If the eyes are the mirror of the soul, then well-groomed nails are an indicator of cleanliness and neatness. Deterioration in the appearance of the nail plate can occur for various reasons. Poor-quality decorative products, stubborn dirt, improper care, excess household chemicals, smoking - these and many other factors can harm your nails. If a problem exists, then you need to decide in which direction to move towards the perfect manicure:
Visit a salon for professional whitening services. Effective, but expensive.
Whiten your nails with products from the mass market - pencils, varnishes. Relatively inexpensive, but the effect is fleeting, in a few days everything will return to normal.
Pay attention to simple, home procedures. Cheap, effective, but you need to be patient and perform the procedures constantly.
How and with what to whiten fingernails and toenails at home?
How to whiten nails with citric acid?
Citric acid is an excellent bactericidal agent and a natural antioxidant. The result of using citric acid is not only an improvement in the color, but also in the condition of the nails. They will acquire shine and smoothness. Dosage – 1 teaspoon per glass of warm water. Duration: 15 minutes; after the procedure, moisten the cuticle generously with cream or oils. Frequency no more than once a week to prevent excessive softening of the nail plate.
How to whiten nails with peroxide?
If you need to urgently get your hands in order, you can whiten your nails with hydrogen peroxide. To do this you need peroxide and soda in a ratio of 1:2. Apply the mixture and rinse off after 2-3 minutes with water. The procedure is over, your manicure is in order.
How to whiten nails with lemon?
The lemon bleaching process is very simple. Cut a lemon and immerse your fingers in its pulp for a maximum of 10-20 minutes. Add olive oil to soften. Acceptable frequency is daily. Another option for lemon bleaching is to rub with freshly squeezed lemon juice twice a day until the desired color is obtained.
How to whiten nails with soda?
Baking soda has already been used in our recipes in combination with hydrogen peroxide, but now is the time for individual use. The abrasive properties of soda can easily help you whiten your nails; just apply it to a soft brush and rub the stained areas. If you have hangnails or wounds on your hands, you can make a bath with soda, adding 1 teaspoon per glass of water. Such procedures can be carried out once a week. You will get not only a whitening effect, but a strengthening effect.
How to whiten nails with toothpaste?
Whitening toothpaste will help eliminate yellow nails. The procedure can be carried out daily; select a separate toothbrush and simply brush your nails for 5-7 minutes. The effect of application will be noticeable after a few days.
When carrying out whitening procedures, remember:
- nails must be free of varnish;
- the presence of wounds and hangnails makes bleaching possible only with the help of baths;
- after the activities, use a nourishing cream;
- when varnishing, be sure to use a base coat, this will prevent yellowing;
- periodically let your nails rest, do not apply any coating.
Why does the nail plate change color?
Let's figure out how serious the problem of darkening the nail plate is. The nail is essentially dead cells that are pushed out by new young cells. This is how it grows.
Consequently, all nail cells were once alive and were influenced by the body. And, if there were any problems in the body, they could affect the condition of the nail plate, causing the following unpleasant effects:
- change in nail thickness (thinning or thickening);
- uneven nail thickness;
- fragility, fragility;
- the appearance of dents and grooves;
- color change, including the appearance of spots.
Already grown nails experience all sorts of external influences, which can also change the quality of the nail plate. Thus, the reasons for changes in nail color can be both internal and purely external.
Internal reasons
Representatives of holistic medicine say that you can learn a lot about a person’s health from the condition of the nail plates. Thus, white spots on the nails may indicate injury or a lack of minerals during the period when this area of the nail was in its embryonic stage.
The waves, dents, and grooves on the surface of the nail plate will tell a specialist a lot. As for color changes, yellowness may be a consequence of the following problems:
- fungal infection;
- jaundice;
- psoriasis;
- tuberculosis;
- diabetes;
- metabolic problems.
