The world is full of people of all creed and races and it is a
common fact that people from certain races have different skin
colours to people from other races. But other than the range of
normal skin colours, there are certain skin colours that can
occur with specific medical conditions. The most common reason
for a change in skin colour is a suntan, which damages the skin
and causes darkening of the skin (hyperpigmentation). However,
some diseases are also known to cause hyperpigmentation, such as
Addison’s disease or haemochromatosis. The converse is
lightening of the skin (hypopigmentation) and can happen with
diseases such as leprosy, vitiligo or albinism. Alternatively,
people can look pale when they are anaemic or extremely
frightened, triggering a sympathetic nervous response, shutting
down blood circulation to the face and extremities. It is common
to see red skin with flushing, sunburns, skin infections or
numerous dermatological conditions such as rashes. Occasionally,
these rashes may be associat