Skin tone/paleness and aging (medical)

[Ginevra]

How much direct correlation have you seen in elderly people (although it could also be the case with young people) and a noticable change in skin color/tone towards paleness? It’s a wordy question; I’m sorry if I’m not expressing it well. 

For example, two years ago, we had a big celebration for my MIL and dh’s aunt, who were both turning 90. In the photos of both elderly ladies, the aunt’s skin tone is noticeably white/pale/colorless compared to MIL. MIL looked positively vibrant by comparison. The aunt died of sudden cardiac arrest in less than a year. 

Now we just celebrated MIL’s 92nd birthday, and this time, I was struck by how pale/colorless her skin tone is. It is drastically different from two years ago. She has had some health events and hospital trips during those two years, too. I’m wondering...how much of an indication this is on remaining lifespan.

As an aside, my sister died at 42 of a kidney infection that caused sepsis. This was a stunning shock that was not expected, however, when I look at some photos of her from the Christmas prior to her untimely death, her skin tone looks sickly and ashen. I don’t think anybody was looking at this, in part because she was relatively young, but retrospectively, it seems to me like something a doctor or nurse would have noticed if they had seen those photos. IOW, I think there were visible signs that she was unhealthy, but nobody was thinking about it because she was young. 

How strong of a correlation is there to changing color tone and severe health decline or death? 

[Innisfree]

I noticed something like that shortly before my mother was diagnosed with anemia. Treatment was quick and effective for her.

[Guest]

42 minutes ago, myblessings4 said:

When I look back at pictures of my mom the few weeks before she died, her skin color and tone looked way different.  Enough so that I questioned why no one noticed, since everyone had gatheres for a family vacation.  Dh and I didn't go and I didn't see her during those few weeks.

This is pretty much exactly where my head is and it is something I thought about with my sister, because I did not see my sister in person prior to her death. If someone had noticed her skin tone, they might have been more worried when she got ill. 

[Nicholas_mom]

Quote

Now we just celebrated MIL’s 92nd birthday, and this time, I was struck by how pale/colorless her skin tone is. It is drastically different from two years ago. She has had some health events and hospital trips during those two years, too. I’m wondering...how much of an indication this is on remaining lifespan.

 

Yes, AND No.  I noticed about the skin color, too.  Many years ago, at my cousin's wedding, I noticed my great Uncle in his 80's was looking pale at the wedding, and he died in that year.  However.......a couple of months ago my Mom was looking like that AND was deathly ill.  At one point, the doctor's weren't sure she was going to make it through the week.  Maybe because of the care of the rehab and hospital and lots and lots prayers.......she pulled through and now is very vibrant and healthy looking despite that fact she is still in the nursing home healing a bed sore and trying to walk again.  My Mom was living alone and driving herself around back in February to this life now. 

So maybe it is more of an indication that something inside of them needs healing, but what exactly I do not know.

((((hugs))))  

[lailasmum]

I would think anaemia. My mum got very anaemic when she was ill a few years ago. That got sorted because she had an iron infusion but it came about because she hadn't been eating properly because of her illness and since she often has no appetite and has to chose to eat. From what I understand It's common for older people to not have a huge appetite. My mum looked so frail and pale and I know from my own experience how pale you can get with anaemia. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

When my dd became paler than usual, the doctors checked her eyelids for paleness as well as doing a blood test.  She was anemic. 

Skin tone can be an indicator.  Yellow tone can be due to liver failure for example.  But skin tone is also hard for someone to evaluate if they don't know what the skin tone usually is.  Some people are very pale.  I had one nurse argue with me vehemently when I was in my college years that I must have leukemia.  I didn't.  (And yes, even then I knew that this nurse was terribly out of line.)  Now I am pinker but that is partly due to rosacea.  ? 

[Guest]

56 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

When my dd became paler than usual, the doctors checked her eyelids for paleness as well as doing a blood test.  She was anemic. 

Skin tone can be an indicator.  Yellow tone can be due to liver failure for example.  But skin tone is also hard for someone to evaluate if they don't know what the skin tone usually is.  Some people are very pale.  I had one nurse argue with me vehemently when I was in my college years that I must have leukemia.  I didn't.  (And yes, even then I knew that this nurse was terribly out of line.)  Now I am pinker but that is partly due to rosacea.  ? 

Yeah, this is where I think it is important for someone who does know to pay attention and to advocate for the elderly person (or any person, if needed). My MIL has never been naturally pale. Even just her overall vibrancy is drastically different two years later. 

[Selkie]

Yes, I definitely think that paler-than-usual skin tone can be a sign that something is amiss. Same with a very red skin tone, which indicates inflammation. 

I've also noticed that people I know who eat a crummy diet tend to have pale, pasty looking skin, even as kids. They're not getting carotenoids from fruits and vegetables, so no healthy glow.