Pale gray complexion

Have you noticed that you have a gray complexion? From this article you will learn why this happens, how to improve your complexion, and what quick tricks exist for this.

Gray complexion: establishing the causes and eliminating the problem

Are you sure you are completely healthy? Then the appearance of a gray skin tone may be caused by one or several reasons given below.

Causes of gray complexion

  1. Stress.

Changes in complexion are a reaction of blood vessels to overload and negative emotions.

Disruption of the natural process of removing the top layer of the epidermis is typical for oily skin . Excess sebum sticks together dead skin particles, which prevents their timely exfoliation. This layer becomes a barrier to skin radiance.

Statistics show that city residents, on average, receive one third of the necessary vitamins and microelements from food.

And if, in pursuit of your dream figure, you also periodically go on diets, the skin cells even more so do not receive the necessary substances. The skin turns pale and dull before our eyes.

Coffee addiction also makes a significant contribution to the appearance of a gray complexion.

  1. Lack of sleep. Night wakefulness.

Self-deception - “I’ll sleep off this weekend” usually leads to physical and nervous exhaustion. What is reflected on the face, as in a mirror.

  1. Sedentary lifestyle.

When a person spends a lot of time in static positions, this leads to vasoconstriction. Lack of oxygen and slow blood circulation are not able to adequately stimulate nutrition, restoration and regeneration of skin cells.

Nicotine causes capillaries to narrow. As a result, the skin lacks essential nutrients and becomes dull and dull.

YOU CAN get rid of a gray complexion!

  1. Take your time.

When a person drives himself into the rigid framework of a plan, sooner or later the onset of stress is guaranteed. Because any delay or deviation from what was planned causes protest and irritation. Fatigue grows like a lump. And it leaves a mark on the appearance.

But the most amazing thing is that by stopping setting deadlines for yourself, you will not only begin to manage everything, but also return to your former complexion. Try it!

  1. Exfoliate your face regularly.

Skin type directly affects the optimal choice of cleanser, as well as the frequency of this procedure. Believe me, exfoliating with natural skin products is preferable!

However, careless hobby peelings – so that the skin “creaks”, fraught with a violation of the lipid balance of the skin. Please remember this.

  1. Take the test to find out if there are any flaws in your diet. Picture link in the sitebar. → → →

This is the first step to correct the situation. A good habit of eating right will give you great bonuses: clear skin, a slim figure, good health, longevity. What cannot be expected even from the most popular diet. It's never too late to start!

Make it a habit to go to bed before midnight. In order not to miss the time when the body is set to produce hormones that promote skin renewal and rejuvenation.

Falls asleep quickly after a walk before bed or airing the bedroom, as well as after a hot bath, bedtime reading, or a mug of tea with honey. Beyond competition is the hug of a loved one.

Don't even have time for morning exercises? Get off a couple of stops early on your way to work.

On weekends, be sure to “walk” yourself in the park, go to the pool, and engage your children in active games in the fresh air - for mutual benefit.

For me, the best way to exercise is yoga + breathing exercises. All muscles are “lazily” worked out, the body is fully saturated with oxygen, and decay products are intensively removed.

You can even practice yoga with an instructor on the Internet - there is a link picture on the side of the article in the sitebar.

  1. If you don't want to or can't quit smoking, include antioxidants in your diet.

Will help your facial skin return to its natural color:

  1. vitamins A, C, E
  2. selenium
  3. green tea and grape seed extracts

Antioxidants should also be present in the cosmetics you use.

Quick tricks to eliminate gray complexion

In this video, dermatologist Anna Bolshakova gives advice on how to quickly revitalize a gray complexion.

И, в заключение, хочу напомнить, что серый цвет лица можно устранить при помощи домашней косметической маски from banana . This is also a way to give yourself a little more attention!

