Jaundice: Why Skin and Eyes Turn Yellow

Jaundice turns the skin and the whites of the eyes yellow. It is caused by too much bilirubin, a yellow substance.

Where bilirubin comes from

Red blood cells carry oxygen using hemoglobin. As old red blood cells break down, the body makes new ones to replace them, and the hemoglobin from the old cells is broken down into bilirubin, which the liver processes. When the liver cannot keep up, bilirubin builds up in the body and the skin can look yellow.

Who gets it

Many healthy babies have some jaundice in their first week of life, and it usually goes away. But jaundice can happen at any age, and it can be a sign of a problem.

Causes

• blood diseases;
• genetic syndromes;
• liver diseases, such as hepatitis or cirrhosis;
• blocked bile ducts;
• infections;
• medicines.

Corrected: MedlinePlus calls bilirubin "a yellow chemical in hemoglobin" and says the liver processes the old red blood cells; bilirubin is made when the hemoglobin of old red blood cells is broken down, and it is the bilirubin that the liver processes.

Sources

• MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, "Jaundice." https://medlineplus.gov/jaundice.html
• Rewritten in hubnx's own words.