4 Reasons Your Fingernails Smell, and What to Do About It

You bring a nail up to your mouth for a little nibble. Sure, you know biting your nails isn't the healthiest habit. But at the moment, you've got a bigger concern: Your fingernails seem to be radiating a strange, not-so-nice smell. What gives?

First, don't panic. Considering how many things our fingernails come into contact with each day, the occasional weird smell isn't all that uncommon and is usually manageable. But in some cases, an unpleasant fingernail odor could be a sign that you're dealing with a health problem like nail fungus.

Here's what causes a smell under your fingernails and what you can do about it.

1. You Touched Something Stinky

The edges of your nails are like little dirt traps, especially if you haven't clipped them in a while.

"Oftentimes when a fingernail is long, residual smells and materials can get stuck under there and cause an odor," explains the Miami-based board-certified dermatologist Anna Chacon, MD. That's especially true if you didn't wash your hands after touching the funky culprit.

In some cases, it could be something pungent that you cooked or ate, such as onions or garlic. Worked in the garden without gloves? You could be getting a whiff of dirt. And if you went to the bathroom or changed a diaper and forgot to suds up (or didn't suds up well enough), you could even be smelling, well, poop.

‌Fix It

‌Your first defense against foul odors is to wash your hands and fingernails thoroughly after handling a stinky substance, including the undersides. To get under the nails, wash your hands thoroughly and then gently rub your nails against the opposite palm. Even more effective is using a fingernail brush for deep-cleaning under the nails.

If the odor persists because it's on your skin and not your nails, you can try rubbing your hands with a stainless steel object, like a fork, spoon, faucet, or odor-absorbing bar, Dr. Chacon says. Although studies haven't closely examined stainless steel's deodorizing properties, it's believed that lingering odors transfer away from the skin when they bind to the steel's molecules.

And to keep weird nail smells at bay in the future? Trim your nails shorter, Chacon suggests, or wear gloves while you work.

2. You Just Trimmed Your Nails

Just-snipped nails can sometimes have a pungent odor right after trimming. For that, you can thank stinky sulfur compounds that exist inside the keratin proteins of the nails. Give your nail a trim, and you might smell an odor coming from the freshly cut end, Chacon says.

‌Fix It

There's not much you can do to prevent this smell, unfortunately. But it should dissipate quickly after cutting (and if you keep your fingernails away from your nose, you probably won't notice it).

3. You Have Nail Fungus

Onychomycosis, or nail fungus, can cause toenails or fingernails to have a cheesy or foot-like odor that doesn't ease up even after washing your hands, Chacon explains. The problem also typically causes other nail changes:

They appear thick, yellow, or whitish.
They're brittle or crumbly.
Their shape is distorted.

Another cause of malodorous nails can be paronychia, an acute or chronic inflammation of the nail folds, or the skin around the nails. This usually occurs because of bacteria that enter a break in the skin, but it may also result from trauma or irritation.

‌Fix It

Over-the-counter nail antifungal treatments may be enough to help solve the problem, but it can take months to see results. Applying the treatment consistently is key.

If an OTC product isn't effective, you may need a prescription topical or oral antifungal medication, such as itraconazole (Sporanox).
Oral antifungals are the most effective antifungal option, but many people don't tolerate oral antifungals well or would rather try a topical option, according to StatPearls.

4. You Have a Medical Condition

Certain health problems can cause unusual odors throughout the body, so it's possible to notice the smells on your hands or fingers. Undiagnosed or poorly managed diabetes can trigger a sweet or fruity smell, while liver or kidney disease can potentially cause a bleach-like smell, Chacon says.

Certain metabolic disorders, like trimethylaminuria, can cause a person to have body odor that smells like rotting fish or garbage.

These conditions don't typically affect the smell of the fingernails specifically, though. Usually, medical problems that cause a strange or unpleasant odor tend to affect the smell of the entire body, not just your fingertips.

‌Fix It

If it's not just your fingernails that smell sweet, cheesy, or foul, call your doctor.

When to See a Doctor About Fingernail Odor

A foul smell on your nails isn't cause for concern if it goes away quickly and you can link it back to something you touched or did.

If the odor persists even after you thoroughly wash your hands and nails, or if it appears in other areas of the body or alongside other symptoms, such as redness, swelling, and pus drainage, consult your doctor. You could have nail fungus or another underlying medical condition that needs treatment, Chacon says.

The Takeaway

Regular washing, prevention, and maintenance, such as keeping nails trimmed and wearing gloves during yard work or cooking, can prevent residual odors under the nails. Odors might also develop after you trim your nails.
Unpleasant odors that persist after proper cleaning could be a sign of nail fungus, which often requires treatment with antifungal medications.
Sudden or strange smells that you can't link to external factors may suggest a medical issue, such as diabetes or liver or kidney disease.
If symptoms like redness, swelling, or drainage occur alongside an unusual smell, seek medical attention promptly and have a healthcare professional rule out infections or other conditions.

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1. You Touched Something Stinky