Yellow Skin – a warning sign for anyone. Especially if it is combined with other extraordinary symptoms. This should be a reason for immediate medical attention.
However, it is also useful to understand the causes of yellowing of the skin on your own, to know what diseases can cause it, which doctors you may have to go to and what preliminary diagnosis you should prepare for.
Reading the article, of course, will not replace going to the doctor, but it will add to you the knowledge that everyone needs about the physiology and pathologies of the human body. And who is warned – he is armed!
Yellow skin color: causes
The most harmless causes of yellow skin – these are accumulated chronic stresses, insomnia, depression. Of course, in such cases, the skin will differ only in a slight shade.
Follow us on Instagram!
Another obvious reason – accumulation of excess beta-carotene in the body. It paints the skin in a rather bright color. This problem leads to a significant predominance in the diet of foods rich in carotene. Among the most carotene-containing fruits, vegetables and berries – carrots, pumpkin, melon, apricots, peaches, wild rose, sea buckthorn, tomatoes, citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruits), broccoli, blackcurrant.
If you know that you have been eating really a lot of foods from this list lately, and nothing bothers you anymore, then just adjusting your diet is enough – and skin color will return to normal in a short time.
Jaundice of various types may be a more serious cause.
It results from an excess of bilirubin (a substance formed after the breakdown of hemoglobin), which the body accumulates without having time to excrete it naturally.
With hemolytic jaundice, the liver stops having time to process bilirubin due to an excessively accelerated breakdown of hemoglobin. The bloodstream is actually poisoned by excess bilirubin.
With hepatic jaundice, as you can easily guess from the name of the disease, the main target is the liver. Hepatic jaundice is usually caused by hepatitis and alcoholism, but these are not the only possible causes.
Cholestatic jaundice blocks the biliary tract, which, therefore, cannot remove bilirubin from the body – there is its accumulation in the tissues, which gives a yellow color.
Read also: What is the cause of yellow complexion
In addition to various types of jaundice, other problems with the pancreas, liver, or biliary system (collectively, this is called the hepatobiliary system – GBS) can cause yellow body skin.
Probable causes include:
- Hepatitis of different types
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- Cysts and neoplasms of GBS organs
- Parasites in the liver
- Gilbert's Syndrome (a hereditary anomaly in which the body's systems are unable to excrete bilirubin on their own)
If you suspect one of the reasons from this list, then you will be disturbed not only by the yellow color of the skin, but also by the same whites of the eyes, yellowing of the mucous membranes and tongue, as well as a change in the color of urine towards brighter or darker.
If nausea (possibly with vomiting), abdominal pain, loss of appetite and weight, chills are added to this, then urgently go to the hospital! This is probably a severe lesion of the liver or other organs of the GBS.
Read also: Diet for liver disease: what you can and cannot eat
If your skin is not just yellow, but almost orange, then you will probably need to consult an endocrinologist, as this may indicate thyroid disease.
The most disturbing yellowness of the skin – pale and combined with her seemingly waxy appearance. This can often be a sign of an oncological process, so you should never hesitate with examinations and analyzes!
Yellow color of the skin of the hands – what is he talking about
The factors described in the previous section, which change the color of the skin of the body and face, can also provoke the yellow color of the skin of the hands. Therefore, if your hands and palms suddenly acquire a yellow tint, you still better get checked in the hospital and rule out the same reasons: excess carotene, jaundice, problems with the GBS organs, hypothyroidism, etc.
Read also: List of the most useful and harmful foods for the liver
Another likely cause – poisoning (drugs, poisons, alcohol intoxication). Poisons can enter the body both with food and externally – perhaps the patient's work is related to chemical compounds or industrial production, and some substance may have got on the unprotected skin of the hands.
If you are a heavy smoker, this can also affect the color of your hands. Everyone knows that lovers of smoking cigarettes in packs (especially cheap ones) are distinguished by the yellowness of their palms, fingers, nails and teeth. So you have to choose – either aesthetic appearance and health, or a bad habit.
Yellowness of the skin and diagnosis of diseases
Obviously, the list of pathologies and diseases that can provoke yellow skin color is so huge that attempts to independently determine your diagnosis – it's like trying to shoot sparrows with a cannon. Self-treatment is unacceptable if you do not want to start a serious illness and bring it to a late stage, when even doctors will be powerless.
If you have symptoms that are uncharacteristic for you or your loved ones, you should consult a therapist. Your attending physician will conduct an initial examination, listen to complaints, prescribe tests and give a referral to a doctor of the profile you need.
Usually, a blood test for biochemistry, urine and feces tests, as well as ultrasound of a number of internal organs are prescribed.
Depending on the results, an appointment with an endocrinologist, hematologist, gastroenterologist, or infectious disease specialist may be necessary.
Highlights – do not worry and do not engage in self-diagnosis and self-treatment. With a prompt visit to the doctor and a quick diagnosis, you will receive the right treatment, which will definitely give a result. Lead a healthy lifestyle and do not get sick!
Share:
Add a comment