Onycholysis from nail polish

Ordinary polish does not usually lift a nail by itself, but solvents, peeling, scraping, or vigorous buffing can weaken or injure the plate. Ingredients may irritate the nail folds or cause an allergic rash, especially when polish touches surrounding skin. A coating can also conceal yellowing, debris, or a gap where moisture collects. Nail Fungus and Nail Psoriasis are separate causes of nail lifting, so a colour change should not be attributed to polish without an examination.

Remove polish gently rather than picking it away, and pause polish and remover while the cause is uncertain. Keep nails trimmed, avoid digging under the loose edge, and dry hands well after washing. Use gloves for wet household work, but change them when damp inside. Do not share files, clippers, or polish. If the nail is painful, discoloured, or repeatedly separates, a clinician can inspect it and decide whether testing is useful. [Nail Surgery](/treatments/surgical-dermatology/nail-surgery/) is reserved for selected nail problems.

Make an appointment if separation persists, expands, affects more than one nail, or returns whenever polish is used. Seek prompt care for increasing pain, warmth, swelling, pus, bleeding, foul smell, or a dark streak that is not explained by trauma. Stop the product and seek urgent help for facial swelling or breathing difficulty after polish exposure.

Could the polish be irritating my skin, or is there another cause such as fungus or psoriasis? Should I stop all nail products? How can I remove polish without further damaging the nail?