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You keep peering into the mirror - trying in vain to understand why your skin has become gray, painful in appearance, has lost its natural pinkish-matte tint, has ceased to be elastic, smooth and fresh. Perhaps the reason is in the lifestyle, or maybe some diseases are to blame. Now let's try to figure out why the color of your face suddenly turned gray.

Crazy health

Let's start with health problems that can affect your complexion.

Digestive failure

Often a grayish face is the first “swallow” indicating problems in the gastrointestinal tract. Especially if it is pancreatitis and inflammation of the gallbladder (cholecystitis).

But perhaps everything is not so scary, because your complexion can become sallow when you overuse antibiotics, for example the same “antidiarrheal” chloramphenicol. Just give up harmful medications and the “graying” will quickly pass.

If your complexion has turned grey, you should first consult a dermatocosmetologist.

Enlarged epidermis

The epidermis is the top layer of skin, the “last barrier” to the outside world. If the body's metabolism is disturbed, it may begin to produce too much fat. It will stick together dead skin particles and prevent them from peeling off calmly. This is how the epidermis “grows fat”. Peeling helps eliminate the problem (at least temporarily). But keep in mind that too frequent peelings will harm your skin color even more and disrupt its lipid balance.

Women with any skin type (oily, combination, dry) can turn gray.

Hypothyroidism

The skin may become dull and gray in color if the thyroid gland does not produce hormones in the required quantities. Other typical signs of this problem are brittle nails and hair loss.

To determine exactly why your face has turned gray, your doctor may order you to undergo an examination of your internal organs and do a biochemical blood test.

Wrong lifestyle and bad habits

Are you addicted to cigarettes and still live in an ecological disaster zone in a metropolis? In this case, the gray color and facial sagging are easy to explain. Quit smoking and get out into nature more often. Then the amount of carbon monoxide in the blood will decrease, the blood vessels will dilate, the pores will clear, and the skin will breathe easier. Gradually, the gray color will go away, and along with it, wrinkles, sunken cheeks, increased dryness and other unattractive external signs of a smoker will disappear.

If quitting smoking is an impossible task for you, then in cosmetics and food, rely on products rich in antioxidants that neutralize nicotine well. In this case, your face will not turn gray.

Or maybe there are other reasons:

You're eating wrong

You eat whatever you can, whenever you have to. You eat up before going to bed. Do you like to eat on the go? But have you forgotten that a person is what he eats? We are all literally made up of what we eat. You can't joke about this.

You torture yourself with starvation diets

A slender figure is, of course, good, but with a gray complexion it will be of little use. Try not to depend on new-fangled diets and get everything you need from food, even if it adds a little fat to your thighs.

You're addicted to coffee

Excess caffeine ages the skin and makes it dull.

Do you like strong drinks?

For your skin color to acquire one of 50 shades of gray, regular drinking of “harmless” light beer is enough.

You're overwhelmed by stress

You live a life filled with stress, nervousness, and unnecessary experiences. Here, perhaps, you cannot do without a psychologist. It will help you reconsider your priorities, remove everything that puts too much pressure on your psyche, and at the same time makes your skin color look bad.

You sleep little

You don't get enough sleep, you go to bed too late. This disrupts the natural cycle of skin regeneration, and the face turns grey. It is not difficult to fix such a problem. Just take a bath before bed, walk in the fresh air and go to bed no later than 11.

You are "hypodinam"

You have fallen victim to the epidemic of the digital age - a sedentary lifestyle, or scientifically speaking, physical inactivity. This means that due to long periods of sitting, your spinal and cervical nerves are compressed and the blood supply to your head is disrupted. Massage helps solve this problem. You'll also have to go on a low social media diet. Well, put your body to work - do exercises, jog in the morning, visit the “rocking chair”: then the color of your skin will become “sexy” again.

You're in love with a tan

You overuse artificial and natural tanning. Excess ultraviolet radiation makes the skin flabby, covers it with senile pigmentation, dehydrates and deprives it of freshness.

