View source for Pallor

{{short description|Pale skin caused by low levels of oxyhaemoglobin}}
{{redirect|Pallid|the Antarctic mountain|Pallid Peak|the Antarctic ridge|Pallid Crest}}
{{Missing information|detection in people with dark skin|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox medical condition (new)
| name          = Pallor
| image         = Scarlet fever 1.JPG
| image_size    = 200px
| alt           = Young girl with circumoral pallor as a result of scarlet fever
| caption       = A girl with circumoral pallor due to [[scarlet fever]]
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| field         = [[Hematology]], [[Rheumatology]], [[Dermatology]]
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| differential  = [[Hypopigmentation]]
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'''Pallor''' is a pale color of the [[skin]] that can be caused by [[illness]], [[emotional shock]] or [[Stress (biology)|stress]], [[stimulant]] use, or [[anemia]], and is the result of a reduced amount of [[hemoglobin|oxyhaemoglobin]] and may also be visible as pallor of the [[Conjunctiva|conjunctivae of the eyes]] on physical examination.

Pallor is more evident on the [[face]] and [[Hand#Human anatomy|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 [[lip]]s, [[tongue]], palms, [[mouth]] and other regions with [[mucous membranes]]). It is distinguished from similar presentations such as [[hypopigmentation]] (lack or loss of skin [[pigment]]) or simply a lightly-melanated complexion.

==Causes==
[[File:PallorSkinTones.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Effects of different skin tone on the appearance of pallor]]
[[File:Richard Parkes Bonington by Margaret Sarah Carpenter (née Geddes).jpg|thumb|''[[Portrait of Richard Parkes Bonington]]'' by [[Margaret Sarah Carpenter]]. Bonington was suffering from [[tuberculosis]] and the paleness of his face was noted by critics.]]
* [[migraine]] attack or [[headache]]<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Gupta |first1=V. K. |title=Conceptual divide between adaptive and pathogenetic phenomena in migraine: nausea and vomiting |journal=Brain |date=19 August 2004 |volume=127 |issue=11 |pages=E18 |doi=10.1093/brain/awh279 |pmid=15492109 |url=https://academic.oup.com/brain/article/127/11/E18/342657 |access-date=14 October 2022|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
* excess [[estradiol]] and/or [[estrone]]
* [[osteoporosis]]
* emotional response, due to [[fear]], [[embarrassment]], [[grief]], rage<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Drummond |first1=Peter D. |title=Correlates of facial flushing and pallor in anger-provoking situations |journal=Personality and Individual Differences |date=October 1997 |volume=23 |issue=4 |pages=575–582 |doi=10.1016/S0191-8869(97)00077-9}}</ref>
* [[anorexia]]
* [[anemia]],<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kalantri |first1=Ashwini |last2=Karambelkar |first2=Mandar |last3=Joshi |first3=Rajnish |last4=Kalantri |first4=Shriprakash |last5=Jajoo |first5=Ulhas |title=Accuracy and Reliability of Pallor for Detecting Anaemia: A Hospital-Based Diagnostic Accuracy Study |journal=PLOS ONE |date=1 January 2010 |volume=5 |issue=1 |article-number=e8545 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0008545 |pmid=20049324 |pmc=2797134 |bibcode=2010PLoSO...5.8545K |language=en |issn=1932-6203|doi-access=free }}</ref> due to blood loss, poor [[nutrition]], or underlying disease such as [[sickle cell anemia]]
* [[iron deficiency]]
* [[vitamin B12 deficiency]]<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Mishra |first1=Vikas A. |last2=Harbada |first2=Rishit |last3=Sharma |first3=Akhilesh |date=2015 |title=Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D Deficiencies: An Unusual Cause of Fever, Severe Hemolytic Anemia and Thrombocytopenia |journal=Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care |volume=4 |issue=1 |pages=145–148 |doi=10.4103/2249-4863.152276 |issn=2249-4863 |pmc=4366991 |pmid=25811010 |doi-access=free }}</ref>
* [[Shock (circulatory)|shock]], a medical emergency caused by illness or injury
* [[Compartment syndrome|acute compartment syndrome]]
* [[frostbite]]
* [[common cold]]
* [[cancer]]<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Fragkandrea |first1=Ioanna |last2=Nixon |first2=John Alexander |last3=Panagopoulou |first3=Paraskevi |title=Signs and Symptoms of Childhood Cancer: A Guide for Early Recognition |journal=American Family Physician |date=1 August 2013 |volume=88 |issue=3 |pages=185–192 |pmid=23939697 |url=https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2013/0801/p185.html |access-date=14 October 2022}}</ref>
* [[hypoglycaemia]]<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Poterucha |first1=Joseph T. |last2=Bos |first2=J. Martijn |last3=Cannon |first3=Bryan C. |last4=Ackerman |first4=Michael J. |title=Frequency and severity of hypoglycemia in children with beta-blocker–treated long QT syndrome |journal=Heart Rhythm |date=1 August 2015 |volume=12 |issue=8 |pages=1815–1819 |doi=10.1016/j.hrthm.2015.04.034 |pmid=25929701 |language=English |issn=1547-5271}}</ref>
*[[bradycardia]]
* [[panic attack]]
* [[medication]]s
** [[ketorolac]]
**[[amphetamines]]
**[[ethanol]]
**[[cannabis (drug)|cannabis]]
* [[lead poisoning]]
* [[motion sickness]]<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Holmes |first1=Sharon |last2=King |first2=Stuart |last3=Scott |first3=J. R. Rollin |last4=Clemes |first4=Stacy |title=Facial Skin Pallor Increases During Motion Sickness |journal=Journal of Psychophysiology |date=2002 |volume=16 |issue=3 |pages=150–157 |doi=10.1027//0269-8803.16.3.150 |url=https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2002-06470-002.html |access-date=14 October 2022 |language=en|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
* [[heart disease]]
* [[Peripheral vascular disease]]
* [[hypothyroidism]]
* [[hypopituitarism]]
* [[scurvy]]
* [[tuberculosis]]
* [[sleep deprivation]]
* [[pheochromocytoma]]
* [[squeamishness]]
* [[visceral larva migrans]]
* [[Orthostatic hypotension]]
* [[methyldopa]]
* [[loss of appetite]]
* [[Space adaptation syndrome]]
* [[fibromyalgia]]
* [[Buerger's disease]]
*[[Hypovolemia]]
*[[Pallor mortis|death]]
{{clear}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Medical resources
| ICD10       = {{ICD10|R|23|1|r|20}} 
|   ICD9        = {{ICD9|782.61}} 
|   MedlinePlus = 003244 
| MeshID=D010167
}}
{{Skin and subcutaneous tissue symptoms and signs}}

[[Category:Medical signs]]
[[Category:Dermatologic terminology]]
[[Category:Symptoms and signs: Skin and subcutaneous tissue]]

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