Pallor

Overview
Pallor is a reduced amount of oxyhemoglobin in skin or mucous membrane, a pale color which can be caused by illness, emotional shock or stress, avoiding excessive exposure to sunlight, anaemia or genetics. It is more evident on the face and palms. It can develop suddenly or gradually, depending on the cause.

Pallor 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 symptoms such as hypopigmentation (loss of skin pigment).

Pale skin is also a very light skin tone most commonly associated with people of European descent, particularly people of Celtic and Scandinavian descent. In addition, people who avoid excessive sun exposure and thus avoid unhealthy sun tanning also tend to have paler complexions in comparison to their peers, particularly during summer.

Physical examination findings of pallor and paleness

 * White fingers
 * White Nails
 * White patches or blotches
 * Hypopigmentation

Differential diagnosis of causes of pallor
In alphabetical order.


 * Abdominal aneurysm
 * Abdominal cancer
 * Acanthocytosis
 * Acquired Aplastic Anemia
 * Acquired idiopathic sideroblastic anemia
 * Acquired prothrombin complex deficiency
 * Acromegaly
 * Actinic cheilitis - pale lips
 * Acute arterial occlusion
 * Acute biphenotypic leukemia
 * Acute blood disorder
 * Acute cholinergic dysautonomia
 * Acute leukaemia of ambiguous lineage
 * Acute megacaryoblastic leukemia
 * Acute myeloblastic leukemia
 * Acute myeloid leukemia
 * Acute myelofibrosis
 * Acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes related to alkylating agent
 * Acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes related to topoisomerase type II inhibitor
 * Acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes, therapy related
 * Acute myeloid leukemia
 * Acute panmyelosis
 * Acute interstitial nephritis and uveitis syndrome
 * Adenosine triphosphatase deficiency, due to anemia
 * Adrenal adenoma, familial
 * Adrenal Cancer
 * Adrenal gland hyperfunction
 * Adrenal incidentaloma
 * Adrenal medulla neoplasm
 * Albinism
 * Albinism deafness syndrome - partial albinism
 * Allergic tension-fatigue syndrome
 * Alpine syndrome
 * Amphetamine abuse
 * Anaphylaxis
 * Anemia
 * Anemia, Iron-Deficiency
 * Anemia, Refractory, with Excess of Blasts
 * Anisocytosis
 * Aortic arches defect
 * Aortic dilatation - joint hypermobility- arterial tortuosity
 * Aplastic anemia
 * Arrhythmia
 * Asrar-Facharzt-Haque syndrome
 * Athlete's foot - white skin between the toes
 * Azotemia, familial
 * Back tumour
 * Banti's syndrome
 * Basilar Migraine
 * Bland-White-Garland syndrome
 * Blue diaper syndrome
 * Bone marrow failure syndromes
 * Cardiac tamponade
 * Celiac Disease
 * Chediak-Higashi Syndrome
 * Chronic arterial occlusive disease
 * Chronic kidney disease
 * Chronic myelogenous leukemia
 * Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia
 * Ciliary dyskinesia-bronchiectasis
 * Clotting disorder
 * Compartment Syndrome
 * Complete atrioventricular canal
 * Congenital aplastic anemia
 * Congenital arteriovenous shunt
 * Congenital deficiency of intrinsic factor
 * Congenital herpes simplex
 * Congenital spherocytic hemolytic anemia
 * Cooley syndrome
 * Cowden's Syndrome - reduced pigmentation
 * Cyclic vomiting syndrome
 * Deafness - lymphedema - leukemia
 * Deafness, vitiligo, achalasia - reduced pigmentation
 * Di Guglielmo I - acute
 * Diabetic hypoglycemia
 * Diencephalic syndrome of infancy
 * Down syndrome
 * D-plus Hemolytic-uremic syndrome (D+HUS)
 * Dumping syndrome
 * Dyskeratosis congenita - Hypopigmentation
 * Ectopic pregnancy
 * Edema
 * Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, vascular type
 * Embarrassment
 * Epiglotitis
 * Erythroblastopenia
 * Estren-Dameshek syndrome
 * Evans syndrome
 * Fainting
 * Familial hypopituitarism
 * Familial hypothyroidism
 * Familial myelofibrosis
 * Familial Wilms' tumor
 * Fanconi syndrome
 * Favism
 * Fear
 * Felty's syndrome
 * Fever
 * FLOTCH syndrome
 * Frostbite
 * Functioning pancreatic endocrine tumor
 * Gastrointestinal bleeding
 * Glucagonoma Syndrome
 * Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency
 * Goodpasture's syndrome
 * Gorlin-Bushkell-Jensen syndrome
