Common Causes
Paleness, also known as pale complexion or pallor, is an unusual lightness of skin color compared with your normal complexion. Paleness may be caused by reduced blood flow and oxygen or by a...
Related Conditions
What Causes Skin Pallor?
- Everyday Causes Low Temperatures Going out into extreme, low-temperature weather can cause the skin to become pale. ...
- Sudden Paleness There are a number of reasons why your skin color can suddenly become pale, most of which have a medical component to them. ...
- Long-Lasting Paleness
What does pale face mean?
What Causes Sudden Pale Skin?
- Emotional Distress. In some cases, paleness can be brought on during times of emotional distress, such as fear or shock.
- Hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia refers to low blood sugar. ...
- Anemia. ...
- Bloodstream Infection. ...
- Frostbite. ...
- Shock. ...
- Blood Pressure Changes. ...
- Vitamin Deficiency. ...
- Medical Emergencies. ...
- Frequently Asked Questions. ...
What causes pale skin color?
Pale skin can be a sign that you have a shortage of normal red blood cells (anemia), which means that less oxygen is delivered to your body. This can be from a nutritional deficiency, blood loss, or a blood cancer like leukemia. Other causes of pale skin include low blood pressure or infection. Of course, some people naturally have pale skin.
What illness causes pale skin?
Is pale skin normal?
What causes a very pale face?
It may be caused by reduced blood flow and oxygen or by a decreased number of red blood cells. It can be a manifestation of emotions such as fear (“pale as a ghost”), or it can be a symptom of serious medical conditions such as severe anemia, bloodstream infection, or frostbite.
What does it mean by pale face?
a White personpaleface. / (ˈpeɪlˌfeɪs) / noun. a derogatory term for a White person, said to have been used by North American Indians. Slang.
Who are the pale faces?
The Pale Faces were a white supremacist [End Page 27] fraternal order founded in January 1868 thirty miles up the pike from Pulaski in the town of Columbia. The seat of Maury County, Columbia had been James K. Polk's hometown and was in the 1860s Middle Tennessee's second largest city.
Can dehydration cause pale skin?
Feeling faint and skin pallor (pale skin) can be caused by a number of conditions including dehydration, heat exhaustion, and anemia (a decreased red blood cell count). Anemia can be caused by a number of different factors including iron deficiency and chronic diseases.
Symptoms That Co-Exist With Paleness
As you can see from above, a number of the causes of paleness are medical in nature; in fact, the paleness is often a side effect of those medical...
Diagnosing The Cause of Paleness
If you are worried by your paleness or its onset, the best precautionary step you can take is going to see your doctor for a diagnosis. The first t...
How to Get Rid of Paleness
So, paleness can affect you due to various issues, but you may still wonder how to get rid of pale skin naturally. If there is a medical issue, the...
Pale Skin: May Be Treatable Or You May Be Stuck With It
If you have pale skin, you may want to “brighten” things up by getting some more color into your skin. When your skin is mildly pale, you may be ab...
What is pale skin?
Paleness. Paleness, also known as pale complexion or pallor, is an unusual lightness of skin color compared with your normal complexion. Paleness may be caused by reduced blood flow and oxygen or by a decreased number of red blood cells. It can occur all over your skin or appear more localized. Localized paleness usually involves one limb.
What does it mean when your skin is pale?
Skin color is determined by several factors, including: Paleness may also be noted in the following areas: Paleness can be a manifestation of emotions such as fear (“pale as a ghost”), or it can be a sign of serious medical problems such as severe anemia, bloodstream infection, or frostbite.
Why is my skin pale?
Other causes of paleness include: lack of sun exposure. skin that is naturally pale. cold exposure and frostbite. shock (dangerously low blood pressure) blockage in the artery of a limb.
How to treat paleness?
The options can include: following a balanced diet. taking iron, vitamin B-12, or folate supplements. taking medication or getting treatment to manage ongoing medical problems.
Where to see if you have pallor?
If you develop paleness and symptoms such as fatigue and mild shortness of breath, you can usually be seen in your doctor’s office.
Can you treat pallor with medication?
