MANY conditions can cause your skin to have a bluish tint.
And while some, like bruising, are nothing to worry about.
Cyanosis – blue skin – can be a sign of bruising, as well as Raynaud’s disease and heart failure
Sometimes, blue skin can be a sign of something more dangerous
Known as cyanosis, it’s when your skin, lips or gums turn blue, or – particularly if you have dark skin – under your nails and around your eyes become bluish.
It can be a sign of relatively everyday conditions like bruising, or severe ones, like heart failure.
Pale, grey, or blue-coloured skin, lips, or nail beds is now also listed by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as among the more severe symptoms of Covid that should be considered an emergency warning sign.
From Raynard’s to pneumonia, here are a few more things that can cause cyanosis, and when you should seek professional medical help…
1. Bruising
The most common reason for your skin turning a bluish shade is bruising.
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You might have fallen or knocked yourself on a doorjamb, or got into a fight with a tree branch and now have a black eye, and the skin can feel tender.
“Skin bruises tamper with the blood vessels,” explains Charlotte Cremers, GP (shopgiejo.com).
“Blood vessels are tiny and accumulate blood under the skin when you get injured, causing blue skin.”
Should I see a doctor?
Most bruising eases naturally over time at home, helped along with cold compresses and paracetamol.
Speak to your GP if the bruising is severe, covers a very big area, doesn’t seem to be healing or starts to swell.
2. Raynaud’s
Raynaud’s syndrome, which affects circulation, can cause cyanosis, especially in your extremities.
“This condition occurs when your fingers and toes have restricted blood flow.
“The lack of blood flow causes these extremities to turn blue,” says Hussain Abdeh Clinical Director and Superintendent Pharmacist at Medicine Direct.
“Along with a blue tint to your skin, you can also lose sensation in the fingers and/or toes.
“It is also common to experience a drop in body temperature.”
You fingers and toes can also turn white, as if they’ve been completely drained of blood.
Should I see a doctor?
Hussain says you should seek treatment “if you have recurring numbness or loss of sensation in your fingers or toes, or if you notice them turning a blue tint that either comes back or does not go away.”
3. Heart failure
We’re not talking about your heart just suddenly stopping, but about long-term heart failure, which “affects the heart’s ability to pump blood”, says Charlotte.
It’s a condition that worsens over time as the heart struggles to pump “oxygen and blood to the body fully” and can mean “the legs and lungs might fail to get sufficient oxygen or blood.”
It’s this lack of oxygen that can lead to cyanosis.
Should I see a doctor?
The NHS advises you see a GP if you experience “persistent or gradually worsening symptoms” of heart failure and to call 999 for an ambulance or visit A&E “if you have sudden or very severe” symptoms.
4. Peripheral artery disease
Blue skin is just one potential symptom of peripheral artery disease (PAD) which “causes narrow arteries in the body around the heart or legs,” explains Charlotte.
Also called peripheral vascular disease (PVD), it’s a common condition that occurs when a build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries restricts blood supply to your leg muscles.
“In extreme situations, PAD leads to blocked arteries which stops blood flow to your feet, giving the skin a blue colour,” says Charlotte.
Skin can also turn pale or shiny, and sufferers often feel pain when walking or exercising, that then eases when they sit down or rest.
PAD can be triggered simply by growing older, but smokers and those with diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, are at greater risk.
Should I see a doctor?
The NHS says if your symptoms “develop quickly, or get suddenly worse, it could be a sign of a serious problem requiring immediate treatment.”
Charlotte agrees: “PAD should be treated immediately to prevent fatal problems.”
5. Argyia
Agyia is a condition leaves sufferers with skin and gum discolouration that can be permanent.
Some wellbeing brands claim colloidal silver – tiny silver particles suspended in a liquid – has health and beauty benefits, but there is a serious lack of evidence.
Colloidal silver is not clinically considered safe to ingest or use on your skin and can have other side effects, like kidney damage, and it can interfer with medication a person is taking.
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) said “evidence supporting health-related claims is lacking” and notes “colloidal silver can be dangerous to your health”.
Should I see a doctor?
Firstly, avoid colloidal silver. If you do present with symptoms, see your GP.
6. Pneumonia
Serious lung conditions can also cause cyanosis, and that can include asthma as well as pneumonia.
Pneumonia is a result of tissue inflammation in the lungs – and can be caused by Covid-19, so be sure to get jabbed and get tested if you have symptoms.
Should I see a doctor?
Yes. You should ALWAYS call 999 if you or your child’s lips, tongue, face or skin suddenly turn blue.
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