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5 Alarming Reasons for Yellow Skin and Eyes That You Can’t Ignore

You look in the mirror one morning and something is wrong. Your eyes, normally white, have taken on a distinct yellow tinge. You look at your skin, and it seems sallow, yellowish, and unhealthy. This alarming sign is known as jaundice.

Let’s be perfectly clear: Jaundice is not a disease itself. It is a medical emergency signal—a bright, yellow fire alarm from your body screaming that a serious underlying problem is brewing, most often with your liver.

Jaundice occurs when there is too much bilirubin—a yellow substance created from the breakdown of old red blood cells—in your blood. A healthy liver processes and gets rid of bilirubin. When your skin and eyes turn yellow, it means your liver is failing at this crucial job.

Ignoring yellow skin and eyes is a risk you cannot afford. Here are five alarming reasons why you might have jaundice and why you need to seek immediate answers, starting with a test in Lagos.

1. Viral Hepatitis (Especially Hepatitis B and C)

This is one of the most common and dangerous causes of jaundice in Nigeria.

What It Is: Hepatitis B and C are viral infections that launch a direct assault on your liver cells. Hepatitis B is often transmitted through sexual contact, making it a critical part of any STI test.
Why It Causes Jaundice: The virus causes severe inflammation (hepatitis literally means “inflammation of the liver”). This damage cripples the liver’s ability to process bilirubin, causing it to build up in the bloodstream and turn your skin and eyes yellow. It’s often accompanied by other urgent symptoms like dark urine, pale stools, and extreme fatigue.
Why It’s Alarming: If left untreated, chronic Hepatitis B or C can lead to cirrhosis (permanent liver scarring), liver failure, and liver cancer. Jaundice is your body’s cry for help against this viral attacker.

2. Severe Malaria

In our environment, it’s easy to blame everything on malaria, but when jaundice is involved, it points to a particularly severe case.

What It Is: A life-threatening complication of malaria infection.
Why It Causes Jaundice: Severe malaria can lead to massive destruction of red blood cells (a process called hemolysis). This releases a huge amount of bilirubin into the blood all at once, completely overwhelming the liver’s capacity to process it, even if the liver itself isn’t the primary site of infection.
Why It’s Alarming: Jaundice in a person with malaria is a sign of a very severe, complicated infection that requires immediate, aggressive medical treatment. It is not “normal” malaria.

3. Liver Cirrhosis

Cirrhosis is the devastating end-stage of chronic liver damage. Jaundice is a sign that this stage has been reached.

What It Is: The replacement of healthy liver tissue with hard, fibrous scar tissue. This scarring is permanent and severely impairs liver function.
Why It Causes Jaundice: A cirrhotic liver is too scarred and damaged to perform its basic duties, including processing bilirubin. The appearance of jaundice often means the liver damage is extensive and advanced.
Why It’s Alarming: Cirrhosis can be caused by years of untreated chronic infections like Hepatitis B, or by long-term alcohol abuse. It is a life-threatening condition that dramatically increases the risk of liver failure and cancer.

4. Gallstones or Bile Duct Obstruction

Sometimes, the problem isn’t the liver itself, but the “plumbing” connected to it.

What It Is: Your liver produces bile (which contains bilirubin) and stores it in the gallbladder. Bile travels through small tubes called bile ducts to help with digestion. If these ducts are blocked by gallstones, a tumor, or inflammation, the bile has no way to get out.
Why It Causes Jaundice: With the exit route blocked, bile and bilirubin back up and spill into the bloodstream. This type of jaundice is often accompanied by severe upper abdominal pain, fever, and chills.
Why It’s Alarming: A blocked bile duct is a medical emergency that can lead to a serious infection and requires immediate intervention to clear the blockage.

5. Alcoholic Liver Disease

This is a spectrum of liver damage caused by excessive alcohol consumption, and jaundice is a sign that the damage has become severe.

What It Is: Long-term, heavy drinking causes fat to build up in the liver, leading to inflammation (alcoholic hepatitis) and eventually cirrhosis.
Why It Causes Jaundice: Just like with viral hepatitis, the inflammation and damage from alcohol prevent the liver from functioning correctly, leading to the telltale yellow skin and eyes.
Why It’s Alarming: The appearance of jaundice in someone with a history of heavy drinking indicates that significant, potentially irreversible liver damage has occurred. It is a sign that the liver is beginning to fail.

Your Liver is Crying for Help. Listen to It.

You cannot self-diagnose the cause of jaundice. It could be a virus, a blockage, or a lifestyle-related disease. The only way to begin finding out is through a proper medical diagnosis, which starts with blood tests.

At Healthtracka, we can help you take that crucial first step. A Hepatitis B test, one of the most common infectious causes of jaundice, is included in all of our comprehensive STI test panels. Getting tested is a vital move to rule out or confirm a major cause.

You have two convenient and confidential options to get your test in Lagos:

Discreet At-Home Testing: A certified medical professional will visit you at your chosen location for a 100% private sample collection.
Private Walk-In Lab Visit: Visit our modern, comfortable lab facility for a confidential in-person appointment.

Our full address is: Healthtracka Lab, 35A Furo Ezimora Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, Nigeria.

Yellow skin and eyes are not a symptom to watch and wait on. It’s a sign to act.

Book Your Confidential Health Test Today and Get the Answers You Need for Your Liver.

This Is An Urgent Signal: Do Not Wait

Jaundice is not a symptom to watch, wait on, or self-diagnose. It is one of the clearest signals your body can produce that an underlying medical condition, often related to your liver, requires immediate attention. Ignoring this sign can have severe consequences, but taking swift, decisive action can lead to an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.

At Healthtracka, we provide the critical blood tests needed to investigate the root causes of jaundice. Our certified lab in Lagos is equipped to give you the fast, accurate answers you need, which is why we are considered The 1 Best Place to test for STIs in Nigeria for serious health concerns.

Take These Critical Next Steps Immediately

Due to the serious nature of this symptom, your next steps are crucial. We have prepared these resources to guide you:

Investigate a Primary Cause: Jaundice is a hallmark symptom of liver inflammation. It is essential that you read our guide on the 5 Urgent Symptoms of Hepatitis B and Where to Get Tested in Lagos.
Understand the Context: Hepatitis is one of the Top 5 Most Common STIs in Nigeria, making it a critical health screening for all sexually active adults.
Get Gender-Specific Guidance: For a complete overview of relevant health screenings, we recommend our Man’s Complete 2025 Guide to Good Service.
View Testing & Pricing Options: For transparent information on the cost of a Hepatitis test and other essential health panels, please see our Official Price List for Affordable STD Tests in Lagos.
Recognize the Seriousness: Yellow skin is one of the most urgent 5 Clear Signs It’s Time for an STI Test in Nigeria.

Your liver health is not something to gamble with. Contact Healthtracka immediately to book your urgent health screening and get the definitive answers you need to protect your well-being.