International Academy of Cosmetic Dermatology
COLOR CHANGES
Hair and nails, just as the skin, can turn various colors, depending upon a variety of internal or external factors. Some examples follow:
- Blue
- Ingestion of dapsone to excess – methemoglobinemia
- Ingestion of minocycline to excess
- Ingestion of silver salts turning the skin slate-gray – argyria
- Brown
- Escherichia coli infection of the nails
- Nicotine stains of the skin
- Green
- Copper sulfate in swimming pool water afflicting blonde hair
- Ingestion of tetracycline making the hair fluoresce
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection of the nails
- Red
- Flushing and blushing of the face
- Ingestion of excessive amounts of tomatoes turning the skin red – lycopenia
- Telangiectasia of the nose and cheeks
- Yellow
- Ingestion of excessive amounts of carrots turning the skin yellow – carotenemia
Lawrence Charles Parish, MD, MD (Hon)
Philadelphia, PA, USA