Earthy complexion what to do. Why does the skin on the face and body darken

In some diseases, the metabolism changes in such a way that diffuse hyperpigmentation develops, that is, the skin darkens in large areas of the body and on the face. To exclude the usual tan, examine the inner surface of the forearms. On these parts of the body, the skin usually has a lighter color. In addition, you need to ask the patient if he visits the solarium.

Why the skin on the face and body darkens and what disorders it may be associated with, we will tell in this article.

Causes

There are the following groups of reasons why the skin on the face and body darkens:

Increased production of melanocyte-stimulating hormone.
Other internal diseases accompanied by.
Taking certain medications.
Malignant tumors of internal organs.

Hypersecretion of melanocyte-stimulating hormone

The skin darkens when its level rises - a coloring pigment contained in special cells - melanocytes. The production and release of this substance into the skin is activated under the influence of one of the pituitary hormones - melanocyte-stimulating.

Active synthesis of this hormone occurs in Addison's disease - one of the main causes of skin hyperpigmentation.

Addison's disease is a chronic disease that occurs with tuberculosis, infection, amyloidosis, and other damage to these important organs. The adrenal glands cease to synthesize hormones, to which the body responds with increased secretion of a substance that stimulates their hormonal activity - adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), thus trying to restore their activity. The physiology of this process is such that, simultaneously with the increased production of ACTH, the release of melanocyte-stimulating hormone, which causes darkening of the skin, also increases.

In Addison's disease, the skin is bronze, golden brown, or dark gray in color, often similar to a deep tan. Pigmentation is especially noticeable in open areas - the face, hands, as well as in places where clothing is rubbed, for example, on the neck. The skin also darkens in the genital area, areolas of the nipples, postoperative scars. Dark spots also appear on the oral mucosa.

If you suspect Addison's disease, you should contact an endocrinologist.

Internal diseases with metabolic disorders

In some diseases and physiological conditions, darkening of the skin is observed, for example:

hemochromatosis;
porphyria.

Hemochromatosis is a hereditary disease in which the absorption of iron from food in the intestine increases. Iron-containing pigments are deposited in all organs and tissues, disrupting their functions.

Pigmentation of the skin in this disease has a smoky, gray, bronze color, most pronounced on the face and hands, as well as in the genital area, in the armpits, and in the area of postoperative scars. With this disease, the liver and heart are affected, endocrine disorders develop, including. If you suspect hemochromatosis, you should contact a gastroenterologist.

Cirrhosis of the liver is characterized by a violation of the neutralization of bile, the absorption of bile pigments into the blood and their deposition in the tissues. Patients with cirrhosis of the liver develop parenchymal jaundice, accompanied by dark brown pigmentation of the skin. Cirrhosis of the liver is also characteristic,. This disease is treated by a gastroenterologist.

Porphyrias are a group of hereditary diseases associated with a violation of the formation of hemoglobin. Intermediate products of its metabolism - porphyrins - accumulate in the skin, where they are oxidized under the action of sunlight. As a result, the skin turns brown. It is easily damaged, covered with ulcers and scars.

Patients with porphyria are contraindicated in sun exposure. A hematologist can help with this disease.

Hyperpigmentation while taking medications

If the cause of darkening of the skin is not clear, the doctor should ask the patient if he is taking any of the following drugs:

oral contraceptives;
chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine;
preparations of silver, gold;
amiodarone;
busulfan and bleomycin;
chlorpromazine.

Combined oral contraceptives can cause liver dysfunction with the development of parenchymal jaundice. Chloroquine and its derivatives are used to treat photodermatosis, as well as connective tissue diseases -,. These agents may cause a bluish-gray discoloration of the skin.

The use of silver in dietary supplements, the use of silver salts as antiseptics for washing urinary catheters, prolonged use of protargol can cause argyria: a gray-blue coloration of the skin. The use of krizanol (a preparation of gold) can lead to a purple coloration of the skin.

Prolonged use of amiodarone or cordarone sometimes causes brown or gray staining of exposed skin.

Busulfan and bleomycin are used to treat malignant tumors. These drugs often cause darkening and other skin changes.

Aminazine is used in psychiatric practice. With prolonged use, it turns the skin gray.

Darkening of the skin in malignant tumors

Skin color can change with malignant tumors of internal organs, including lymphomas. This phenomenon is called acanthosis nigricans maligna (malignant black acanthosis) and is accompanied by dark symmetrical spots and stripes in the neck, armpits, vulva, inguinal folds.

