Pale skin in children and teenagers is rarely anything to worry about. Light-skinned children can look pale in winter because of reduced sun exposure or because they feel cold. In rare cases, pale skin can be a sign of anaemia, infections, breathing issues and other underlying medical conditions.
The most common symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia are: Pale skin. Being grouchy (irritable) or fussy. Lack of energy or tiring easily (fatigue).
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.
Red blood cells contain hemoglobin, which carries oxygen. Without enough hemoglobin and oxygen, the skin can turn pale. Iron-deficiency anemia is the most common type, and it involves a person not having enough iron. This can occur when the body is unable to absorb iron correctly or when bleeding depletes iron levels.
Skin colour is strongly genetic and pale skin can be totally normal for you and your family. Children are usually slightly paler-skinned than their parents, and females tend to be a little paler than males.
Pale skin in children and teenagers is rarely anything to worry about. Light-skinned children can look pale in winter because of reduced sun exposure or because they feel cold.
Your baby's skin color is not determined solely by the genes of either parent, but instead by a mix of both. What this would mean, in general, is that your baby's skin color would be an average of both parents' skin colors.
Iron deficiency anemia signs and symptoms may include: Extreme fatigue. Weakness. Pale skin.
Overview. The term albinism usually refers to oculocutaneous (ok-u-low-ku-TAY-nee-us) albinism (OCA). OCA is a group of disorders passed down in families where the body makes little or none of a substance called melanin. The type and amount of melanin in your body determines the color of your skin, hair and eyes.
Fatigue, Dark Circles & Pale Skin
Surprisingly, a lack of red blood cells can also be caused by low levels of vitamin D.
Paleness can also be caused by environmental and dietary factors, such as cold temperatures, frostbite, dehydration, scurvy, or lack of sun exposure. Various diseases, including anemia, and certain medications or illicit drugs can also cause ongoing paleness.
Visible symptoms of leukemia can include: Pale skin due to low blood cell counts (aplastic anemia)
Anemia is a problem of not having enough healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin to carry oxygen to the body's tissues. Hemoglobin is a protein found in red cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all other organs in the body. Having anemia can cause tiredness, weakness and shortness of breath.
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.
The Main Causes of Paleness in Children
Pale caused by a lack of iron in diet, typically found among infants aged above than 6 months old. Pale caused by Thalassemia, a blood disorder passed down through families in which the body makes an abnormal form of hemoglobin.
Call your health care provider or 911 or the local emergency number if a person suddenly develops generalized paleness. Emergency action may be needed to maintain proper blood circulation. Also call your provider if paleness is accompanied by shortness of breath, blood in the stool, or other unexplained symptoms.
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.
Pale skin
A vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to pale skin and yellowing of the skin, called jaundice. These changes in skin color can develop when a person's body is unable to produce enough RBCs. Without enough RBCs, the skin may look pale.
What could be causing my baby to be so pale? A cold or other virus can sometimes cause your baby or toddler to look a little pale or peaked. A less common cause may be anemia, or an iron deficiency that creates a reduction in oxygen-carrying red blood cells.
According to a study called “Shades of beauty,” light brown skin tones are often the most physically attractive skin color (Frisby et al., 2006). They used four models for that study. They did not change the skin tone, but they imaged each model to three different skin tones: light, medium, and dark.
The Role of Genetics in Skin Color
If both parents have fair skin, the baby is more likely to have fair skin, and the same applies if both parents have darker skin. However, there can also be variations in skin color among siblings due to the complex interplay of genes.