Get Tested & Treated for Yellow Skin
Changes in skin tone and color can be triggered by a number of factors, including hormonal fluctuations, but when the skin starts to appear yellow, it’s natural to grow concerned. Yellow skin is often associated with liver problems, a byproduct of certain diseases that include Hepatitis B.
Yellow skin is a known symptom of Hepatitis B, a sexually transmitted disease that has the ability to cause long-term liver damage. When yellow skin is accompanied by other STD symptoms, Hepatitis B testing should be performed. Symptoms of the disease aside from yellow skin may include:
Hepatitis B symptoms such as yellow skin can appear anytime between 6 weeks and 6 months following exposure to the disease. Some people with Hepatitis B, however, will not display symptoms at all.
Left undiagnosed, Hepatitis B can cause a host of serious health problems, including liver failure and liver cancer. Following a positive STD test, treatment is available to help alleviate symptoms like yellow skin and prevent the disease from taking a life-threatening toll on the body. Additionally, since many people with Hepatitis B don’t realize they’ve been infected, STD testing can help halt the spread of the disease and prevent those who have it from unknowingly transmitting it to their sexual partners.
Although yellow skin is a known Hepatitis B symptom, there are other conditions that can cause yellow skin. Eating too much beta carotene, the orange pigment often associated with carrots, can actually result in yellow skin.
Diagnosing the cause of yellow skin requires the use of clinical testing, so if the skin starts to appear yellow, it’s best to consult a physician. Once the reason behind yellow skin is determined, treatment can be given to target the source of the symptom.