Are you worried that your hands have changed their usual color? The yellowish tint to the skin can be related to several different problems, such as carotenemia, metabolic issues, liver and pancreatic diseases, anemia, or certain drugs.
Identifying the cause of yellow hands can help you find a way to solve your problem. It would be best to remember that your habits and diet are closely related to all these diseases.
If you want to know in detail why you have yellow palms, keep reading this FastlyHealarticle.
Table of Contents
Yellow hands due to excess carotenes
One of the most common causes of mucous membranes and yellow skin is the excessive intake of foods or drinks rich in carotenes, a problem known as carotenemia. Carotenes are different substances, among which can be mentioned:
- Beta carotenes.
- Lycopene.
- Zeaxanthin
- Lutein.
- Alpha carotenes.
The carotenes are precursors of vitamin A and cannot be converted correctly when ingested in large amounts. Thus, they accumulate in the body and give a color between yellow and orange to different tissues, including your hands.
The foods richest in carotenes are:
- Carrot.
- Cabbages: cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts.
- Tomatoes.
- Green leafy vegetables: endive, spinach, lettuce, chard.
- Pepper.
- Boniato.
- Pumpkin.
- Corn.
- Strawberry.
- Peach.
- Papaya.
- Mango.
- Orange.
- Plum.
Mucosal and skin staining due to the accumulation of carotenes is more common in young children (under 2 or 3 years old) and in people who have metabolic diseases, but, as we are seeing, excessive ingestion of them can also cause carotenemia.
What to do?
Cutting back on these foods can help decrease the number of carotenes in the body. Try to replace them with other vegetables and fruits to avoid losing their vitamin contribution.
Metabolic problems
As mentioned in the previous section, some chronic diseases are accompanied by the impossibility of transforming carotenes into vitamin A. This is due to liver overload. When toxins accumulate permanently in the liver, its functions are complicated, including the formation of vitamin A from carotenes.
Among the problems that can be accompanied by a yellowing of the skin and mucous membranes are:
- Excessive fat intake in the diet.
- Mellitus diabetes.
- Liver disease.
- Hypothyroidism.
Pathologies that significantly affect the kidneys can also cause the accumulation of carotenes. This happens because their elimination in urine decreases.
Suppose the yellow palms of your hands are the first sign that you notice that something is not correct. In that case, it is convenient that you go to your doctor so that she can help you discover what is happening, but you should know that all these diseases, as well as Most chronic health problems, are generally caused by unhealthy habits. Therefore, a drug will not be the solution. It will only help you to moderate a symptom. We recommend that you take into account the following tips to achieve a better quality of life :
Eat well
Certain foods promote all kinds of disorders in the body, such as processed foods, canned foods, sugar, white flour, salt, excess meat, and dairy products.
Make sure your food comes from as natural as possible and even better if it is chemical-free. Incorporate whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and seeds.
Drink water
Skip carbonated drinks, coffee, and alcohol. They all leave residues that accumulate in the liver and do not hydrate properly.
Perform exercise
It is convenient that you move every day since exercise improves metabolism, promotes circulation, helps eliminate toxins, and improves your mood. Of course, a lot of practice is as harmful as doing nothing. Excess physical activity or intensity that you are not used to can also cause body wear.
Get enough rest
Your body needs 6 to 8 hours of restful sleep each night. During the night’s rest, not only do you recover from the fatigue of the day, but the body starts a series of cleaning and body repair processes. These processes take place from 10 pm or 11 pm, which is why you should go to bed early.
Yellow hands from jaundice
Jaundice is precisely yellowing skin and mucous membranes due to the increase of bilirubin in the body.
This problem can be caused by an interruption in the outflow of bilirubin or by an increase in its production. The diseases that usually cause high bilirubin are:
- Liver diseases: viral inflammation, cirrhosis, fatty liver, liver failure, congenital conditions (such as Gilbert’s), among others.
- Infections of the bile duct: stones, tumor obstructions.
- Pancreatic problems: inflammation, mass.
- Increased destruction of red blood cells.
- Drug-related liver toxicity.
What to do?
To diagnose and treat these diseases, it is necessary to take a correct medical history, a complete medical review, and request studies that confirm what the problem is and correct the cause of the imbalance.
This is why we suggest that you adopt the healthy habits that we have indicated in the previous section in addition to professional consultation.
Drugs that can cause yellow hands
Some medications can cause changes in the color of the skin and mucous membranes, including the palms of the hands, causing them to become more yellowish.
This can be seen, for example, with:
- Vitamin A: When an amount more tremendous than what the body can metabolize is ingested, it may break down and stain tissues.
- Antimalarials: chloroquine and amodiaquine can cause the skin to become more yellowish or brownish-yellowish.
- Antiparasitics: quinacrine is a drug used to eliminate giardiasis parasites, which can also color your palms.
Yellow hands from food handling
If the palms of your hands have turned yellow after peeling sweet potato or turmeric, it certainly may take a couple of days for everything to return to normal.
The substances they have can dye your food and your skin, but even if it takes a bit to remove them, sooner or later, that tonality will be eliminated sooner or later.
This article is merely informative. At FastlyHeal .com, we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor if you present any condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Why do I have yellow palms, we recommend that you enter our Bones, Joints, and Muscles category.
I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.