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| Fig. 40.5 Characteristic yellow discoloration of skin in a patient with carotenoderma contrasted with normal skin color. The patient was eating up to one bunch of carrots per day. (Courtesy of James E. Fitzpatrick, MD.) |
Carotenoderma is a yellow or orange skin discoloration most prominent on the palms, soles, and central face. It is more common in children and is associated with ingestion of carotene found in carrots, oranges, squash, spinach, yellow corn, butter, eggs, pumpkin, yellow turnips, sweet potatoes, and dried seaweeds. It is clinically apparent when serum carotene levels are three to four times normal. The discoloration spares the sclera and mucosal surfaces, which can be used to differentiate this benign condition from jaundice (Fig. 40-5). Elimination of the offending food results in normalization of skin color in 2 to 6 weeks. Carotenemia also occurs in diabetes mellitus and hypothyroidism due to impaired hepatic conversion of carotene to vitamin A. It has been reported in anorexia nervosa with undetermined etiology.
Maharshak N, Shapiro J, Trau HZ: Carotenoderma: a review of the current literature,
Int J Dermatol 42:178–181, 2003.