You don't take care of your skin enough

Start using moisturizers regularly and use suitable toners. Don't forget to protect your skin from the sun's ultraviolet rays. At least once a week, clean it with scrubs to remove all dead particles and remove excess sebum. Be sure to apply whitening and nourishing masks.

It is advisable to turn to professionals. They might recommend:

Chemical (superficial) peeling. Chemistry in this case is various acids (fruit, glycolic, enzyme).

Ultrasonic peeling. Ultrasound removes dead cells absolutely painlessly.

Facial massage. It will eliminate tension in the occipital and cervical areas, make the skin more elastic, and restore its normal tone.

Ozone therapy. Thanks to this procedure, the skin is well saturated with oxygen.

Ultrasonic peeling can restore beauty to the skin

Always remove all makeup before going to bed. And in the morning, before applying makeup, be sure to use some kind of toner.

Old age and winter

Winter is unmerciful to the skin: the cold wind dries them out, and the radiators in warm rooms do the same. Lack of sun rays and vitamin deficiency complete the matter.

Or maybe you're just getting old. Cell regeneration slows down, menopause sets in, the skin becomes drier, its color fades... But life goes on. The beauty and wellness treatments just mentioned will help you rejuvenate your skin.

Don’t try to “disguise” the grayness of your face with blush or foundation. This will be of little use, and in addition, the skin will begin to peel off, and yellowish pigmentation may appear.

Diet against gray color

Products with vitamin A. There is a lot of it in fatty sea fish, eggs, milk, carrots and citrus fruits.

Foods that contain a lot of vitamin E include nuts, oats, vegetable oil, soybeans, corn and peas.

Consumption of ascorbic acid (vitamin C).

Also, be sure to drink at least 1.5 liters of water per day.
(6−8 glasses). It is best that it be mineral and not boiled tap water. It is advisable to drink green tea extract.

Remove sausages, mayonnaise, hot spices and fried foods from your diet. Don't drink sparkling water. For sweets, give preference to natural products, such as honey and chocolate. But exclude lollipops and cream cakes from your diet.

Folk remedies

All the means are not what is in this article; even the average person cannot fit a digital library. Therefore, below are just a few of the most effective ones.

Carrot mask

Grind a little carrot on a fine grater.

Mix one tablespoon of it with an egg yolk and a spoonful of just prepared mashed potatoes.

Apply the resulting mixture to your face.

Rinse off with lukewarm water after 20 minutes.

And finally, you wash your face (with cool water).

Black tea

Add a teaspoon of black tea to a glass of boiling water.

In the resulting drink you put a few rowan berries (dried) and a couple of nettle leaves (also dried).

After 20 minutes, strain.

Wash your face with the resulting tincture every day for 2 weeks.

Beer mask

Mix a quarter glass of heated beer with one egg yolk.

Add one tablespoon of potato flour and the same amount of grated carrots to the mixture.

Apply the resulting porridge-like mass to your face for 20 minutes.

You wash it off (preferably with warm beer) and rinse your face with cool water.

Peach mask

Mash the pulp of a ripe peach and mix with a teaspoon of oatmeal. If your skin is very dry, add a teaspoon of vegetable oil.

Apply the resulting creamy mass to your face.

After half an hour, wash off with lukewarm water.

These folk methods will return your face to its natural beauty, freshness, shine and smile.

A sallow complexion is a reflection of negative processes within the human body. Gray complexion is difficult to hide, and the reasons for the appearance of such a shade are very varied.