 * Grand mal seizures
 * Grief
 * Hashimoto's thyroiditis
 * Heart attack
 * Heat exhaustion
 * Heat stroke
 * Hemangioma thrombocytopenia syndrome
 * Hemolytic-uremic syndrome
 * Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis
 * Hemophagocytic reticulosis
 * Hemorrhage
 * Hip cancer
 * Hodgkin's Disease
 * Hookworm
 * Hyperadrenalism
 * Hypoglycemia
 * Hypoglycemia with glycogen synthase deficiency in the liver
 * Hypoglycemic attack
 * Hypopituitarism
 * Hypotension
 * Hypothermia
 * Hypothyroidism
 * Idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis
 * Illness
 * Incontinentia pigmenti - reduced pigmentation
 * Iron poisoning
 * Jervell and Lange-Nielsen syndrome
 * Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis - light skin rash
 * Knuckle pads, leukonychia and sensorineural deafness
 * Kotzot-Richter syndrome
 * Lack of sun exposure
 * Leprosy  rash
 * Leukemia
 * Leukemia, Myeloid
 * Leukemia, T-cell, chronic
 * Leukonychia totalis
 * Lichen sclerosis - white spots
 * Loeys-Dietz syndrome
 * Lymphoblastic lymphoma
 * Lymphomatous thyroiditis
 * Malabsorption
 * Malaria
 * Mallory-Weiss syndrome
 * Marchiafava-Micheli disease
 * Mende syndrome - partial albinism
 * Menorrhagia
 * Mixed connective tissue disease
 * Motion sickness
 * Multiple endocrine neoplasia
 * Multiple Myeloma
 * Mycetoma
 * Myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative disease
 * Myelofibrosis
 * Myelofibrosis-osteosclerosis
 * Myxoedema
 * Neuroblastoma
 * Neurofibromatosis
 * Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
 * Normal genetic variation
 * Oculocutaneous albinism
 * Oral thrush - White skin plaques
 * Orotic aciduria hereditary
 * Oroticaciduria
 * Orotidylic decarboxylase deficiency
 * Orthostatic hypotension
 * Orthostatic intolerance
 * Osteogenesis imperfecta
 * Pachyonychia congenita recessive
 * Pancreatic carcinoma, familial
 * Pancytopenia
 * Panhypopituitarism
 * Patent ductus arteriosus
 * Peripheral vascular disease
 * Pernicious anemia
 * Phenylketonuria - hypopigmentation
 * Pheochromocytoma
 * Physical exertion
 * Plummer-Vinson syndrome
 * POEMS syndrome
 * Post streptococcal glomerulonephritis
 * Pseudoxanthoma elasticum - white skin plaques
 * Pure red cell aplasia
 * Pyruvate kinase deficiency, hemolytic anemia
 * Raynaud's disease
 * Raynaud's phenomenon
 * Reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome
 * Reiter’s syndrome
 * Reticuloendotheliosis
 * Retinopathy - aplastic anemia - neurological abnormalities
 * Rheumatic fever
 * Rib Tumor
 * Riedel syndrome
 * Rosai-Dorfman disease
 * Sandifer syndrome
 * Sarrouy disease
 * Scurvy
 * Severe gastroenteritis
 * Shaken baby syndrome
 * Sheehan Syndrome
 * Shock
 * Shock, Cardiogenic
 * Shock, Distributive
 * Shock, Endocrine
 * Shock, Hemorrhagic
 * Shock, Hypovolemic
 * Shock, Obstructive
 * Shock, Septic
 * Shock, Traumatic
 * Sickle Cell Anemia
 * Sideroblastic anemia
 * Sleep deprivation
 * Small intestine cancer
 * Sneddon Syndrome
 * Spherocytosis
 * Spinal shock
 * Spleen Cancer
 * Spleen neoplasm
 * Stomach upset
 * Stress
 * Suffocation
 * Temporal arteritis
 * Thalassemia
 * Thrombocytopenia
 * Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
 * Thyroid agenesis
 * Thyroid hormone plasma membrane transport defect
 * Transient bullous dermolysis of the newborn - reduced pigmentation
 * Transient erythroblastopenia of childhood
 * Traumatic spreading depression syndrome
 * Triploid syndrome - hypopigmentation
 * Tropical sprue
 * Tuberculosis
 * Uremia
 * Vertigo, benign paroxysmal, in childhood
 * Vestibulocochlear dysfunction progressive familial
 * Vitiligo
 * Volume depletion
 * Waardenburg syndrome
 * Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia
 * Warm-reacting-antibody haemolytic anemia
 * Waterhouse-Friederichsen syndrome
 * Weinstein Kliman Scully syndrome
 * Wilms' tumor
 * Wilms' tumor and radial bilateral aplasia
 * Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome
 * Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome
 * WT limb blood syndrome
 * Xerocytosis, hereditary
 * X-linked alpha thalassemia mental retardation syndrome (ATR-X)
 * X-linked sideroblastic anemia