Black acanthosis also occurs in benign diseases of the nervous and endocrine systems in young people.

For any change in skin color of an unclear nature, you need to contact a dermatologist. After the initial diagnosis, this physician may refer the patient to an appropriate specialist. It is impossible to ignore the darkening of the skin, because this sign is a symptom of many serious diseases.

Which doctor to contact

With a widespread or limited change in the color of the skin, you should consult a dermatologist. After exclusion of skin diseases, the patient is usually sent to the therapist, where he undergoes an examination of the internal organs. After clarifying the diagnosis, a consultation of a specialized specialist is appointed: an endocrinologist, a gastroenterologist, a hepatologist, a hematologist, an oncologist.

The skin of people is different, its condition, including color, depends on many factors. Occupation, nutrition, bad habits, lack of sleep, stress, sports, environment and even heredity leave their mark.

Unfortunately, quite often the cause of an unhealthy complexion: red, yellow or gray, are acute and chronic diseases.

Problems in the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular and endocrine systems inevitably affect our appearance. Distress signals from internal organs appear on the skin in some cases simultaneously with the disease, in others long before it appears, which allows you to take the necessary measures in time.

We can recognize some of these signals on our own, without special knowledge. It may be enough just to look closely at a person to determine the cause of his suffering.

The mother understands that the child has a fever, even before he had time to complain of malaise or began to act up. An attack of “airsickness” in an airplane sitting next to you in the cabin can also be easily “diagnosed” before a neighbor really gets sick - after all, everyone knows that a person, unlike plants, when he feels good, does not happen green. But there are cases and more difficult, when you can not do without the help of a doctor.

I must say that people learned to recognize the disease by complexion a long time ago, back in the days of Aristotle and Hippocrates. The achievements of Eastern healers are especially impressive.

For example, in China, already at the beginning of the first millennium, a diagnosis was made by complexion. And the predictions of the ancient Aesculapius came true with a high degree of probability. The art of reading in the face was called "Xian-Ming" and was practiced by the great masters of their craft, who kept it a deep secret and only verbally transmitted their experience to the most gifted students. Now forgotten traditions are being revived.

What is meant by "unhealthy complexion"?

Let's start with general patterns. You can often hear that a person has an unhealthy complexion. This is a rather vague concept, since there are many “flowers of unhealthy”.

For example, in Chinese medicine there are five of them: green, white and black are indicators of pain, yellow and red symbolize fullness, white - absence.

Not without reason, at the sight of a very pale person, we exclaim: “Yes, there is no face on you!”.

Each of the five colors corresponds to an organ and season of the year.

Red - the heart and the beginning of summer, white - lungs and autumn, black - winter and kidneys, yellow - the end of summer and the spleen, green - spring and liver.

Reading the diagnosis

For modern doctors, only four colors are diagnostically significant - RED, YELLOW, BLUE and WHITE. Here's what they can tell us.

Complexion	Possible reasons
Red	overheating of the body infectious diseases accompanied by fever, diseases of the heart and blood vessels, carbon monoxide poisoning.
Yellow	Diseases liver, spleen, stomach, gallbladder, pancreas.
Blue	lung disease, oxygen starvation.
Pale or white	anemia, lung pathology, stroke or heart attack.

However, other colors are also important. For example, dark complexion- a sign of kidney disease, bladder infection.

earthy gray indicates frequent constipation and some other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The reason for the appearance of an earthy complexion can also be a lack of fluid in the body.

The appearance of a gray color can be due not only to diseases, but also to the impact of addictions on the skin of the face. Excessive addiction to alcohol, cigarettes and junk food, a sedentary lifestyle, tension and stress can also cause your skin to gradually lose its healthy color and turn gray.

Green color- the most dangerous, often in such cases, doctors diagnose complications of cholelithiasis in a patient, and sometimes cirrhosis of the liver and even cancer. This symptom clearly indicates the need to visit a specialist gastroenterologist.

Not only skin color matters

You can learn a lot of important things by carefully examining individual fragments of your face. Their coloring allows you to recognize the disease more accurately.

Cheeks

Blue-red coloration of the cheeks - heart failure.
White spots on the cheeks - persistent lowering of blood pressure.
Unhealthy blush on the cheeks - asthma, bronchitis, lack of vitamin C in the body.
Symmetrical redness or whitening of the cheeks near the nose - lack of iron, digestive disorders.

