Common Causes
- normal fair complexion
- lack of exposure to the sun (it is healthier to be pale than tanned)
- anemia (blood loss, poor nutrition, or underlying disease)
- shock
- frostbite
- chronic diseases including infection and cancer
Related Conditions
Sites to look for pallor
- Lower palpebral conjunctiva
- Tip and dorsum of the tongue
- Soft palate
- Nail beds
- Palmar or plantar creases
- General body skin
What to know about pallor and your health?
Pallor is pale color of the skin. Can develop suddenly or gradually, depending on cause Generally clinically insignificant, unless it is accompanied by general pallor of the lips, tongue, palms, mouth, and other mucous membranes Result of reduced amount of oxyhemoglobin, and is visible in skin or mucous membrane
What does the name pallor mean?
Pallor, derived from the Latin pallere, meaning “to be pale,” is a medical sign related to several health conditions. Paleness of the skin indicates an atypical lightening of the skin or mucous membranes. Pale skin may occur all over the body or be localized to one area. Pallor is most easily seen on the face, inner lining of the eyelids ...
What is the medical definition of pallor?
What is pallor in medicine?
What is an example of pallor?
Pallor definition Extreme or unnatural paleness. Pallor is extreme paleness or a lack of healthy color in the skin. An example of pallor is when you are sick and your face is very pale as a result.
Where is pallor located?
Pallor is more evident on the face and palms. It can develop suddenly or gradually, depending on the cause. It is not usually clinically significant unless it is accompanied by a general pallor (pale lips, tongue, palms, mouth and other regions with mucous membranes).
What does pallor mean in nursing?
(pal'ŏr), Paleness, as of the skin.
What are the causes of pallor?
Paleness can be caused by:Anemia (blood loss, poor nutrition, or underlying disease)Problems with the circulatory system.Shock.Fainting.Frostbite.Low blood sugar.Chronic (long-term) diseases including infection and cancer.Certain medicines.More items...•
What does pallor look like?
Paleness, also known as pallor, is an unusual lightness of skin color compared with your normal complexion. It's different than having skin that's naturally light. Paleness is not a condition in and of itself. It may be caused by reduced blood flow and oxygen or by a decreased number of red blood cells.
What is the difference between pallor and anemia?
Pallor is a key indicator of anemia. Pallor or paleness may be caused due to the decreased blood supply to the skin. Paleness is related to blood flow in the skin rather than the deposition of melanin in the skin.
What are the sites to check pallor?
Pallor was assessed in four sites (conjunctiva, tongue, nailbed and palm).
How would you describe skin color in nursing assessment?
Inspect the color of the patient's skin and compare findings to what is expected for their skin tone. Note a change in color such as pallor (paleness), cyanosis (blueness), jaundice (yellowness), or erythema (redness). Note if there is any bruising ( ecchymosis ) present.
What does pallor look like in dark skin?
Pallor may be difficult to detect in dark toned skin and may present as ashen or grey. In brown toned skin the skin will present more yellowish in colour. An alternative method for identifying pallor in darker skin tones can be assessing the palmer surface which can appear paler.
What causes pallor in anemia patients?
Pallor is the most commonly encountered physical finding in patients with anemia. As mentioned earlier, this sign is due to the shunting of blood away from the skin and other peripheral tissues, permitting enhanced blood flow to vital organs.
What is the fastest way to increase red blood cells?
5 nutrients that increase red blood cell countsred meat, such as beef.organ meat, such as kidney and liver.dark, leafy, green vegetables, such as spinach and kale.dried fruits, such as prunes and raisins.beans.legumes.egg yolks.
What does gray pallor indicate?
Pallor, or pale skin, and grayish or blue skin are a result of a lack of oxygenated blood. Your blood carries oxygen around your body, and when this is disrupted, you see a discoloration. The disruption may be to the flow of blood itself, which produces paleness or a gray tint to skin tone.
What does "pallor" mean?
English Language Learners Definition of pallor. formal : paleness especially of the face that is caused by illness. See the full definition for pallor in the English Language Learners Dictionary.
What does "pallour" mean in English?
Middle English pallour, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French palur, pallor "paleness, wanness, pale yellow color (of gold), borrowed from Latin pallor "paleness of complexion, loss of color," noun derivative, with the suffix -ōr-, -or (early Latin -ōs ), from the base of pallēre "to be pale or bloodless, have a pale color," pallidus "pale, colorless" — more at fallow entry 1
What does "pallor" mean?
Long-Term Outlook. Pallor comes from the Latin word "palleo," which means to look pale or fade. Pallor is a condition in which a person’s skin and mucous membranes turn lighter than they usually are.
What causes pallor in the body?
Conditions That Cause Pallor. Pallor is most commonly linked to anemia. But it can also be caused by any of the following conditions: Aplastic anemia. Other types of anemia like autoimmune hemolytic anemia, Diamond–Blackfan anemia, and Fanconi anemia.
What is the long term outlook for pallor?
Long-Term Outlook. Since pallor can be caused by any of several different conditions , having the correct diagnosis is important . The long-term outlook depends on the medical condition, the severity, how quickly you get treatment , and the treatment options available. Most cases of pallor can be managed successfully if you get medical help without ...
What is the moist lining that covers and protects the organs inside your body and the body cavities exposed to
Mucous membranes are the moist lining that covers and protects the organs inside your body and the body cavities exposed to the air, like the inside of your nose, ears, and mouth. . The paleness of the skin may be seen all over the body or just in one area.
What is the treatment for pallor?
For iron deficiency anemia, your doctor may recommend iron supplements. Sometimes more tests or additional treatments are needed if your doctor suspects that there is bleeding on the inside.