Drugs that may cause Pallor

 * Acne-sol powder
 * Benacine
 * Beractant
 * Bitolterol
 * Brompheniramine
 * Catovit
 * Deponit
 * Dimetane
 * Ecstasy
 * Flumadine
 * Foradil Aerolizer
 * Formoterol
 * Fungizone Intravenous
 * Mazindol
 * Minitran
 * Nitrek
 * Nitro Tab
 * Nitro-Bid
 * Nitro-Derm
 * Nitro-Dur
 * Nitro-Time
 * Nitrocine
 * Nitrodisc
 * Nitrogard
 * Nitroglycerin
 * Nitroglyn
 * Nitrol
 * Nitrolingual
 * Nitrong
 * NitroQuick
 * Nitrostat
 * Prolintane
 * Rimantidine
 * Sanorex
 * Survanta
 * Tornalate
 * Transderm-Nitro

Drug-Drug Interactions and/or Drug Food Interactions may Cause Pallor

 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and 4-Way Cold Tablets interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and A.R.M Allergy Relief Medicine interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Actifed Plus interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Actifed Sinus Daytime/Nighttime interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Actifed Syrup interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Acutrim 16 Hour Steady Control Appetite Suppressant interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Acutrim II Maximum Strength Appetite Suppressant interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Acutrim Late Day Strength Appetite Suppressant interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Advil cold and Sinus interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Afrin Tablets interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold Medicine interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Alka-Seltzer Plus Cough & Cold Medicine interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Alka-Seltzer Plus Night0Time Cold Medicine interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Alka-Seltzer Plus Sinus Allergy Medicine interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Allerest 12 Hour interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Allerest Headache Strength interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Allerest Maximum Strength interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Allerest No Drowsiness interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Allerest Sinus Pain Formula interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Bayer Select Sinus Pain Relief Formula interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and BC Cold Powder Multi-Symptom Formula interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Benadryl Allergy Sinus Headache Formula interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Benadryl Cold Nighttime Formula interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Benadryl Cold Tablets interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Benadryl Decongestant interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Benylin Decongestant interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Benylin Expectorant interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and blue cheese interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and bologna interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and brewer's yeast interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and brick cheese interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Brie interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and broad beans interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Bronkaid Tablets interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Bronkotabs interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Camembert interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and canned figs interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and caviar interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Chartreuse liqueur interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Cheracol Plus Head Cold/Cough Formula interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Chianti interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Chlor-Trimeton Allergy Decongestant interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Chlor-Trimeton Allergy-Sinus Headache interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Comtrex Multi-Symptom Cold Reliever interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Contac Continuous Action Decongestant/Antihistamine interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Contac Day & Night Cold & Flu interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Contac Maximum Strength Continuous Action Decongestant / Antihistamine interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Contac Severe Cold and Flu Formula interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Coricidin 'D' Decongestant interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Cough Formula Comtrex interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Delsym Cough Formula interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Dexatrim Maximum Strength Caffeine-Free interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Dexatrim Maximum Strength Extended Duration Time interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Dexatrim Maximum Strength Plus Vitamin C.Caffeine-free interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Dimetapp Cold & Allergy interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Dimetapp Cold & Flu interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Dimetapp DM Elixir interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Dimetapp Elixir interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Dimetapp Extentabs interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Dimetapp Liquid-Gels interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Dimetapp Sinus interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Drambuie liqueur interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Dristan Cold interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Dristan Cold, Maximum Strength Multi-Symptom Formula interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Dristan Juice Mix-In interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Dristan Sinus interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Drixoral Cold and Allergy interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Drixoral Sinus interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Emmenthaler cheese interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Gruyere cheese interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Hold DM Cough Suppressant Lozenge interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and large quantities of caffeine interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and large quantities of chocolate interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Marmite interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Maximum Strength Dristan Cold Multi-Symptom Formula interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Maximum Strength Dristan Cold No Drowsiness Formula interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and meat concentrate interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Medi-Flu interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and miso soup interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and mozzarella cheese interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and overripe bananas interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and overripe figs interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Parmesan cheese interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Pepperoni interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and pickeled, salted or smoked fish interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Primatene Tablets interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Protein dietary supplements interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Provolone cheese interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Robitussin Cough Calmers interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Robitussin Maximum Strength Cough & Cold interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Robitussin maximum Strength Cough Suppressant interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Robitussin-CF interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Robitussin-DM interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Robitussin-PE interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Romano cheese interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Roquefort cheese interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Sinarest interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Sine-Off Maximum Strength interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Sine-Off Sinus Medicine Tablets interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Sinus Excedrin Analgesic Decongestant interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Sinutab Sinus Allergy interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Stilton cheese interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and stored beef liver interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and stored chicken liver interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Sudafed Plus interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Sudafed Severe Cold Formula interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Sudafed Sinus interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Summer sausage interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Tavist-D interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and TheraFlu Flu and Cold Medicine interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Triaminic Allergy Medicine interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Triaminic Cold Medicine interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Triaminic Cold, Allergy, Sinus Medicine interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Triaminic-12 Maximum Strength 12 Hour Relief interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and TRriaminic Multi-Symptom Cold and Cough Medicine interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Tylenol Allergy Sinus Medication Maximum Strength interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Tylenol Cold & Flu Hot Medication interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Tylenol Cold Medication, Effervescent interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Vegemite interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Vermouth interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Vicks DayQuil interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Vicks Formula 44D cough & Decongestant Medicine interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Vicks Formula 44E Cough & Expectorant Medicine interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Vicks Formula 44M Multi-Symptom Cough & Cold Medicine interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and Vicks NyQuil Nighttime Cold/Flu Medicine interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and yeast extract interaction
 * Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and yeast supplements interaction
 * Phenytoin and Levothyroxine interaction