Cyanosis is when your skin, lips and/or nails turn a bluish tone. It occurs when your blood lacks the oxygen it needs to reach the different tissues in your body. Cyanosis can be caused by many different conditions.

Understanding the Context

Some may be serious medical conditions. Diagnosis and treatment depend on the cause. Oxygen therapy is usually a first treatment. Cyanosis refers to a bluish-purple color of the skin which means there may not be enough oxygen in the bloodstream.

Key Insights

Read about the types, causes and diagnosis. Cyanosis is the change of tissue color to a bluish-purple hue, as a result of decrease in the amount of oxygen bound to the hemoglobin in the red blood cells of the capillary bed. [1] Get the facts on cyanosis, or bluish discoloration of the skin. It's a serious sign your body isn't getting enough oxygen. Learn about treatment and more.

Final Thoughts

Cyanosis is a blue or gray discoloration caused by low oxygen in the blood. Learn what causes it, how it’s detected, and why skin tone affects visibility. Approximately 5 g/dL of unoxygenated hemoglobin in the capillaries generates the dark blue color appreciated clinically as cyanosis. For this reason, patients who are anemic may be hypoxemic... Cyanosis occurs when there is insufficient oxygen in the blood. Hemoglobin, the molecule in red blood cells that carries oxygen, turns bluish when it is not bound to oxygen, leading to the characteristic color change in the skin and mucous membranes.

Learn about cyanosis. What are causes and symptoms of cyanosis. How is cyanosis diagnosed and treated