you have any other issues like a change in shape or thickness or any bleeding, discharge, pain, or swelling — you should see your doctor.
Last medically reviewed on June 26, 2017
How we reviewed this article:
Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.
- Abdullah L, et al. (2011). Common nail changes and disorders in older people: Diagnosis and management.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3038811/ - Nails. (n.d.).
aad.org/media/stats/prevention-and-care/nail-care - Suzuki M, et al. (2011). A case of yellow nail syndrome with dramatically improved nail discoloration by oral clarithromycin. DOI: .
doi.org/10.1159/000334734 - Westerberg DP, et al. (2013). Onychomycosis: Current trends in diagnosis and treatment.
aafp.org/afp/2013/1201/p762.html
Why Are My Toenails Changing Color?
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Typically, toenails should be more or less a clear, partially translucent color. But sometimes, they can appear yellow, green, blue, purple, or black.
Several things can cause toenail discoloration (also known as chromonychia). These range from minor injuries to potentially serious health conditions.
Here’s a look at some of the most likely causes of your toenail discoloration and how they’re treated.
Nail fungus, also called onychomycosis, is one of the most prevalent causes of toenail discoloration. The most common organism to cause toenail fungus is called dermatophyte. However, mold or yeast can also infect toenails. Dermatophytes grow by eating your body’s keratin.
If you have nail fungus, your toenail color might be:
The discoloration tends to start under the tip of your nail. Left untreated, the discolored area will grow as the infection spreads.
Anyone can develop nail fungus. But certain people have a higher risk, including older adults and people with reduced blood circulation or weakened immune systems.
Other things that can contribute to nail fungus include:
- frequent sweating
- walking barefoot
- small cuts or scraps near your nail
How to treat it
Mild fungal infections usually respond well to over-the-counter (OTC) antifungal treatments, which you can find on Amazon. Look for something that contains either clotrimazole or terbinafine. You can also try these 10 home remedies.
If you have a severe fungal infection that’s painful or causes your nail to thicken or crumble, it’s best to see a professional. Left untreated, several fungal infections can cause permanent nail damage.
You should also see a healthcare provider if you have diabetes and a fungal infection in your toenail.
If you’ve recently dropped something on your foot or stubbed your toe on something, your nail discoloration could be a symptom of a subungual hematoma. This injury can also result from wearing shoes that are too tight.
Subungual hematomas can make your nail appear red or purple. Eventually, this will change to a brown or black color. The affected nail will also likely feel sore and tender.
How to treat it
Subungual hematomas usually heal on their own within a few days. In the meantime, try to rest the affected foot. You can also wrap an ice pack in a towel and place it on the nail to help with the pain.
While the injury itself heals quickly it, it’ll take about six to nine months for the discolored nail to completely grow out.
If you notice that the pain and pressure isn’t getting any better after a few days, make an appointment with a healthcare provider. You may have a more severe injury that requires treatment.
Sometimes, nail discoloration is a symptom of an underlying health condition.
| Condition | Type of discoloration |
|---|---|
| psoriasis | yellow-brown spots under the nail |
| kidney failure | white on the bottom half and pink on the top |
| cirrhosis | white |
| pseudomonas infections | green |
Seek medical attention if your nail (or nail bed) also:
- changes in shape
- thickens
- bleeds
- swells
- is painful
- has discharge
When you apply nail polish to the surface of your nail, it can penetrate and stain deeper layers of keratin in your nail. Polish left on your nails for just one week can result in staining.
Red- and orange-colored nail polish are more likely to cause discoloration. Nail hardeners containing formalin, dimethylurea, or glyoxal can also cause discoloration.
How to treat it
The only way to get rid of nail polish-related discoloration is to take a break from painting your nails. Even a break of just two or three weeks can resolve the issue.
Yellow nail syndrome is a rare condition that causes your nails to turn yellow.
If you have yellow nail syndrome, your nails may also:
- look curved or thick
- grow slower than usual
- have indentations or ridges
- have no cuticle
- turn black or green
Experts aren’t sure what causes yellow nail syndrome, but it tends to affect adults over the age of 50. It also often occurs alongside another medical condition, such as:
There’s no treatment for yellow nail syndrome itself, though it sometimes goes away on its own.
Toenail discoloration can also be a side effect of certain medications.
| Medication | Type of discoloration |
|---|---|
| chemotherapy drugs | darkening or white bands across the nail |
| rheumatoid arthritis drugs containing gold | light or dark brown |
| antimalarial drugs | blackish blue |
| minocycline | bluish-gray |
| tetracycline antibiotics | yellow |