Lips

Bright red lips - respiratory diseases, increased blood pressure.
"Bluish" lips - disturbances in the work of the heart, lack of oxygen.
Dark purple lips - an excess of cholesterol in the body.

Eyes

Dark circles under the eyes - nervous disorders.
Blue circles under the eyes - a violation of cardiac activity and blood circulation. Malfunctions in the work of the genital organs.

Red color of the nose - disturbances in the work of the heart, high blood pressure.
Blue-red nose - low blood pressure.
Red streaks on the nose - gastritis.
White spots on the nose - lung disease.
Severe pallor of the lower and upper turbinates - pneumonia.

auricles

Pale auricles with a characteristic waxy tint - circulatory disorders.

Language

Pale color of the tongue - anemia.
The blue color of the tongue is a malfunction in the work of the heart.
Yellow color of the tongue - violations in the liver.

Of course, everything that has been said here should not be taken as a diagnosis and an immediate guide to action. These are only indirect indications of possible problems in your body, and an unhealthy complexion should be taken only as an excuse to visit a doctor.

The final diagnosis can only be made by a doctor after a thorough examination.

by Notes of the Wild Mistress

The color of our skin is affected not only by sunburn. Skin tone depends on many factors, such as how close blood vessels are to the surface of the skin, the characteristics of the nervous system, age, malnutrition, etc.

But a change in skin color can also be a harbinger of the development of various diseases in the body. Therefore, if you notice that your skin has acquired some kind of persistent, unusual shade, be sure to contact the var and undergo an examination.

If your skin turned yellow

In this case, you should pay attention to the liver. The yellow hue of the skin appears due to the pigment bilirubin, which is formed in the liver when the hemoglobin of red blood cells is destroyed. Then bilirubin is not excreted from the body, but settles in the tissues, so the skin becomes yellow or acquires an orange tint. Causes of jaundice can be cholelithiasis, hepatitis, poor functioning of the pancreas, spleen, and blood diseases.

If your skin has turned brown

In this case, you should pay attention to the adrenal glands and kidneys. A swarthy complexion, similar to a tan, may appear with a lack of adrenal hormones. This disease is also called bronze disease. Treatment should be done by an endocrinologist.

And if the skin is very dark and has become almost black, then this is a sign of kidney disease or a bladder infection. The examination must be done by a urologist.

If your skin has turned white

The reason for this may be digestion or metabolic disorders, changes in the composition of the blood or problems with the thyroid gland, diseases of the cardiovascular system or lungs.

One of the most common causes of pallor is anemia, that is, a lack of hemoglobin. The skin also turns white with edema or features of the reaction of the nervous system to cold, fear, pain.

If your skin has turned blue

This is very dangerous and indicates a lack of oxygen in the blood, which may be the result of problems with the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Diagnoses can be very different - pneumothorax, emphysema, heart disease or thromboembolism.

You, without delay, need to contact a cardiologist and check the heart.

If your skin turns red

In this case, it is worth taking a blood test, paying attention to the cardiovascular system, and measuring the temperature. Redness of the skin may be due to inhalation or ingestion of harmful or potent substances.

If the skin has turned gray

An earthy gray skin tone usually occurs in people with digestive problems, such as gastritis, frequent constipation. Even just the wrong diet can leave an imprint on the skin. Grayish skin tone in smokers and in people who are subjected to frequent stress. In this case, blood vessels and capillaries constrict, and the supply of oxygen to the skin is reduced.

If your skin has a greenish tint

This shade of the skin can give problems with the gallbladder, liver, or cancer. Moreover, as in the case of blue skin, a green tint is dangerous and requires immediate medical attention.

A green tint appears in patients with cirrhosis of the liver, in case of complications of gallstone disease and in cancer.

According to print media

Have you noticed that you have a gray complexion? In this article, you will learn why this happens, how to improve complexion, and what quick tricks exist for this.

Gray complexion: we establish the causes and fix the problem

Are you sure you're in good health? Then the appearance of a gray skin tone can be caused by one or more of the reasons listed below.

Causes of a gray complexion

Stress.

A change in complexion is a reaction of blood vessels to overload and negative emotions.

Thickening of the epidermis.

Violation of the natural process of removing the upper layer of the epidermis is characteristic. Excess sebum sticks together dead skin particles, which prevents their timely exfoliation. This layer becomes a barrier to skin radiance.

