What Causes Yellowish Skin?

Whether they are older or younger women, many hope for fair, luminous skin—and thus constantly pursue skin brightening. But what causes skin to appear yellowish?

What Causes Yellowish Skin Tone?

Yellowish skin is commonly associated with anemia. Anemia-related jaundice-like discoloration is often accompanied by other symptoms, such as dizziness, fatigue, palpitations, and pale conjunctiva. Women may also experience reduced or irregular menstrual flow. Dietary remedies that nourish blood and qi—such as red dates (jujubes), longan fruit, brown sugar, astragalus root, angelica root (dang gui), and donkey-hide gelatin (ejiao)—may help alleviate this condition. Other causes of yellowish skin include excessive consumption of orange- or yellow-hued foods—like carrots and pumpkins—which can lead to carotenemia (accumulation of carotenoids in the skin). Reducing intake of these foods typically results in gradual improvement.

Newborn jaundice also presents with yellowish skin, but it usually resolves spontaneously without treatment. In some cases, excessive androgen secretion may cause skin yellowing or darkening. Oral vitamin C supplementation, along with hormone-balancing foods—such as papaya and rose—can support ovarian estrogen production and help counteract excess androgen activity.

Patients may also consider photorejuvenation (intense pulsed light, or IPL) therapy to improve yellowish skin tone. This procedure effectively breaks down pigment granules beneath the skin surface, resulting in a visibly brighter, more even complexion. We hope this information proves helpful!