Causes of skin color changes

An unhealthy facial tone can be a reflection of a person’s lifestyle or a symptom of a disease:

  1. Bad habits. Alcoholism, smoking, drug addiction are the causes of poor skin tone. Each of these habits individually can make your skin color unhealthy. In women, such manifestations are more pronounced, since their skin is thinner and more delicate. The longer a person is exposed to a bad habit, the more intense the gray tint becomes.
  2. Lack of sleep. It has long been noted that chronic lack of sleep turns a healthy complexion into a haggard one. In addition, there is redness of the eyes and a tired expression. If a person does not have bad habits, then after proper rest, the healthy tone of the skin will return.
  3. Stress. In the modern rhythm, people are often in a state of chronic stress. This is especially true for residents of large cities. This is a common cause for sallow skin tones.
  4. Nutrition. An improper diet is also the cause of an unhealthy complexion. Of course, nothing bad will happen at once. But if you systematically consume harmful foods, the color and condition of the skin will noticeably worsen.
  5. Ecology. It has been noticed that people living in areas with difficult environmental conditions may have an earthy skin tone from birth. In addition, they have a large number of diseases.
  6. Harmful professional activity. Working in hazardous industries can change the color of the skin in a short time. This could be working with hazardous metals, working in a mine or in production with toxic waste.
  7. Heredity. In rare cases, a sallow complexion may be an individual trait. This can manifest itself especially often if a person was born to a couple with different nationalities.
  8. Diseases. Almost always, diseases leave an imprint on skin tone. If a person begins to develop a sallow complexion for no apparent reason, then the reasons may be hidden in diseases of the body. This is the broadest category of reasons why an unhealthy skin tone appears, so we need to talk about it separately.

You should not mask an unhealthy complexion with cosmetics; you need to find the cause of this deviation.

Sallow complexion due to illness

A large number of diseases can make the complexion gray. Let's talk about the most common diseases:

  1. Oncological diseases. With such diseases, the complexion often becomes gray. This does not depend on the location of the tumor. The intensity of the shade is related to the stage of the disease and the number of chemotherapy sessions undergone. The longer a person is exposed to the disease, the brighter the manifestations of sallow skin become.
  2. HIV infection. People with HIV infection develop a sallow complexion when the disease is in its final stages. This symptom is observed in almost all patients with this diagnosis.
  3. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. With insufficient absorption of nutrients, which is chronic, the shade and structure of the skin changes. It takes on an earthy color and becomes lifeless.
  4. Blood diseases. In severe forms of anemia, the skin loses its color. Becomes white or acquires a gray tint. This is due to the reduced hemoglobin content, which gives the blush. With cancer of the blood, the complexion also becomes sallow.
  5. Viral infections. This category of diseases is often accompanied by high temperatures and weakness. Lack of appetite and intoxication of the body can significantly change the patient's appearance. The face takes on a gray tint, the intensity of which depends on the severity of the disease.
  6. Kidney diseases. Chronic renal failure is characterized by a sallow complexion; the reasons for this are hidden in insufficient blood purification by the kidneys. The blood is contaminated with toxins and waste products of the body. Sick kidneys cannot cope with their excretion.
  7. Pathologies of the thyroid gland. This is a common cause of discoloration of the skin. In addition to the sallow complexion, the patient loses weight and becomes anxious. Skin and hair dry out, nails peel.
  8. Sepsis (blood poisoning). A gray complexion is just one of the symptoms of this pathology. Sepsis is a consequence of the spread of infection throughout the body. As a rule, when the face becomes sallow in color, when the disease has already developed sufficiently and manifested itself with other symptoms.
  9. Poisoning. With almost all types of poisoning, the face changes its color. It can be white, bluish, earthy. This is due to the presence of harmful substances in the body.
  10. Helminths. The presence of any worms in the body can affect the color of the skin and face. This occurs due to the fact that helminths deprive the body of nutrients and contaminate the blood with the products of their vital activity.
  11. Lung diseases. Most often, poor complexion is observed in people suffering from tuberculosis. At the same time, the severity of the gray tone becomes more noticeable in the later stages of the disease. Some specialists can even determine the presence of tuberculosis by looking at the face.

Gray complexion is dangerous if the causes are due to some diseases. Because this symptom appears when the disease has already developed.

