Jaundice is when your skin and the whites of your eyes turn yellow. It can be a sign of something serious, such as liver disease, so you need to get urgent medical help.
Urgent advice: Get advice from 111 now if:
- your skin and the whites of your eyes look yellow
You may also have itchy skin, darker pee and paler poo than usual.
111 will tell you what to do. They can arrange a phone call from a nurse or doctor if you need one.
Go to 111.nhs.uk or call 111.
Other ways to get help
DR P. MARAZZI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
DR M.A. ANSARY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
Causes of jaundice
Jaundice is caused by the build-up in your body of a yellow substance called bilirubin.
There are lots of possible reasons for this and some of them are serious.
They include:
Treatments for jaundice depend on what's causing it.
Newborn jaundice
Jaundice is common in newborn babies and is usually harmless.
Page last reviewed: 30 January 2018
Next review due: 30 January 2021