Acute cases of pallor require immediate medical attention. Ongoing paleness can often be treated with medication. However, having the correct diagnosis about what’s causing your paleness is key to timely and proper treatment.
Can anemia cause paleness?
In many parts of the world, poor nutrition is a common cause. Sometimes, chronic anemia may have no symptoms other than paleness, fatigue, or sensitivity to cold.
Why is my skin pale?
Physiologically, pale skin occurs because of reduced blood flow and oxygen, as well as a low red blood cell count. It can occur due to different reasons, from emotional distress to medical conditions like anemia and vitamin deficiency. Some underlying causes of pale skin are medical emergencies that need to be treated right away.
What to do if you have pale skin?
In some cases, the sudden onset of pale skin can be a medical emergency. If the paleness presents with other symptoms such as fainting, fever, vomiting blood, rectal bleeding, or abdominal pain, you should call your doctor or 911 right away.
What causes paleness in the vasovagal system?
Emotional distress can bring on vasovagal syncope, which can lead to paleness. Other things that can trigger vasovagal syncope include excessive heat exposure, intense pain, the sight of blood, dehydration, or coughing. 1. Symptoms of vasovagal syncope include: 2. Fainting.
What is the term for a person's skin that is exposed to cold temperatures for a long period of time
Frostbite. Frostbite is an injury that occurs when a person’s skin is exposed to cold temperatures for a long period of time. It occurs because the tissues underneath the skin and the top layer of the skin become frozen. It is most commonly found in the feet, hands, ears, and nose.
Is pale skin a sign of a medical condition?
A Word From Verywell. Pale skin isn’t always something to worry about, but it can sometimes be the sign of a medical condition. If you are experiencing pale skin along with other symptoms, it’s important to go to your doctor to have them examine you and find out the cause of your pale skin.
What causes pale skin?
Corticosteroids, aspirin, and anti-rheumatic drugs can cause paleness. Drug overdoses from drugs like speed (amphetamine) and cocaine can also cause paleness. 3. Long-Lasting Paleness. There are some causes of pale skin that can result in long-lasting paleness.
Why does my skin turn pale?
Low Temperatures. Going out into extreme, low-temperature weather can cause the skin to become pale. This is due to the cold’s constricting effect on the small skin arteries. This is part of the body’s defense mechanism—an effort to try and save your body heat so you can survive the temperatures.
How to get rid of pale skin on cheeks?
But for certain causes, you may be able to reverse your paleness and get a little color on your cheeks. 1. Increase Your B12. Vitamin B12 is very important to your skin and its color. Increasing your B12 intake can help you get out of the pale state. This can be done in a several way.
How to brighten pale skin?
When your skin is mildly pale, you may be able to darken it pretty easily by changing your diet, boosting your vitamin and mineral intake, or improving your general skin care regimen.
How to get natural color out of skin?
Add to your diet more vegetables, proteins, and whole grains rich in your particular deficiencies. 3. Wash Your Skin and Face. Keeping the dirt, oil, and bacteria off of your skin and your pores clean will allow the natural color to shine through.
Can you get paleness back after surgery?
Certain medical issues that are causing the paleness may be resolved through surgery. Once the medical issue is cleared up, the color will more than likely return to your skin. Again, a doctor can help direct the treatment for your paleness, and surgery will probably be a last-ditch effort.
Does sunlight make you pale?
Sunlight exposure can naturally darken your skin, which will take away your paleness temporarily. That being said, you must be mindful of how much ultraviolet (UV) radiation you take in. The sun’s rays can damage your skin, which may later keep you pale.
Colors That Look Good On Pale Skin
Are you looking for a quick answer to what skin colors will suit your pale skin?
Best Colors for Pale Skin
A helpful tip when hunting for the best colors for pale skin, and your own specific features, is to find a “model” with your criteria and study what they’re wearing. The easiest trick is to find a celebrity with the same undertone, hair color and features as yourself. Look at outfit images to find the colors that suit them best.
What Colors Look Good On Pale Skin
The best way to really tell what color shades are best for you is to work off your skin undertone.
