Pallor

Pallor
A girl with circumoral pallor.
Classification and external resources
ICD-10	R23.1
ICD-9-CM	782.61
MedlinePlus	003244
MeSH	D010167

Pallor is a pale color of the skin that can be caused by illness, emotional shock or stress, stimulant use, or anemia, and is the result of a reduced amount of oxyhaemoglobin and is visible in skin or mucous membrane.

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 fair complexion.

Causes

• migraine attack or headache
• excess estradiol and/or estrone
• vitamin D deficiency
• osteoporosis
• emotional response, due to fear, embarrassment, grief
• anemia, due to blood loss, poor nutrition, or underlying disease such as sickle cell anemia
• shock, a medical emergency caused by illness or injury
• acute compartment syndrome
• frostbite
• common cold
• cancer
• hypoglycaemia
• bradycardia
• leukemia
• panic attack
• motion sickness
• heart disease
• Peripheral vascular disease
• hypothyroidism
• hypopituitarism
• scurvy
• tuberculosis
• sleep deprivation
• pheochromocytoma
• squeamishness
• visceral larval migrans
• Orthostatic hypotension
• high doses or chronic use of amphetamines^[1]
• reaction to ethanol and/or other drugs such as cannabis
• lead poisoning
• methyldopa
• Space adaptation syndrome
• fibromyalgia
• Iron deficiency

References

1. Erowid.org, chemicals, amphetamines, amphetamines effects