Pale Skin
One of the most noticeable symptoms of folic acid deficiency is pale skin. While pale skin or pallor can also be caused by arterial occlusion, a drastic drop in blood sugar, anorexia, or excessive bleeding, doctors typically associate it with anemia. Doctors treat pallor as a severe condition when it manifests in the lining of the eyes, lips, tongue surface, the inside of the tongue, and the palms.
Anemia is a condition wherein the body doesn’t produce enough red blood cells. In rare anemia forms such as aplastic anemia, the body doesn’t have enough platelets, red blood cells (RBC), and white blood cells (WBC). In hemolytic anemia, the red blood cells are destroyed in the bloodstream or the spleen, while in sickle cell anemia, there’s a problem with the rigidity of the RBC. In all of these conditions, the body’s inability to produce healthy RBC makes it difficult for the bloodstream to transport much-needed oxygen to different body parts.
A decrease in RBC or when the skin doesn’t receive enough oxygen results in pale skin. Skin paleness can be localized or can occur all over the body. Doctors recommend eating a balanced diet and taking folate supplements to treat pale skin.