External reasons
Much more often we observe darkening of nails associated with external reasons:
- Working on the ground. During contact with the ground, the nail plate receives micro-scratches, into which dirt and plant sap penetrate. During subsequent washing, it is very difficult to get rid of brown or black-green deposits.
- Contact with certain vegetables and berries, such as beets, carrots, blueberries, black currants, or mushrooms. Their juices literally saturate the nail plate and cuticle, giving it a dirty tint.
- Using colored varnishes without first applying a base.
- Smoking.
It should also be noted that many people's nails acquire some yellowish tint as they age. In principle, knowing the external cause, it is easy to eliminate it. For example, wear gloves when doing dirty work, do not neglect to apply a base coat under bright polish, take care of your nails, clean them on time and take baths.
But what to do if you couldn’t avoid darkening the nail plate? You'll have to think about how to whiten your nails at home.
How and with what to whiten nails after gardening?
It is always easier to prevent than to eliminate the consequences. Before working in the garden, apply hand cream, Vaseline, oil - any of the available products. This will prevent dirt from penetrating deep into the skin. If you don’t have cream on hand, then take any soap and lather your hands, especially carefully under the nails, leaving softened pieces. After this, let your hands dry. A thin protective film forms on the surface, a kind of invisible gloves that can be easily washed off after work and keep your hands clean.
Don't neglect real gloves. They may not always be convenient to work in, but they do an excellent job of protecting against dirt and minor injuries. The right gloves for a summer resident are made of thick latex, with a cotton lining.
You can whiten your hands after gardening with improvised means - sorrel, rhubarb, overripe tomatoes. Mash the leaves and wipe the dirty areas, just grease your hands with the tomato. The acid contained in these plants will help clean your fingers.
Potato broth will help soften and remove dirt. Boil a couple of potatoes, make a very thin puree, cool to an acceptable temperature and let your hands sit for 20 minutes.
Whitening nail pencil: how to use?
There are several types of manicure pencils and each has its own purpose, but white is naturally used for whitening. It can also be used for French manicure.
A whitening pencil will become a lifesaver when you urgently need to get your manicure in order. It is very simple to use - wash your hands and use the corner of a pencil cap to remove dirt under your nails. Wet the well-sharpened tip of the pencil and run it along the inside of the nail. Remove excess pencil that gets on the outer part of the nail. That's it, your hands look pretty decent. But, unfortunately, not for long. If they come into contact with water, the pencil lines will wash away, leaving unsightly white streaks. Therefore, bleaching with a pencil can be considered a radical method in emergency cases.
How to whiten nails after polishing?
Bright, juicy, unconventional – is this what your manicure looks like every day? Then be prepared for the fact that constant use of deep colors and neglect of the base coat will lead to saturation of the nail with dark pigment. The consequence of this is yellowing.
A bleaching varnish will help to eliminate it quickly, but for a short period of time. To completely cure the problem, it is worth carrying out a set of measures - masks, baths, constant use of a base coat. From time to time you need to take a time out and give your nails a rest without applying any coating.
If you don’t want to bother with preparing and carrying out procedures, you can always use whitening serums. They usually contain acid and a set of natural oils for nutrition.
Prevention of yellowness
- In order to minimize the risk of developing such a nail defect, first of all, you should carefully observe the rules of personal hygiene.
You can become infected with fungus in any public place, from an unqualified nail salon to a public toilet. Important! It is best to always have an antifungal cream with you. - Get your manicure done by a specialist and only with high-quality coating. Be sure to use a base protectant under the varnish. For a while, it is better to rest your nails and leave them in their natural state, performing only therapeutic procedures.
- If you smoke, it is recommended to do nail whitening procedures more often than non-smokers. This will prevent the process of yellowing from starting and preserve their healthy appearance for as long as possible.
- And the last thing is the mandatory treatment of chronic diseases that cause the yellow color of the nail plate, and the intake of vitamin and mineral complexes to maintain the health of the body and saturate it with all the necessary elements.