Wrong nutrition.

Statistics say that urban residents on average receive one third of the necessary microelement vitamins with food.

And if you, in pursuit of a dream figure, also periodically sit on diets, skin cells, all the more, do not receive the necessary substances. The skin turns pale and dull before the eyes.

Coffeemania also contributes a lot to the appearance of a gray complexion.

Lack of sleep. Night wakefulness.

Self-deception - "I'll sleep off at the weekend" usually leads to physical and nervous exhaustion. What is reflected on the face, as in a mirror.

Sedentary lifestyle.

When a person is in static postures for a long time, this leads to vasoconstriction. Lack of oxygen and slow blood circulation are not able to properly stimulate the nutrition, restoration and regeneration of skin cells.

Tobacco smoke. Smoking.

Nicotine constricts the capillaries. As a result, the skin lacks the necessary nutrients, it becomes gray and lethargic.

You can get rid of the gray complexion!

Take your time.

When a person drives himself into a rigid framework of the plan, sooner or later the onset of stress is guaranteed to him. Because any delay or deviation from what was planned causes protest and irritation. Fatigue grows like a lump. And lays down a seal on the external appearance.

But the most amazing thing is that by stopping arranging deadlines for yourself, you will not only be in time for everything, but also return your previous complexion. Try it!

Exfoliate your face regularly.

Skin type directly affects the optimal choice of cleanser, as well as the frequency of this procedure. Believe me, exfoliating with natural skin products is preferable!

However, a careless hobby - so that the skin "creaks", is fraught with a violation of the lipid balance of the skin. Please remember this.

Take the test to find out if there are flaws in your diet. Image link in the sitebar. → → →

This is the first step to correct the situation. A good habit of eating right will give you great bonuses: clear skin, a slim figure, good health, longevity. What can not be expected even from the most popular diet. It's never too late to start!

Go to bed on time! Get enough sleep!

Make it a rule to go to bed before midnight. In order not to miss the time when the body is set to produce hormones that promote skin renewal and rejuvenation.

Falls asleep quickly after a walk before going to bed or airing the bedroom, as well as after a hot bath, reading at night, a cup of tea with the addition of honey. Out of competition - the embrace of a loved one.

Move!

No time even for morning exercises? Get off a couple of stops early on your way to work.

On weekends, be sure to "walk" yourself in the park, go to the pool, keep the children active in the fresh air - for mutual benefit.

For me, the best way to move is yoga + breathing exercises. “Lazily” all the muscles are worked out, the body is fully saturated with oxygen, decay products are intensively removed.

Yoga with an instructor can be practiced even on the Internet - picture-link on the side of the article, in the sitebar.

If you are unwilling or unable to quit smoking, include antioxidants in your diet.

Helps restore natural color to the skin

vitamins A, C, E
selenium
green tea and grape seed extracts

Antioxidants should also be present in the cosmetics you use.

Quick tricks to eliminate gray complexion

In this video, dermatologist Anna Bolshakova gives advice on express revitalization of a gray complexion.

And, in conclusion, I want to remind you that gray complexion can be eliminated with a home cosmetic mask. This is also a way to give yourself a little more attention!

Often a sign of a disorder in the body is an unhealthy complexion. Sometimes, in the combination of this symptom with others, a professional doctor can make an accurate diagnosis, even without tests.

Viruses and bacteria in the human body release various substances into the blood in connection with which the skin color changes. Also, the shade is affected by a change in the amount of some components of the blood. The skin can turn pale, yellow, red, blue and even green. Why does the complexion, and sometimes the body, change? What is it connected with?

Skin structure

The protective cover of a person contains two layers:

Epidermis - the top layer consists of many cells. Some of them contain pigments (carotene, melanin, oxyhemoglobin, reducing hemoglobin). The color of the skin depends on the amount of these or other substances.
The dermis is the bottom layer. Consists of blood and lymph vessels. The presence of hemoglobin in the blood gives the skin a pink tint.

More about pigments:

Carotene is a pigment that gives the skin a yellowish tint. Representatives of the Mongoloid race have more of it than other people. If this component is not enough, it can be obtained from drugs and food.

Melanin is a brown pigment. There is a lot of it on the skin of representatives of the Negroid race. Sometimes it can appear as freckles in white people. It is also responsible for the appearance of age spots.

