How to Cure Yellow Fingers Due to Nicotine

Smoking not only causes many negative effects on health but also has obvious effects on appearance, such as nicotine yellow stains on nails and fingers. Yellow stains on fingernails and fingers seem to be permanent, but there are ways to remove, or at least reduce, the discoloration caused by cigarette smoke. ^{[1] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

Table of Contents

Remove nicotine stains on fingers

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Exfoliate dead skin. Dip your finger in the water for a few minutes to moisten it, but don’t soak it so long that it causes the skin to wrinkle. Use a nail file, pumice stone, body scrub, salt scrub or sugar scrub to remove nicotine stains from your fingers. ^{[2] X Research Source} Use light pressure when rubbing the tool or material on the yellow skin on your finger until the stain fades. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Do not rub your fingers for longer than a few seconds as this may cause irritation.
Sandpaper in a matchbox can also be used.
Stop scrubbing if the area becomes red or irritated.

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Apply bleach solution. A bleach solution diluted with water can help remove nicotine stains on fingers. Mix bleach with water in a ratio of 1:4 into a glass jar. Then, dip a nail brush in the solution and apply it to the yellow skin on your finger. Leave for a few minutes and then wash off. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

If this isn’t strong enough to remove the stain, you can soak your finger in the solution five times a day for about five minutes each time.
After washing your hands, apply some hand cream or moisturizer to reduce bleach-induced dryness.
A mask should be worn when performing this procedure.
Do not perform this method if there is an open wound on the skin or immediately after applying other stain removal methods.
Do not use this method if your skin is sensitive to bleach. If you proceed and see skin irritation, you need to wash the bleach off the skin immediately.

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Rub toothpaste on your fingers. Toothpaste can also help remove nicotine stains on fingers. Use a toothpaste of any brand and squeeze a small amount onto the yellowed skin on your finger. Then, use a toothbrush to rub the toothpaste on the yellow stain for a few minutes. Finally rinse with warm water. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Try bleaching toothpaste for stubborn nicotine stains.

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Apply lemon juice. Lemon juice is an effective natural bleach that can help remove finger stains. Use a knife to cut a lemon in half and then use half of the fruit to rub the yellow skin on your finger. Rub until the yellow stain is covered with lemon juice. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

Leave the lemon juice on your fingers for about 5-10 minutes and then wash it off with warm water.
This can be repeated up to 5 times per day.
Keep in mind that this can cause irritation if there is a small cut on the finger.

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Rub the potatoes on your fingers. This method is gentler than some other methods, so it will be the right choice for sensitive skin. Peel the potato and rub it over the stain on your finger for a few minutes. Rinse the water from the potatoes after scrubbing for a few minutes. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

This can be repeated up to 10 times per day.

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Dissolve an aspirin tablet in water. Take one aspirin tablet and dissolve it in a 240 ml cup of hot water. Dip your yellow finger in the water after it cools down. Soak your finger in water for a few minutes. After soaking, wash your hands with soap and water. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

You can add a few drops of water to the crushed powder from an aspirin tablet to make a paste and then apply it to your fingers. Use a nail brush to apply the mixture to the yellowed skin and leave it on for about 15 minutes. Then, rinse off the mixture and wash your hands thoroughly.

Remove Nicotine Stains on Nails

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Dip your nails in hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide has a bit of bleaching properties that can help remove nicotine stains from nails. Pour 3-4 tablespoons (15 ml each) of 3% hydrogen peroxide into half a cup (120 ml) of water and stir well. Then, soak your nails in the solution for about 15 minutes. Use a toothbrush to scrub the yellow stain on the nail and then rinse the nail with water. ^{[9] X Research Source}

Hydrogen peroxide can be used to clean nails once a week for up to 3 months.
Keep in mind that this can cause irritation if there is a small cut on the finger.

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Apply apple cider vinegar. Vinegar extracted from apples contains acetic and malic acids that help reduce nail discoloration. Pour half a cup (120 ml) of warm water into a dish containing half a cup of apple cider vinegar. Soak the yellowed nail in the solution for about 20 minutes. Then, wash your nails thoroughly and dry them with a towel. ^{[10] X Research Source}

This can be repeated 3 times daily for up to a month.
Soaking nails in apple cider vinegar can cause irritation if there is a small cut on the finger.