What is the best test to find out if you have pale skin?
Some of the tests that are usually performed include: Complete blood count (CBC): This blood test is used to find out if you have anemia, infections, or other health conditions.
Is pallor the same as albinism?
Pallor is not the same as a condition called albin ism, which is when your body produces little or no pigment (color) at all in your eyes, hair, and skin. Pallor is treated as a serious condition if it is seen on: The lips. The lining of the eyes. The palms of your hands.
Where is pallor most easily seen?
Pallor is most easily seen on the face, inner lining of the eyelids (palpebral conjunctiva ), inner lining of the mouth ( oral mucosa), and nails . Pallor seen in these areas may indicate a serious condition: Inner surface or lining of the eyelids. Inside of the mouth. The surface of the tongue.
What does it mean to be pale?
Pallor, derived from the Latin pallere, meaning “to be pale,” is a medical sign related to several health conditions. Paleness of the skin indicates an atypical lightening of the skin or mucous membranes. Pale skin may occur all over the body or be localized to one area. Pallor is most easily seen on the face, inner lining ...
Why is my skin pale?
Pallor or paleness may be caused due to the decreased blood supply to the skin. Paleness is related to blood flow in the skin rather than the deposition of melanin in the skin. Pallor can also be a sign of: Iron-deficiency anemia.
What is the condition where blood vessels are blocked?
Arterial occlusion (a circulatory condition in which blocked or narrowed blood vessels reduce blood flow to the limbs) Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (a rare disorder in which the person’s immune system attacks their red blood cells) Bleeding. Chemical poisoning. Chronic diseases including infection and cancer.
What is pallor in anemia?
Pallor is the most commonly encountered physical finding in patients with anemia . As mentioned earlier, this sign is due to the shunting of blood away from the skin and other peripheral tissues, permitting enhanced blood flow to vital organs. The usefulness of pallor as a physical finding is limited by other factors that affect the appearance of the skin. Blood flow to the skin may undergo wide fluctuations. Moreover, the skin's thickness and texture vary widely among individuals. Those with a fair complexion may appear pale even though they are not anemic, while pallor is difficult to detect in deeply pigmented individuals. The amount of melanin in the epidermis is an important determinant of skin color. Pallor may be difficult to detect in patients who have increased melanin pigmentation due to Addison's disease or hemochromatosis. Nevertheless, even in blacks, the presence of anemia may be suspected by the color of the palms or of noncutaneous tissues such as oral mucous membranes, nail beds, and palpebral conjunctivas. When the creases of the palm are as pale as the surrounding skin, the patient usually has a hemoglobin of less than 7 g/dL.
What does pallor mean in a thrombotic artery?
Pallor indicates obstruction of a major arterial trunk to the leg. In the absence of collateral circulation, this produces a marble white, waxy leg with absent capillary refill and collapsed veins or “venous guttering” (Figure 13-1 ). The leg may even appear cadaveric. In arterial thrombosis, initial pallor may be followed by gradual improvement, with return of skin perfusion and capillary refill, over 6 to 12 hours due to opening of preformed collaterals. Capillary refill on blanching the skin indicates that the leg is still retrievable, even if the foot is mottled and cyanosed. However, fixed mottling and fixed staining (cyanosed or purple areas of skin that fail to blanch on pressure) indicate that the capillaries have thrombosed and ruptured. Such limbs are unsalvageable. Fixed staining may also be seen in synergistic gangrene, especially gas gangrene. These patients often are septic, and the relative warmth of the affected leg and the finding of crepitus are important differentiating clinical signs.
What does it mean when your optic nerve is palloring?
Neuroretinal Rim Pallor. Increasing pallor of the optic disc, and especially of the neuroretinal rim, is a typical sign of optic nerve damage. The increase in pallor of the neuroretinal rim may be more marked in eyes with nonglaucomatous optic neuropathy than in eyes with glaucoma. In other words, if the neuroretinal rim looks rather pale, ...
What is isolated pallor in a well-appearing child?
Isolated pallor in a well-appearing child who does not have evidence of systemic disease is usually much less ominous than pallor noted in a child who is ill-appearing, has bruising, petechiae, lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, or abdominal mass.
What blood test is used for pallor?
The initial laboratory test in a child with pallor should be a complete blood cell count (CBC) including a manual white blood cell (WBC) differential. Significant pallor from anemia usually does not occur until the hemoglobin level falls below 8 g/dL. “False anemia” (resulting from laboratory error, sampling difficulty, or “statistical anemia”) should be considered whenever a child is said to be anemic and laboratory findings are not consistent with clinical impressions. Capillary blood sampling can be associated with substantial error, depending on the difficulty in performing the procedure and the use of mechanical force necessary to promote blood flow. When laboratory or sampling errors are suspected, a venipuncture sample should be obtained for confirmation. By definition, 2.5% of the general population has hemoglobin levels below the lower limit of normal, which is termed “statistical anemia.” This phenomenon should be considered when mild, unexplained normocytic anemia is identified in a healthy child.
What causes inferior disc pallor?
In contrast, superior or inferior disc pallor is often caused by ischemic processes (e.g., anterior ischemic optic neuropathy). Optic chiasmal syndrome with bitemporal hemianopic fields has eyes demonstrating optic atrophy mostly in the nasal and temporal regions of the disc.
Why is my child pale?
Abdominal pain, diarrhea, and poor growth may suggest inflammatory bowel disease. Recent onset of pallor is suggestive of anemia. The child who has always appeared somewhat pale but is otherwise well with normal growth and development likely has an intrinsic constitutional characteristic.
