White Chalky Toenails from Nail Polish
White chalky toenails from nail polish are called keratin granulations. This is not toenail fungus! Learn how to fix your toenails and fingernails!
Overview of White Chalky Toenails from Nail Polish:
- White chalky toenails from nail polish are called keratin granulations.
- These occur when you dehydrate the top of your nail with nail polish remove like acetone.
- They are not actually chalky until you remove the toenail polish.
- This is not fungus but can be very easily compared to this due to extensive dryness. There is a comparable toenail fungus called superficial white onychomycosis.
Treatment Overview (read the rest for a detailed explanation):
- Any moisturizing lotion will work great for dehydrated toenails: So don’t just buy the ones that I am recommending!
- These options are great for both repairing and killing any fungus if you think that may also be going on.
- If it sounds like you have just keratin granulations: use something around the house and start doing it TODAY!
- So the KEY is…. Just moisturize and debride the dead toenail crust with a nail file then moisturize them.
Best Toenail Repair Products:
Top Choice For Direct Toenail Application.
Top Choice For Cream For Toenails & Webspaces.
Great Option For Foot Soak.
Price:
$19.90
$15.49
$15.97
Overview:
All natural option that is toxic to fungus. This is similar to tea tree oil in that respect but can be more effective. You still need to exfoliate dead skin and trim thick toenails.
All natural cream option. This is a good option compared to some of the quick dry gels. This can be used on the skin surrounding your toenails.
Safe, cost effective and relaxing all at the same time! This needs to be used in a 20 minute foot soak. Works well for exfoliating loose skin/toenail as well as softening.
Pros:
All natural, relatively cost effective. 1,000s of reviews with excellent results. Very clean and quick drying, easy to apply.
Relatively cost effective. All natural tea tree oil that is proven toxic to fungus. Can be used on surrounding skin as well.
Very safe, little risk, low cost and very effective if used correctly. The key is to use it as an aid to soften and exfoliate loose/dry dead skin and toenail.
Cons:
Small amount and a little more expensive than some other options. Once more has 0% chance of working if your goal is to heal a dead, detached toenail or dry skin. Are you noticing this is a trend? This is really the key!
Still more expensive than other options. Can get messy all over different areas of your foot. Key is still debride and cleaning your dry dead toenails and skin. TRIM them!
It once more has 0% chance working if you are trying to save loose and dead crusty skin. Fungus will always grow on this if no blood flow. It can not regenerate dead skin, only exfoliate it.
Amazon Reviewer Comments (Make sure to do your own review research through the link):
“I have been used a lots products didn’t work. This product is really really work well. I have been using 3weeks, so far works good. The healthy nail is growing now.”
“I’ve had athletes foot, with toenail fungus for the past 10+ years. I’ve used just about everything off the shelf to address this problem. This product did the trick!”
“In love with this product! While at work all I can think about is coming home to soak my feet. My feet feel absolutely amazing!”
Affiliate Link (Buying through these links helps support the site): Thank you!
Best Toenail Repair Products:
Top Choice For Direct Toenail Application.
Price:
$19.90
Overview:
All natural option that is toxic to fungus. This is similar to tea tree oil in that respect but can be more effective. You still need to exfoliate dead skin and trim thick toenails.
Pros:
All natural, relatively cost effective. 1,000s of reviews with excellent results. Very clean and quick drying, easy to apply.
Cons:
Small amount and a little more expensive than some other options. Once more has 0% chance of working if your goal is to heal a dead, detached toenail or dry skin. Are you noticing this is a trend? This is really the key!
Amazon Reviewer Comments (Make sure to do your own review research through the link):
“I have been used a lots products didn’t work. This product is really really work well. I have been using 3weeks, so far works good. The healthy nail is growing now.”
Affiliate Link (Buying through these links helps support the site): Thank you!
Best Toenail Repair Products:
Top Choice For Cream For Toenails & Webspaces.
Price:
$15.49
Overview:
All natural cream option. This is a good option compared to some of the quick dry gels. This can be used on the skin surrounding your toenails.
Pros:
Relatively cost effective. All natural tea tree oil that is proven toxic to fungus. Can be used on surrounding skin as well.
Cons:
Still more expensive than other options. Can get messy all over different areas of your foot. Key is still debride and cleaning your dry dead toenails and skin. TRIM them!
Amazon Reviewer Comments (Make sure to do your own review research through the link):
“I’ve had athletes foot, with toenail fungus for the past 10+ years. I’ve used just about everything off the shelf to address this problem. This product did the trick!”
Affiliate Link (Buying through these links helps support the site): Thank you!
Best Toenail Repair Products:
Great Option For Foot Soak.
Price:
$15.97
Overview:
Safe, cost effective and relaxing all at the same time! This needs to be used in a 20 minute foot soak. Works well for exfoliating loose skin/toenail as well as softening.
Pros:
Very safe, little risk, low cost and very effective if used correctly. The key is to use it as an aid to soften and exfoliate loose/dry dead skin and toenail.
Cons:
It once more has 0% chance working if you are trying to save loose and dead crusty skin. Fungus will always grow on this if no blood flow. It can not regenerate dead skin, only exfoliate it.
Amazon Reviewer Comments (Make sure to do your own review research through the link):
“In love with this product! While at work all I can think about is coming home to soak my feet. My feet feel absolutely amazing!”