Best Colors Depending on Your Hair Type
If you have dark hair and dark features but you have pale skin, then this may mean you’re able to wear darker shades. Even though the skin is pale, your features will provide natural contrast, meaning darling colors will not clash so harshly against your face.
Worst Colors For Pale Skin
When you have a pale complexion it’s easy to look washed out by certain colors and tones. These colours can depend on the person but we have found a general rule. So, what colors make pale skin look washed out?
What causes pale skin?
Some conditions or chronic diseases can produce pallor or a bluish skin color because of inadequate blood flow or lack of oxygen in the body. Some are emergencies and may require immediate medical treatment, while others can be treated, but aren’t immediately life-threatening: 1 choking on a foreign object, which requires emergency care 2 anemia 3 aspiration pneumonia 4 chronic infections, such as pulmonary tuberculosis 5 heart disease 6 emphysema 7 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Why does my skin turn blue?
When you experience a lack of oxygen, your blood may still be flowing, but it changes color. This causes your skin to become blue or gray in color. A gray, pale, or bluish tint to the skin can be an indicator of one or more health problems. In general, pallor results from insufficient oxygen, which can be caused by many different things.
Why is my skin gray?
Causes of raised gray skin. When someone is in the late stages of a disease or organ failure, blood flow slows and produces a gray pallor. This includes: late stage chronic kidney disease, or renal failure. late stage, terminal cancer.
What does gray tint mean?
In other instances, a grayish tint is a characteristic of a chronic or late-stage disease, such as cancer. The appropriate course of treatment and the outlook depends on the situation and what is causing skin discoloration.
What color skin does a pale person have?
Pale skin rarely tans, instead, your light skin burns under even the slightest bit of sunlight. You probably have blue or green eyes, with blond or red hair. This skin color normally has a cooler undertone. The hue (left) of the skin (right) makes the skin color look rather pale when you pair both together.
What color is too bright for skin tone?
Very luminant colors, for example, yellow or orange, will overpower you. They are too bright for your skin tone, and not in a good way. If you want a extreme pop of color, we suggest sticking to certain bold colorings, but nothing in the “high luminance” category.
What color is best for 2021?
Hot tip: Try one of the most trending colors of 2021 - Ultimate gray! The contrast of a medium gray against your pale skin will look fantastic. The same goes for brown.
What color jewels look good on skin?
This deep green jewel shade suits the skin next to it perfectly. If you can wear a certain color in the form of jewels, you can also easily wear it on clothing. Contrary to the green jewel tone, this dark red jewel tone makes the skin next to it look rather pale. This is because it has the same hue as the skin.
Does pale skin look sickly?
Just the right amount to help your natural tones pop in a flattering way. The same pale skin would benefit much more from a hue other than its own, making it appear less sickly. However, it is important to remember that your eye and hair color can change the way things look on you.
Can you wear pastels with darker skin?
Generally, the less natural contrast you have, the easier it is to pull off pastel colors. People with darker skin have it much easier when it comes to wearing pastels.
Do undertones change?
Well, undertones are the natural colors under your skin’s surface. They don’t change throughout the year as our skin tone does. Playing on these hues is the best way to accentuate your overall beauty. Pale skin rarely tans, instead, your light skin burns under even the slightest bit of sunlight.
1. Ash Blonde
For very pale skin with cool undertones, ash blonde hair is a great pick. The cool tone of this hue won’t create a harsh contrast against your complexion, rather it will be subtly flattering. To get the look at home, use the L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying Shine Permanent Hair Color in Ash Blonde.
2. Warm Blonde
If you have cool or neutral fair skin, opting for a sunny, warm blonde shade will add a beautiful contrast to your look without appearing harsh. It’s a great way to add brightness to your complexion without opting for a bold color. Get warm blonde hair at home with the L’Oréal Paris Féria in Ultra Pearl Blonde.
3. Strawberry Blonde
Strawberry blonde hair is gorgeous, and pale skin tones pull it off beautifully. With equal parts warm blonde, copper and rose, this light-to-medium hue is just bright enough to really pop against fair skin.