How and with what to whiten and strengthen nails?
Complex procedures that will not only whiten but also strengthen your nails are especially popular.
The method that was used in ancient Egypt is olive oil and lemon juice. Apply to the nail and rub well. After removing the excess, go over it well with a polishing file.
Another recipe from Cleopatra is milk and honey. Milk should not be skimmed. 20 minutes of relaxation will saturate your nails with calcium and eliminate the yellow tint.
You can get a double effect from a soda bath by adding a few drops of iodine.
The only difficulty with a paraffin mask is the duration of the procedure. You need to wait a couple of hours wearing gloves. After melting cosmetic paraffin in a water bath, add olive oil to the composition; apply to your fingers - the mask is ready!
Cosmetic brighteners
In addition to folk remedies, store-bought bleaches are used to lighten the nail plate. They are produced in the form of gels, varnishes, special markers, and pencils.
Pencil
This cosmetic product is intended for painting the free edge of the nail from the back side.
Use a pencil to draw a straight white line, which masks the yellowed tip. The effect lasts until the first hand washing.
Gel
It comes in bottles with a brush, similar to nail polish. The liquid is transparent in color, with a barely noticeable blue pigment, which creates the effect of healthy nails after application. They appear white, but are not.
After removing the gel, the yellow tint appears again.
How and with what to whiten the skin around the nails?
If the skin of your fingers is dry, with small cracks, then sooner or later you will be faced with the need to remove accumulated dirt and whiten the problem area. Before starting the procedures, you can try steaming your hands and removing cracked skin with an abrasive file.
Potato mask.
Boil the tubers in their skins, peel, mash into a homogeneous mass with a small amount of milk. Apply to hands and cover with cling film on top. Carry out sessions every other day, for 30-40 minutes, until the desired result is achieved.
Grated raw potatoes applied to your hands for 30 minutes will give your skin a delicate white-pink color after the first procedure. Table salt mask. This option is only suitable if you do not have minor injuries or cuts. Add a small amount of lemon juice to a teaspoon of salt.
Mask made of baby soap and hydroperite. Rub half a bar of soap, beat with 0.5 cups of water. Dissolve 2 tablets of hydroperite in the resulting foam. The composition is ready, apply to your hands, rinse with water after 20 minutes.
Other Home Remedies
In addition to lemon, you can also use citric acid. Lightly moisten the nail plates with water. Apply citric acid with a damp toothbrush and massage lightly for 10-15 seconds.
Rinse off any remaining acid with water, dry your hands and nails and apply moisturizer.
9% table vinegar will help remove yellowness, clean nails and hands from various contaminants.
You can use baths for whitening. Dilute a tablespoon of vinegar in a small amount of warm water and soak your nails.
Another option is to use a denture cleaner. Dissolve a few tablets in a bowl of warm water and soak your hands for 5 minutes.
How and with what to whiten nails from cigarettes?
One of the obvious signs of a smoker is yellow nicotine stains and dry skin on the hands. Experienced smokers may even experience deformation of the shape of their nails. The easiest way to eliminate unpleasant symptoms is to quit smoking. You can reduce the impact of cigarettes by using a cigarette holder when smoking. But, if this is beyond your power, you should take up cosmetic procedures:
- bath of apple cider vinegar and water, dosage 1:1. Time 20-30 minutes;
- a coffee scrub will cleanse your hands of yellowness and give your skin a pleasant aroma;
- Apply a small amount of castor oil to a cotton pad and press it onto the surface of the nail for a few minutes;
- Wipe your nails with hydrogen peroxide daily;
- in the summer, procedures with the juice of fresh berries - currants, cranberries - are quite effective.
There are many options for care, but all of them will be effective only with regular use. This should become an absolute habit, a daily ritual. Then your hands will be flawless, and it will be impossible to take your admiring glance off your perfect nails. Be beautiful!
