Pallor

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). It is distinguished from similar presentations such as hypopigmentation (lack or loss of skin pigment) or simply a lightly-melanated complexion.

In patients with dark skin, pallor is more subtle and harder to detect, often manifesting as a more grayish or ashy tone of skin in individuals with very dark brown skin, or alternatively a more yellowish tone in individuals with lighter brown skin. Assessing the palms, soles, and mucous membranes with appropriate lighting in such cases may make detection easier.

Causes

• migraine attack or headache
• excess estradiol and/or estrone
• osteoporosis
• emotional response, due to fear, embarrassment, grief, rage
• anorexia
• anemia, due to blood loss, poor nutrition, or underlying disease such as sickle cell anemia
• iron deficiency
• vitamin B12 deficiency
• shock, a medical emergency caused by illness or injury
• acute compartment syndrome
• frostbite
• common cold
• cancer
• hypoglycaemia
• bradycardia
• panic attack
• medications
  • ketorolac
  • amphetamines
  • ethanol
  • cannabis
• lead poisoning
• motion sickness
• 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
• death