During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques in his assesment of the symptom: Orange skin. These may include a physical examination or other medical tests. Your doctor may ask several questions when assessing your condition. It is important to remember that your consultation is a two-way process and any extra information you can share with your doctor may help them with their diagnosis.
Some of the questions your doctor may ask are listed below:
Why: to determine if acute or chronic.
Why: True orange skin color needs to be differentiated from yellow skin (such as jaundice), bronze skin (see hyperpigmentation), red skin or dark skin.
Why: if generalized should consider carotenemia (orange colored skin due to overeating of foods that contain orange colored beta carotene such as pumpkins and carrot), jaundice (yellow discoloration), chronic liver disease and hemochromatosis ( bronze discoloration).
Why: may assist in diagnosis e.g. "sun kissed" pigmentation of the nipples, palmar creases, pressure area and mouth in Addison's disease; darkened skin on cheeks and forehead called cloasma in pregnancy; hyperpigmented eyelids with atopic dermatitis (eczema); reddish purple flush around the eyes associated with swelling is characteristic of dermatomyositis.
Why: e.g. hemochromatosis; Addison's disease; some medical conditions may cause jaundice including hemolytic anemia, gallstones, cancer of the pancreas, cancer of the bile duct, strictures of the bile duct, hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver and congestive cardiac failure.
Why: the following are some of the drugs capable of inducing increased pigmentation of the skin:- amiodarone, chloroquine, quinine, minocycline, zidovudine, silver, gold, estrogen hormones, chlorpromazine, phenytoin, bleomycin, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil, iron intramuscular injections.
Why: e.g. ingestion of large quantities of beta-carotene containing vegetables such as carrots and pumpkin can cause an orange discoloration to the skin, especially in young infants newly introduced to solids; recent consumption of shellfish may suggest Hepatitis A infection that can cause jaundice; recent consumption of broad beans may indicate favism as a cause of hemolysis and jaundice.
Why: e.g. hemochromatosis.
Why: to determine if travel is to areas with an increased risk of Hepatitis A infection, yellow fever, malaria, dengue fever, Ebola virus, Marberg virus.
Why: to determine risk of hepatitis B infection that can cause jaundice.
Why: may suggest risk of alcoholic hepatitis or cirrhosis which can cause jaundice.
Why: increase the risk of hepatitis B and hepatitis C infection that can cause jaundice.
Sometimes, other symptoms may be present and may help your doctor analyse your condition. These may include:
Why: suggests cholestatic liver disease such as viral hepatitis, alcoholic hepatitis, recurrent jaundice of pregnancy, primary biliary cirrhosis, common bile duct gallstones, cancer of the bile ducts, cholangitis, pancreatitis, biliary stricture, some medications.
Why: occurs with obstructive or cholestatic type jaundice such as gallstones, cancer of the pancreas, cancer of the bile duct, strictures of the bile duct, some medications, recurrent jaundice of pregnancy.
Why: e.g. orange coloration of the skin with greatest intensity on the palms and soles. The orange discoloration of the skin can be distinguished from jaundice in that the sclera of the eye remains white. It is caused by ingestion of large quantities of beta-carotene containing vegetables such as carrots and pumpkin, especially in young infants newly introduced to solids.
Why: e.g. pigmentation on the nipples, palmar creases, pressure areas and mouth, tiredness, weight loss, reduced appetite, nausea, diarrhea, passing urine at night.
Why: e.g. bronze pigmentation, fatigue, loss of libido, painful joints, symptoms of diabetes, symptoms of congestive cardiac failure.
Why: e.g. shortness of breath, cough, tiredness, skin symptoms occur in 10% of cases and may include purple or brown plaques or nodules on face, nose, ears and neck in chronic sarcoidosis.
Why: e.g. yellowing of skin, yellowing of the sclera of the eyes, pale stool, dark urine, itching of skin.
Why: e.g. lethargy, weight gain, constipation, puffiness of face and eyes, hair loss, dry skin. Hypothyroidism may be associated with elevated levels of carotene in the blood.
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