Illustration by Michela Buttignol for Verywell Health
What Does Jaundice Look Like?
The severity of jaundice can vary by the disease as well as your skin tone.
If the underlying disease is relatively mild, it may only cause mild skin discoloration.
Illustration by Michela Buttignol for Verywell Health
In people with light skin tones, the discoloration may be more apparent than those with dark skin tones.
If you have very dark skin, the only notable change may be in the whites of your eyes.
Sometimes a combination of factors is involved.
The inflammation can beacute(sudden and severe) orchronic(persistent and possibly lifelong).
In either instance, the inflammation can affect the uptake and excretion of bilirubin, leading to jaundice.
Hepatitis can be sparked by viral and non-viral causes.
Cirrhosis
Cirrhosisoccurs when extensive scarring (fibrosis) of the liver reduces its ability to function.
Compensated cirrhosis shows up when the liver is damaged but is still functional.
Decompensated cirrhosis is when the liver is no longer functional, resulting in jaundice and other severe symptoms.
Neonatal Jaundice
Almost all newborns have some degree of jaundice in their first few days.
They also have immature livers that cant process bilirubin as effectively.
Neonatal is relatively harmless.
It usually resolves after a week and doesn’t require treatment.
Another potentially serious cause is Rh incompatibility.
TheRh factoris a specific protein found on the surface of red blood cells.
What Is Breastfeeding Jaundice?
Some newborns experience breastfeeding jaundice, also known as suboptimal intake jaundice.
This leads to fewer bowel movements, causing bilirubin to be reabsorbed in the intestines rather than excreted.
In severe cases, jaundice can occur.
A common cause of a biliary obstruction isgallstones(cholelithiasis) which form when bile from the liver hardens.
As part of the biliary system, the pancreas produces enzymes that help to digest food, particularly proteins.
These includepancreatitis(inflammation of the pancreas), benign tumors or cysts, andpancreatic cancer.
With NAFLD, this can lead to a severe condition callednonalcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH).
It causes increased levels of bilirubin but usually without jaundice.
If jaundice occurs, it is most often seen in the eyes.
Most cases are diagnosed in adolescence, and many people with the disease never show any signs.
The increased bilirubin levels often occur during times of physical stress like fasting or strenuous exercise.
The buildup can be so extreme as to cause nerve and brain damage.
In newborns, yellowing of the skin is often temporary and not a cause for concern.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Jaundice and breastfeeding.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of cirrhosis.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.The Rh factor: how it can affect your pregnancy.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Vitamin A.
MedlinePlus.Gilbert syndrome.
Giallourakis CC.Liver complications in patients with congestive heart failure.Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y).
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