Diagnostics

When an unhealthy complexion appears, there is no need to panic. It often happens that such a sign can appear after chronic fatigue of the body.

You need to think about what could have caused the gray skin tone. If such a shade is caused by reasons not related to illness, then you should not be very concerned. This condition is easy to correct.

But if, with a healthy lifestyle, a person develops a sallow skin color and some other alarming symptoms are added, then this is a serious reason to visit a doctor.

When diagnosing possible diseases, the doctor will rely on additional symptoms. Based on the complete picture, the specialist will prescribe diagnostic measures:

  1. Lab tests. All biological fluids and tissues of the body can be sent to the laboratory for analysis. A blood test can suggest the presence of an inflammatory focus in the body, detect a lack of some useful substances, the development of anemia, and much more. A urine test can help identify kidney disease. Cultural cultures will show the presence of a bacterial infection.
  2. Ultrasound. This is also an informative and publicly available diagnostic method that allows you to detect a large number of pathologies: tumors, changes in the size of internal organs, changes in tissue density, the presence of kidney stones. An ultrasound machine is available in almost every clinic.
  3. CT scan. It is the gold standard for diagnosis. Used to confirm a questionable diagnosis or to make a new one. The only drawback is that not all clinics are equipped with the necessary equipment.
  4. Endoscopy. Allows you to assess the condition of hollow internal organs (stomach, intestines, bladder, uterus). The study is carried out using a special probe that can penetrate into the organ through physiological openings. With this study, you can see the mucous membranes, detect polyps, erosions, and ulcers.
  5. X-ray. X-rays can be used to examine the human musculoskeletal system. The use of contrast agents allows you to expand the capabilities of conventional x-ray examination. Tumors and various stones can be detected in internal organs. Also, with the help of this study, you can clearly see changes in the contours of organs.

It must be remembered that only high-quality diagnostics will reveal the cause of an unhealthy complexion.

How to eliminate gray complexion

After establishing the cause of the sallow skin color, you can begin to get rid of it.

If an unhealthy skin tone is not a consequence of a disease, then getting rid of it will be quite simple.

First of all, you need to have a good rest. It is best to take 2-3 days off from work. You can devote these weekends to your favorite activities and communication with your family. After being charged with positive emotions, stress will recede.

It is necessary to properly organize your night's rest. Sleep should be of high quality, nothing should disturb you. If you can't fall asleep on your own, you can use natural remedies.

If the cause of the grayish tone is a large number of harmful foods, then you need to change your diet. The daily menu should include fruits, vegetables, meat, cereals, and dairy products. It is best to consult a nutritionist to create a balanced diet.

To restore freshness to your skin, you need to get rid of bad habits. As practice shows, this is not so easy to do. But even after quitting smoking or drinking alcohol, your face will still remain gray for some time. It will acquire a normal shade only when the body is completely cleansed of the negative consequences of bad habits.

In professional activities associated with hazardous work, complexion can be restored only after changing jobs. Not everyone can decide to take such a step for subjective reasons. If it is not possible to change jobs, then you need to support your body as much as possible (take vitamins, antioxidants, lead a healthy lifestyle).

If earthy color is a physiological feature, nothing can be done about it. You will have to even out the tone with the help of cosmetics.

The most difficult thing to get rid of is an unhealthy complexion if it is caused by any disease. Unfortunately, until you manage to get rid of the disease, the gray skin tone will not go away. The fight against this cause of unhealthy complexion should begin only after a thorough diagnosis.

But you need to understand that some diseases take a very long time to be treated (sometimes years). During this period, you can try to disguise your bad complexion with cosmetics.

A person with a sallow complexion always causes a controversial reaction in society. Many people may have the idea that he is sick with something, which repels others. Therefore, regardless of the reason, you should always try to get your facial skin in order.

The article was checked by doctor Elizaveta Anatolyevna Krizhanovskaya About our authors and experts.