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Soak your nails in mouthwash. An alcohol-based mouthwash can help remove yellow stains on your nails. Pour some mouthwash into a clean plastic cup. Make sure you have enough mouthwash to soak your nails. Soak your nails in mouthwash for about 30 minutes. ^{[11] X Research Source}

This can be repeated once a day for 1 week.
This method works best when you use Listerine mouthwash or a similar alcohol-based mouthwash.

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Rub the orange peel on your nails. Orange peels contain large amounts of vitamin C and can help remove yellow stains on nails. Peel the orange peel and rub the inside of the peel on the yellowed nail about every 5-10 minutes.

Do this 2-3 times per day for several weeks.
2 tablespoons (30 ml) of dried orange peel powder can be added to the water to make a paste. Use a toothbrush to apply the mixture to the yellowed nails. Leave for about 10 minutes and then wash off with warm water. Apply this twice daily for a few weeks. ^{[12] X Research Source}

Prevent stains caused by nicotine

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Wear gloves when smoking. Cigarette smoke cannot cause yellowing of the skin without contact with fingers. You should try wearing gloves when smoking to prevent the smoke from coming into contact with your fingers.

Some winter knit gloves will help reduce the exposure of your fingers to the smoke, but some of the smoke can still be absorbed. You should try vinyl gloves or leather gloves for more effective finger protection.

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Apply a thick layer of lotion to your hands and fingers before smoking. A layer of skin oil can help create a barrier between your fingers and cigarette smoke. Apply a thick layer of hand oil or moisturizing wax before burning.

It’s also a good idea to apply lotion after smoking. Skincare oils can help reduce the smell of cigarette smoke.

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Wash your hands immediately after smoking. Proper hygiene is an important step if you smoke. The smell of cigarettes can stay on your hands for a long time if you don’t wash your hands and give the nicotine an opportunity to stain your fingers.

Try to get in the habit of washing your hands with soap and warm water immediately after smoking.

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Quit smoking. Just smoking cigarettes puts you at high risk of nicotine staining your fingers and nails. You can join a community support group for help with quitting smoking. Alternatively, ask your doctor about non-staining alternatives such as nicotine patches, e-cigarettes, or ask your doctor about other smoking cessation aids that won’t stain the skin. ^{[13] X Research Source}

Chewing tobacco or anything that can stain other parts of the body, such as teeth, should be avoided.

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Use a pipe or pipe. You can use a metal pipe or Hookah when smoking to create space between the cigarette and your hand or mouth. This is not good for overall health but will help reduce the amount of nicotine in contact with the fingers. ^{[14] X Research Source}

When using a Hookah, you hold the metal end of the pipe halfway, while inhaling from one end, while the other end is plugged into the large hot cigarette holder.
When using a metal pipe, simply place the cigarette at one end of the pipe, hold the metal pipe, and inhale from the other end.
The amount of smoke when smoked with a Hookah pipe is much larger than when smoking a regular cigarette. The smoke is cooled as it travels through the water system, before passing through a tube that the user will inhale.

Advice

Consult your doctor or dermatologist for more serious skin problems.
You can try quitting to avoid or reduce your risk of nicotine-induced jaundice.
If you look at the filter of a cigarette, you will see very small holes forming a circle around the filter. If you hold the cigarette with your finger while pulling, it will turn your finger yellow. A simple way to prevent this is to hold the cigarette with your lips instead of using your fingers when pulling it .

Warning

Avoid these treatments if there is an open wound on the skin.
Seek medical attention if any of these methods above cause skin irritation, pain, severe discomfort, or make the condition worse.
If you have a skin problem such as eczema or psoriasis, you should consult your doctor before trying any treatment.

Steps

Remove nicotine stains on fingers

Remove Nicotine Stains on Nails

Prevent stains caused by nicotine

Advice

Warning

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