If after removing your toenail polish, you see these white chalky patches then in most cases it is a condition called keratin granulation. These occur from constant polish wearing. This is not a fungus but can look much like it and can trigger a fungus so it is important to treat it.
Keratin granulation
If you remove your nail polish only to find that part of your nail is white and dry underneath, you may have this common condition. It's caused by wearing toenail polish for too long. If you have this, it's best to let your nails heal for a while.
Do you have a toenail that's turned white, or has large powder-like patches? You could have a fungal infection, most likely one called white superficial onychomycosis. If possible, see a doctor as soon as you notice it. This infection spreads across the toenail.
If the toenails look dry, cracked and brittle from long-term polish use, you can apply a vitamin E oil or lotion, rubbing it gently into the nail and cuticle to moisturize them. Allow it to absorb and dry fully before wearing shoes.
The best way to get rid of keratin granulation is to give your nails a several-week-long break from nail polish, nail polish remover and chemicals in conjunction with using moisturizers and/or hand creams to replenish the moisture balance of the nails.
“I always recommend to my patients that it's best to leave polish on for a few weeks on, and then remove the polish and go without for a few weeks,” Dr. Rowland says. “It's not a good idea to leave nail polish continuously on your toes all summer. They need a break.”
Studies have shown that fungus can be caused from wearing dark nail polish for too long without removing it. The polish does not allow the nail to breathe and it could trap any moisture that was on the nail prior to painting them. This is the perfect environment for fungus to grow.
Most nail polishes contain formaldehyde, a carcinogenic chemical best known for preserving cadavers. On a toenail, the formaldehyde dries and damages the nail. Polish remover has acetone, which is popular for removing adhesives and paint, and it is also damaging for the nail.
It begins as a white or yellow-brown spot under the tip of your fingernail or toenail. As the fungal infection goes deeper, the nail may discolor, thicken and crumble at the edge. Nail fungus can affect several nails. If your condition is mild and not bothering you, you may not need treatment.
“Nail keratin debris results from a fungal infection of the nail. In medical terms this is called onychomycosis or tinea unguium,” says Batra. The fungal infection breaks down the keratin in the nail to form a white or yellow chalky substance under the nail plate.
Remove polish every two weeks and give your nails a breather for a day or so. Or switch to light polish, which doesn't need to be changed as often since there's a lower risk of it staining your nails.
While wearing nail polish all the time won't stop your nails from growing, it does damage your nail integrity. Even with blood supply, nails do still need air to “breathe”. That's why a break from nail polish every few weeks is a must. For keratin granulation, 3 to 4 weeks will be enough time to give your nails a rest.
You Lower Your Chemical Load
There's a reason mommies-to-be skip manicures. A lot of nail polishes are a chemical cocktail of ingredients tied to miscarriages, birth defects, cancer, and lung diseases, and it's not just the toxic trio of formaldehyde, toluene, and dibutyl phthalate that's to blame.
Your health care provider may prescribe an antifungal cream, such as efinaconazole (Jublia) and tavaborole (Kerydin). You rub this product into your infected nails after soaking. These creams may work better if you first thin the nails.
Hydrogen can kill the fungus that grows on toenails, causing the unsightly disfigurement that comes with this condition. There are two common ways to use hydrogen peroxide to treat your toenail fungus.
Hydrogen peroxide can kill fungus that grows on toenails. You can directly wipe hydrogen peroxide on your infected toes or toenails with a clean cloth or cotton swab. Hydrogen peroxide can also be used in a foot soak.
Nail polish traps in moisture from your nailbed (the tissue below your toenail). Because fungi thrive in moist environments, wearing nail polish may make a fungal infection worse.
Fungal nail infections typically don't go away on their own, and the best treatment is usually prescription antifungal pills taken by mouth. In severe cases, a healthcare professional might remove the nail completely. It can take several months to a year for the infection to go away.
The fastest way to eliminate the infection is through toenail laser treatment. Laser nail therapy specifically targets the microorganisms under your nail while leaving the keratin intact. In just a few treatments, the infection can be entirely eliminated.
Simply put, no – you mani and pedi doesn't have to match. Back in the day, it used to be mandatory to match the colour on your fingernails to your toes but, over the years this trend has become predictable and a little boring too.
Nails don't need surface access to air because they get oxygen and nutrients from your blood. Keeping nails hydrated is important if yours are prone to breakage, and a pause in polishing to moisturize would help.
The average time for your natural nail to grow out completely from the cuticle to the tip of the nail can take anywhere from four to six months. This is a long time to refrain from manicures or using polish, so we recommend taking a three to four week break between nail appointments. What is this?
To remove white spots caused by prolonged nail polish wear, Dr. Stern recommends gently buffing the nail surface and treating the nail with a hydrating oil or Vaseline. "A nail polish break for several weeks will also help treat keratin granulations," she says.