What disease causes skin to turn grey?

Author: Rowan Hartmann  |  Last update: Sunday, April 6, 2025

The answer is C: argyria. Argyria is a rare skin condition associated with chronic exposure to products containing silver. The silver is typically deposited diffusely in skin, fingernails, oral mucosa, and conjunctival membranes.

What deficiency causes grey skin?

Blue or grey skin or lips (cyanosis) happens when there's not enough oxygen in your blood, or you have poor blood circulation. It can be caused by a serious problem with the: lungs, like asthma or pneumonia.

What condition could cause a gray or brown tinge to the skin?

Melasma: Brown or gray patches of skin caused by hormonal changes (like pregnancy) or medications. It's typically found on your face. It usually fades over time, but some people use topical lightening creams or seek laser treatment from a healthcare provider.

What autoimmune disease causes skin discoloration?

Vitiligo is a chronic (long-lasting) autoimmune disorder that causes patches of skin to lose pigment or color. This happens when melanocytes – skin cells that make pigment – are attacked and destroyed, causing the skin to turn a milky-white color.

What cancers cause gray skin?

Pigmented basal cell cancers have dark areas, often brown, blue or grey in colour.

WHY YOUR SKIN COLOR CHANGES | Dermatologist @DrDrayzday

What organ failure causes grey skin?

According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), the skin in people with kidney failure may become: pale. gray.

What are the six signs of leukemia?

Common leukemia signs and symptoms include:
  • Fever or chills.
  • Persistent fatigue, weakness.
  • Frequent or severe infections.
  • Losing weight without trying.
  • Swollen lymph nodes, enlarged liver or spleen.
  • Easy bleeding or bruising.
  • Recurrent nosebleeds.
  • Tiny red spots in your skin (petechiae)

What vitamin deficiency causes skin discoloration?

The hyperpigmentation related to vitamin B12 deficiency is more common in darker-skinned patients. Few other cases of skin hyperpigmentation due to vitamin B12 deficiency have been reported in the literature. The mechanism of hyperpigmentation is due to increased melanin synthesis rather than a defect in melanin.

What does scleroderma skin look like?

Localized scleroderma typically causes patches of thick, hard skin in one of two patterns. Morphea causes patches of skin to thicken into firm, oval-shaped areas. These areas may have a yellow, waxy appearance surrounded by a reddish or bruise-like edge.

What causes gray skin?

Acquired diseases with gray coloring include late-stage organ failure, lichen planus pigmentosus, erythema dyschromicum perstans, and drug reactions. The discoloration is due to either increased epidermal and or dermal melanin or dermal deposition of a chromogen or a combination of both.

Can anemia cause gray skin?

Paleness may be the result of decreased blood supply to the skin. It can also be due to decreased number of red blood cells (anemia). Paleness of the skin is not the same as loss of pigment from the skin. Paleness is related to blood flow in the skin rather than deposit of melanin in the skin.

What is gray skin called?

Argyria is a rare condition that causes the skin to turn a blue or gray color.

When should I worry about skin discoloration?

Call your health care provider for an appointment if you have: Skin discoloration that causes significant concern. Persistent, unexplained darkening or lightening of the skin. Any skin sore or lesion that changes shape, size, or color may be a sign of skin cancer.

Why am I turning grey?

Your hair follicles produce less color as they age, so when hair goes through its natural cycle of dying and being regenerated, it's more likely to grow in as gray beginning after age 35. Genetics can play a role in when this starts.

What are the facial signs of B12 deficiency?

The deficiency of vitamin B12 can cause specific skin manifestations, such as hyperpigmentation, vitiligo, angular stomatitis, and hair and nail changes [1].

What vitamin deficiency causes GREY?

Any deficiencies of vitamin B9, B12, biotin, or vitamin D can contribute to premature graying. One 2018 review notes various deficiency studies on vitamin D3, vitamin B12, copper, zinc, and calcium and their connection to graying hair.

What autoimmune disease affects the skin?

Duke dermatologists diagnose autoimmune skin diseases like pemphigus, pemphigoid, scleroderma, morphea, dermatomyositis, dermatitis herpetiformis, vasculitis, lupus, and Sjögren's syndrome -- all of which occur when the body's immune system attacks healthy skin or tissue.

What were your first signs of scleroderma?

Skin signs of scleroderma may include:
  • Fingers or toes that turn blue or white in response to cold temperatures (Raynaud phenomenon)
  • Stiffness and tightness of skin of fingers, hands, forearm, and face.
  • Hair loss.
  • Skin that is darker or lighter than normal.

What famous person died of scleroderma?

Gay Saget died from scleroderma, an autoimmune disease where excess collagen causes tissue to lose its elasticity, in 1994. She was 47.

What does a B12 rash look like?

The allergy can be triggered by taking vitamin B12 supplements because B12 contains cobalt atoms. Cobalt allergies most often develop in people exposed to it in eye makeup, tattoos, or industrial products, causing an itchy, red, scaly rash.

What disease causes skin discoloration?

Vitiligo (vit-ih-LIE-go) is a disease that causes loss of skin color in patches. The discolored areas usually get bigger with time.

What are pellagra symptoms?

Symptoms of pellagra include:
  • Delusions or mental confusion.
  • Diarrhea.
  • Weakness.
  • Loss of appetite.
  • Pain in abdomen.
  • Inflamed mucous membrane.
  • Scaly skin sores, especially in sun-exposed areas of the skin.

What is silent leukemia?

Many people with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) won't have any symptoms at all. They are diagnosed because they have a routine blood test for something else. In CLL, symptoms tend to be mild at first and get worse slowly. Many symptoms are vague. You may feel as if you had the flu.

What are the symptoms of myeloma?

The main signs and symptoms of myeloma are:
  • bone pain - often in your back, hips, shoulders or ribs.
  • broken bones (fractures)
  • tiredness (fatigue), shortness of breath and weakness - these are symptoms of low red blood cells (anaemia)
  • pain, changes in sensation or weakness - these are symptoms of spinal cord compression.

What are the symptoms of lymphoma in a woman?

Signs and symptoms of lymphoma may include:
  • Fever.
  • Night sweats.
  • Fatigue.
  • Itchy skin.
  • Painless swelling of lymph nodes in the belly, neck, armpits or groin.
  • Pain in chest, abdomen or bones.
  • Losing weight without trying.

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