Paleness

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Skin layers

Paleness is an abnormal loss of normal skin or mucous membrane color.

Skin pale or gray; Pallor

Unless pale skin is accompanied by pale lips, tongue, palms of the hands, inside of the mouth, and lining of the eyes, it is probably not a serious condition, and does not require treatment.

Pale-looking skin does not necessarily indicate disease -- lack of sunlight or inherited paleness may be the reason.

Although generalized paleness (pallor) affects the entire body, it is most apparent on the face, lining of the eyes, inner mouth, and nails. Localized pallor usually affects a single limb.

How easily pallor is diagnosed varies with skin color, and the thickness and amount of blood vessels in the tissue under the skin. Sometimes it is only a subtle lightening of skin color. Pallor may be very difficult to detect in a dark-skinned person -- sometimes it is apparent only in the eye and mouth lining.

Paleness may be the result of decreased blood supply to the skin (cold, fainting, shock, hypoglycemia) or decreased number of red blood cells (anemia).

• 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

Review Date: 07/22/2005
Reviewed By: Jonathan Kantor, M.D., Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.