Home Remedies For White Spots On Toenails After Removing Polish
The following self-care tips at home can help you avoid and treat white spots on toenails
- Keep your nails and cuticles moisturized to avoid dryness of skin and development of white spots on nails.
- Change nail polish once in 4-5 days. Allow your nails to be free from nail polish for a few days before applying it again.
- Use of natural home remedies which have anti-infective, antibacterial and antifungal properties to nails and cuticles prevent infections and subsequently avoid development of white spots.
Some of the below-mentioned home remedies also have excellent anti-oxidant properties
- Tea tree oil
- Onion
Eat a well-balanced diet along with adequate hydration to maintain a good nutritional status.
In women, especially those who have attained menopause, it is important to visit the doctor regularly to check bone mineral density and blood test for serum calcium. This is because calcium depletion occurs rapidly post-menopause.
As mentioned above, white spots on toenails are harmless in most conditions and therefore do not require any specific treatment. However, you need to visit a doctor if the spots start becoming unusually large or worsen along with other signs and symptoms.
White Spots On Nails Prevention Tips
According to Yau, white spots on the nails can be prevented by adopting simple nail care habits including the following:
âï¸ Direct trauma to the nail plate can be caused by having your nails buffed, cuticles pushed up too hard and too often, so try and avoid this where possible.
âï¸ To prevent an allergic reaction to chemicals in normal nail polishes try using a water-based nail polish that will reduce the risk of any issues.
âï¸ If you are prone to fungal nail infections, then the use of a topical nail lacquer may help to prevent the development of infections.
âï¸ Where possible, try to avoid any trauma to the finger and nail plate by wearing protective gloves.
Strutvite Hair Skin And Nails Supplement
StrutVite is a great go-to hair, skin, and nails supplement to make sure you are covering all of your nutrient bases for your nails.
If you have a few white spots popping up and you are pretty sure there has been no nail injury or underlying condition related to the spots, trying out a nail supplement may be beneficial.
Recommended Reading: Best Polygel Nail Kit With Lamp
The White Specks On Your Nails Are Warning You About 11 Potential Health Problems
I remember being told as a child that white spots on my nails meant I wasnt drinking enough milk . While calcium levelscan be related to those odd spots, there are many other things that can cause them. If youre concerned about this recurring sign, this is what you need to know.
First of all, white nail spots arent a concern if you recently injured your nail or nail bed. Whether you jammed your finger in a door or dropped something on your toe, you shouldnt have to worry about a single occurrence of white discoloration. However, should you notice that these white spots wont go away, are growing, or keep coming back, it could be a sign of something serious.
Treating White Spots On The Nails
Effectively treating white spots on the toenails starts with understanding what has caused the spots to appear in the first place. This is where your local My FootDr podiatry team comes in. Our podiatrists will start with a comprehensive assessment and medical history to understand what has caused the problem, and discuss all your treatment options, including immediately enhancing the appearance of your toenails throughout your care so you can stay confident on your feet.
Recommended Reading: How Do You Take Shellac Off Your Nails
Your Nails And Your Health
Those lines and discolorations on your fingers and toes may be warning flags that you have an underlying medical condition or simply a problem with the nails themselves. Take a closer look at your nails and watch out for the following symptoms.
Toenail and fingernail disorders may signal problems that reach far beyond your fingers and toes. Nail abnormalities often indicate an underlying medical condition or a deficiency in certain vitamins and minerals. Warning signs to look out for include yellow nail discoloration, nail splitting, nail cracking, black fingernails, ridges on nails, and white spots on fingernails. So even if you skip regular manicures and pedicures, pay close attention to your nails and discuss any toenail or fingernail changes or disorders with your doctor.
What Do White Spots On Toenails Mean
Presence of white spots or lines on toenails is called leukonychia. It is a fairly common finding on nails of any person and they appear as milky-white spots. These spots can be seen on nails of women once nail polish is removed.
White spots on toenails are relatively harmless and not associated with any serious medical condition. Their appearance may vary from person to person in the form of a number of spots present and the nails on which they appear.
This article will take you through causes for white spots on toenails along with treatment and how you can get rid of these spots by using home remedies.
Also Check: How To Remove Dip Manicure
Psoriasis Of The Nails
Psoriasis affecting the toenails can cause white, scaly plaques on the nail surface, separation of the nail from the nail bed, enhanced nail speed growth with subsequent damage, and other nail changes. These all affect the appearance of the nail and white patches are often a result. Nail psoriasis is often also mistaken for a fungal nail infection, and vice versa.
The disease process behind nail psoriasis is not well understood, and can affect anyone at any age. It primarily affects the nail matrix at the base of the nail. With psoriatic nails, an accurate diagnosis is the first step to effective care.
