Paleness

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Skin layers

Overview

Treatment

Paleness

Alternative Names:

Skin pale or gray; Pallor

Call your health care provider if:

A person suddenly develops generalized pallor. Emergency action may be required to maintain proper circulation.
Paleness is accompanied by shortness of breath, blood in the stool, or other unexplained symptoms.

What to expect at your health care provider's office:

The medical history will be obtained and a physical examination performed.

Medical history questions documenting your pallor in detail may include:

Did it develop suddenly?
Did it develop in response to reminders of a traumatic event?
Is it all over (generalized)?
Is it only in one location? If so, where?
What other symptoms are also present?
Is there pain in an affected body part?
Is there shortness of breath?
Is there blood in the stool?
Are you vomiting blood?
Is there a pale arm or hand, or leg or foot, and the pulse cannot be felt in the area?

Diagnostic tests that may be performed include:

Extremity arteriography (if pallor is localized)
Blood studies (CBC or blood differential )

Review Date: 7/22/2005
Reviewed By: Jonathan Kantor, M.D., Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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