Hemoglobin is a pink pigment responsible for oxygen in tissues. The coloring of the skin with this component depends on the number of vessels in it, their saturation with oxygen, and not with carbon dioxide (otherwise the skin will be red), the thickness of the epidermis.

Other substances also affect skin coloring:

Silver - gives the skin a bluish tint. Penetrates there after taking certain drugs or when processing this metal.

Iodine - gives the face and body a yellow color when there is too much of it in the body.

Bilirubin is formed during the breakdown of red blood cells. Gives the skin a yellow color. Appears in the blood in some diseases.

Methemoglobin is a pigment formed when the structure of hemoglobin changes. The presence of this component is a sign of many violations. When a person does not know why his lips turn blue, you should pay attention to the amount of this pigment.

Exposure to sunlight on hemoglobin, which is in the process of transformation, is the cause of darkening of the skin.

Diseases that provoke changes in the color of the face and body

Before you start making diagnoses, considering the faces of individual people, it should be remembered that not all are purebred representatives of the Caucasian race. A healthy complexion in Europeans has a white-pink hue, sometimes with a slight admixture of yellowness. Any changes in the original color of the skin are nothing more than health problems.

List of causes and diseases:

An earthy complexion has several causes:

Lack of fluid in the body;
Alcohol abuse (about some people they say: "blackened (a)"):
Improper nutrition, namely: passion for fatty meat products;
intestinal dysbacteriosis;
Thyroid disease;
Oncological diseases;
AIDS;
Blood poisoning.

Another reason for an earthy complexion is usually called lack of sleep, but this statement is easy to refute, as some skin turns pale or does not change color at all. In addition, an earthy or, as the people say, earthy complexion occurs in people who smoke, as well as in those who do not like walking in the fresh air. It should be noted that the earthy complexion in the latter version is an easily eliminated problem.

Blue color

First of all, the cyanosis of the skin indicates insufficient blood circulation. A person's face can acquire such a shade:

By cold;
With cardiovascular diseases;
With diseases of the respiratory organs;
After taking certain medications;
In the presence of silver salts in the skin and internal organs;
With a large amount of nitrates in the body.

Sometimes blue lips and skin are signs of diseases and incidents such as:

Iron-deficiency anemia;
gas poisoning;
lack of oxygen in the blood;
Asthma attack;
Quincke's edema (in the throat area);
Lung injury.

Hands

The color of the skin of the hands can also tell a lot: if the hands have changed color, this indicates changes in the body. Purple swollen hands sign:

frostbite;
Venous insufficiency;
Hand injury:
Prolonged use of alcohol;
Renal failure.

Red spots on the hands may be a sign of:

allergies;
frostbite;
Contact with chemicals.

The yellow color of the skin indicates such diseases in humans as:

Hepatitis (A, B, C);
Liver failure;
Cirrhosis of the liver;
Alagille syndrome (congenital pathology of the liver).

A yellow complexion can also appear if a person consumes too many foods rich in carotene.

Yellow spots on the face

As a rule, they indicate:

about diseases of the gallbladder;
failure of lipid metabolism;
about smoking;
about high blood cholesterol levels.

Rarely enough, some face care products become the cause of stains.

Gray complexion and enlarged pores

Sometimes bad is a sign:

intoxication of the body;
alcohol poisoning;
prolonged drug use;
smallpox suffered in childhood;
improper care for oily skin.

White skin was once considered fashionable, but at the moment it is a sign of diseases such as:

Anemia;
Lack of certain vitamins;
exhaustion;
Poisoning;
Toxicosis during pregnancy (sometimes the face acquires a greenish tint);
Ectopic pregnancy;
internal bleeding;
Fat embolism (blockage of veins by subcutaneous fat).

Another problem: dull complexion. It happens in people with unkempt skin or beriberi. Here are some more reasons why the skin fades:

Poor quality cosmetics;
Alcohol;
Smoking;
Wrong nutrition.

The skin can also fade with chronic lack of sleep (not for everyone), poisoning and lack of care.

If you observe your face, then any changes in its color should alert you, since they definitely have reasons that need to be eliminated. If the skin has become dull and has acquired an earthy hue, you can try to change the diet, finally get enough sleep, walk more often in the fresh air.

Olive, yellow, blue, white skin colors should be the reason for a mandatory visit to the doctor, especially if there are symptoms such as fever, vomiting, nausea, swelling, breathing complications. Otherwise: everything can end in death or disability.