Next Steps To Prevent Reoccurring Spots
If youve repeatedly noticed white spots on your nails and wonder what to do, heres a brief guide:
Fingernails and toenails grow slowly, so it may take some time for the white spots or lines to disappear entirely. Fingernails can take 6 months or more to grow out fully. Toenails take longer, up to 18 months for full growth.
You May Like: How Does Toothpaste Remove Sns Nails
Worried About White Spots On Fingernails
I sometimes get white spots on my fingernails. Ive been told that theyre a sign of a calcium deficiency, but I get plenty of calcium from my diet, and I do take a supplement every day. What causes the spots?
Andrew Weil, M.D. | December 17, 2021
The white spots you may sometimes notice on your fingernails are not caused by a calcium deficiency. They are called leukonychia and are very common. There is a congenital form of the condition, meaning that youre born with it, but thats very rare. Most of the time the white spots are simply a sign of some past injury to the matrix of your nails. By the time they show up youve probably forgotten all about banging or knocking your fingers. Sometimes, the injury can stem from a manicure that put excessive pressure on the base of a nail. White fingernail spots also can be a sign of an allergic reaction to nail polish or nail hardeners and, sometimes of a mild infection. Interestingly, the condition was first described in 1919 as a result of arsenic poisoning, but most people dont have to worry about that!
Whatever the cause, white spots on fingernails are almost always temporary and will grow out as your nails grow. However, it can take more than eight months for nails to grow out completely so the spots may be around for a while.
Andrew Weil, M.D.
https://www.karger.com/article/FullText/488522
https://www.jaad.org/article/S0190-962270341-X/fulltext
Can Fingernails Show Signs Of Illness
Yep. According to the NHS, splitting nails may indicate over-exposure to harsh chemicals , psoriasis, and thyroid problems as well as indicating that your nails might have dealt with repeated trauma, like biting.
Yellow-tinged nails might mean that you’ve got a fungal infection. If you do notice any major changes, it’s wise to head to your GP and get them checked out.
Also Check: Vick Vaporub For Nail Fungus
Symptom: Brown Vertical Stripe On The Nail
This may be a sign of melanoma. While you may think the deadliest type of skin cancer always shows up as a mole or dark spot, it can actually start in the nail.
Only about 1 percent of all melanomas in Caucasians occur in the nail, but if youre African-American, 20 percent of melanomas start there, Rich said.
In more advanced cases, it can spread on to the cuticle area or the skin around the nail. Thats an ominous sign its means its growing and spreading, she noted.
Hormones and certain medications can also make pigmented bands in the nails, but be especially watchful for nail cancer symptoms, such as a brown or dark stripe that goes from the cuticle out to the free edge of the nail, especially one thats getting wider.
If you have brown fingernails and the discoloration is round, as opposed to linear, it could be another condition. For example, brown spots on nails, especially if they’re pitted, could be a sign of nail psoriasis.
Course of action: Get any brown pigmentation on your nail checked out by a dermatologist.
How Do You Get Rid Of White Spots On Nails
If the result of trauma, Dr. Frank says you will typically have to let your nails grow out. “If it’s an allergic reaction, avoid the allergen,” he says. “If you believe it could be a fungus , you’ll want to see your dermatologist for an antifungal medication.”
It’s also always a good idea to eat foods that are rich in vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids in order to benefit overall nail health. This includes salmon, eggs, lean meats, and greens.
Read Also: How Much Can Nail Techs Make
Whitish Or Yellowish Patch
Another type of fungal infection is called proximal subungual onychomycosis. It looks like a whitish or yellowish patch that starts at the base of the toenail, near the cuticle. The infection is rare in healthy people. More often, it happens in people with weakened immune systems. It can also be a sign of HIV.
Nail Separates From Nail Bed
- Nails may separate from the nail bed because of injury or infection.
- The detached nail may turn white with a yellow or greenish tint and may be tender or painful.
- In some cases, a separated nail may be linked to psoriasis or other illnesses.
Having any of these changes does not mean you have an underlying health condition. However, if you are concerned about your nails, play it safe and call your doctor.
Recommended Reading: Take Off Shellac
How To Prevent White Marks On Your Nails
Because white spots on the nails are rarely cause for concern and usually caused by minor physical trauma to the hands and nails, you don’t need to be particularly worried about preventing them.
Still, if the marks are aesthetically displeasing to you, there are a few measures you can take to reduce the likelihood of their appearance.
Can You File Or Buff White Spots Away
While you can do this, Jenni advises against it as “over-buffing will cause other problems in the long-run.” If trauma is the cause and it started deep within the nail, you’ll have to buff too many layers to truly wipe out the white, effectively weakening the nail more.