Affiliate Link (Buying through these links helps support the site): Thank you!
White Chalky Toenails from Nail Polish: Usually not fungus!
White chalky toenails from nail polish are called Keratin Granulations are white smudge marks on your nails that usually occur after you take off your nail polish, but are luckily very treatable!
- Nail polish polish contains compounds like acetone.
- These compounds can dehydrate the nails underneath them leading to a protein called “keratin” to dehydrate.
- These keratin molecules can clump together creating white smudges.
- These are called “keratin granulations”
Are Keratin Granulations Dangerous?
No they are not dangerous!
- This condition is not very dangerous, it is basically just a fancy way of saying that you have dry nails.
- The only downsides to not doing anything about it is that your nails are more brittle and more likely to chip in the future.
- Think of this as being a completely cosmetic problem only.
Symptoms Of Keratin Granulations:
Keratin granulations can manifest themselves in the following ways:
- White nails.
- Dry and brittle nails.
- Nail polish was just recently removed.
- No pain or irritation.
- Nails were previously healthy.
Keratin Granulations Home Treatment:
- Keratin Granulations are very easily taken care of through moisturizing your nails with cuticle wax, oils and simply avoiding nail polish for a little while.
- It is not necessary to buy anything expensive or online; it is fine simply using a product like Vaseline or any other petroleum oil in most circumstances.
- Protect your fingernails and toenails from toenail polish remover, this can permanently damage the toenails until new and healthy toenail polish grows out.
- It can take well over a year to grow a new healthy toenail for your lesser toes and big toenails.
- So get yourself some petroleum jelly at your corner store and just apply it to your nails at night when you won’t be using your hands. In 2 weeks you should be in great shape!
Treatment Steps:
Step #1) Stop using toenail polish if you can help it.
- Washing off toenail polish with acetone remover will generally cause these white smudges to happen.
- This is not toenail fungus, but the dehydrated toenail granulations from the acetone remover.
- If you stop needing to use acetone remover, then its pretty much guaranteed that you won’t have any future keratin granulations.
- But if you do need to keep using the remover, don’t worry there is always stuff you can do to prevent anything worse from happening.
- You can still take care of your ganulations at home.
Step #2) Use a currette or nail file to clean off the superficial keratin granulation.
- There are deeper good layers of toenail still alive underneath the superficial dead layers.
- Its like exfoliating your dead skin, just clean off the outer dead layers.
- A nail file and a currette can work great in this regard.
- Your toenail has many layers and simply smoothing out the top layers will make your toenail look healthy again.
- Underneath this is good healthy toenail that can then be moisturized.
Step #3) Moisturize your toenails:
- I would recommend using something strong like a cream or petroleum jelly at night.
- These work much better than water based lotions.
- This strengthens your nail and makes it look healthy.
- This works great when combined with exfoliation.
Home Treatment Pros vs. Cons:
White Chalky Toenails From Toenail Polish Treatment Review: A+
Pros:
- This is a cheap treatment option.
- Petroleum jelly and moisturizing creams are readily available.
- The cure is almost instant.
Cons:
- The downside of the treatment is that it is not permanent.
- As long as you keep using acetone remover, you will keep getting keratin granulations.
Recommended White Chalky Toenail Treatment Option:
Just remember as long as your moisturize you will do great, this is just one recommended option.
Good luck!
Other causes of white spots on my nails & toenails:
- Another name for white spots on your toenails is called the Leukonychia.
- Leukonychia is a condition where there are white lines work that form on your fingernails or toenails.
- 95+ percent of time this is very common and harmless. But there’s always a chance that it can be something dangerous.
- This is nothing to worry about, and Leukonychia, it is likely not a fungus.
The most common cause of white spots on your toenails:
- The most common cause of leukonychia is a minor injury to the nail bed.
- This is especially common if you bump or jam your toenail or fingernail.
- It is also possible for manicures and pedicures to cause a injury of white spots to the toenails due to gel or acrylic.
- This is likely due to the dehydration on top of your toenails. This is also known as keratin granulations. As noted above.
Causes of white spots on the toenails:
- The 95% most common cause is an nail injury which is superficial.
- Dehydration of the toenail.
- Fungal infection.
- Allergic reaction.
- Mineral deficiency.
White marks on toenails:
- White marks on the toenails are most commonly due to injury.
- This is nothing to worry about, the damage should go away relatively quickly!
White superficial onychomycosis toenail fungus:
- White superficial onychomycosis is the most common type of toenail fungus that can live on top of your toenails.
- This type of toenail fungus can be high risk for further growth into your toenails.
- If you do suspect fungus that is not related to removing toenail polish, make sure you treat this disease!
White patches or spots under the toenails:
- White patches or spots under the toenails can be due to injury.
- The way to know that this is due to an injury is because the white spot will extend with the toenail or the fingernail as it grows.
- Most people don’t remember when injury actually happened, because Apple long time ago.
- Your toe nail only grows 1 mm per month. So this could happen a very long time ago.
Toenails turning white by themselves:
- If your toenails are turning white all by themselves, consider superficial white onychomycosis. This can worsen to complete toenail fungus.
- Look at some of the toenail fungus treatments we recommend at the beginning of this guide!
Let us know if this post helped with your white discoloration of your toenails, hope you feel better soon!