According to Mavalas in-house expert Lynn Gray, you’ll also need to take particular care when working on your cuticles. “You need to take extra care around the cuticle area as if you are too heavy handed you can cause stress to the nails which will show as white spots, ridges, or weakness,” she says. “Use a cuticle remover once a week, apply around the area and wait for a few minutes to let the product dissolve the cuticle, you can then gently push back the cuticle with an orange stick wrapped in cotton wool. To make the contour of the nail look better and to keep the cuticles soft use a cuticle cream or oil every day, preferably in the evening before bed.”
Also Check: Citrusway Nail Solution
Prevent White Spots On Nails
Avoiding the formation of these signs is possible taking into account some recommendations, so to prevent white spots on the nails we suggest:
- Avoid habits that can weaken and damage them, such as biting your nails or tearing the cuticle.
- File the nails carefully, always in the same direction and without violence. In the same way, it is important to cut the nails gently, as a small trauma can cause these marks in the area.
- Moisturize the area daily using a good hand cream.
- Always protect your nails with a transparent shine before painting them in any color, this will help to strengthen them and keep them in good condition.
This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to White spots on nails: causes , we recommend that you enter our Well-being category .
Available Treatments For Nail Fungus
If you think you have fungus growing under a nail, please contact Anne Arundel Dermatology for an appointment. Your dermatologist will trim the affected nail and scrape away the debris underneath it. You will also need to take some type of medication to get rid of the nail fungus.
Mild infections usually respond well to a medicine that you apply directly to the infected nail. The medication prevents new infections from forming while you eliminate the existing fungus. Deep fungal infections require more aggressive treatment with antifungal pills. The FDA has currently approved Fluconazole, Griseofulvin, Itraconazole, and Terbinafine for this purpose.
Combination treatment types and nail removal are additional options. Surgically and non-surgically removed fingernails grow back in about four to six months, while toenails take 12 to 18 months to regrow. Please contact us with additional questions or to request an appointment.
You May Like: How To Get Contacts Out With Acrylics
Classification Of White Nail
Total leukonychia is a whitening of the entire nail plate.
- Terry nails are white with reddened or dark tips.
Partial leukonychia has 3 subtypes:
- Punctate leukonychia: small white spots
- Longitudinal leukonychia: lengthwise band of white nail
- Striate or transverse leukonychia: one or more white horizontal bands across the entire nail in parallel with the lunula, and are also called Mees’ lines.
Muehrcke lines are a form of transverse apparent leukonychia due to variable blood flow under the nail pressure on the nail plate makes them disappear. Vitiligo or leukoderma can also cause apparent partial or longitudinal leukonychia.
Partial leukonychia
Foods For Nail Repair
According to Yau, some nutritional options may help with nail repair. ‘Nails are made up mostly of keratin therefore eating high protein foods such as meat, fish, nuts and pulses can nourish the nail bed and nail plate,’ she says.
‘Taking a nail supplement that contains Zinc, biotin and B-Vitamins as well as a silica supplement will also help to preserve healthy and strong nails and help prevent damage,’ adds Yau.
: 15-02-2021
Don’t Miss: Varisi Nails
Which Age Group Tends To Get White Spots On Their Nails
White spots can appear at any age, especially if you work in a job that involves heavy-duty use of your hands.
‘However, we know that children often experience white marks on their nails and this is most likely due to the fact that their nails are thinner. This is because they are younger and of course more likely to knock the nails whilst playing. Many children also bite their nails which will be a contributory factor,’ explains Dabbs.
Tell Your Mom The White Spots On Your Nails Do Not Indicate Calcium Deficiency
When you were a child, did you ever notice a small white spot on one of your fingernails? Did you rush to your mom and ask her what it was? Surely, she must have pulled your ear and given you quite a bit of thrashing for not finishing your daily glass of milk. Theres not enough calcium in your body, she must have said. Call your mom right away because we are about to bust that myth.
Unlike what almost everyone has believed so far, the white spots on your nails have nothing to do with calcium deficiency. They are, most commonly, proof of an earlier injury to the matrix of your nail that is finally showing as it starts growing out.
Dietitian Dr Priyanka Rohtagi, chief clinical dietician at Apollo Hospitals, Bangalore, refutes the myth entirely. Its a common misconception that the white spots are indicative of calcium deficiency. They could mean a lot of things, including an injury to the nails, a fungal infection and allergy to a particular food item or nail paints. It can even be genetic. It could point towards a deficiency of some kind in very rare cases, but that need not necessarily be calcium-related. It could be any mineral, such as zinc or biotin.
But how did this myth come into existence? Dr Priyanka thinks the colour of the spot and the whiteness often associated with calcium-rich products may have some part to play.
So, white spot or not, keep chugging your milk and gobbling down that matar-paneer to keep calcium deficiency away!
Also Check: How To Trim Color Street Nails
