“Your skin actually turns yellow due to large amounts of vitamin A. There are many steps in the breakdown of carotenoids to vitamin A to further breakdown and excretion. Each step in the pathway is tightly regulated. Any misstep in the process can result in the buildup of carotenoids, and yellow skin,” Deborah Krivitsky, the nutrition director at the Massachusetts General Hospital Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Center, explained to U.S. News & World Report. The orange tint is usually concentrated in specific parts of the body, mainly on the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, and the nose.
The condition most commonly affects children, although adults can be afflicted as well if they consume large enough doses of the nutrient beta carotene, which is also found in other vegetables like sweet potatoes, squash, and even kale. But rest assured, carotenemia is not harmful, nor is it permanent. Simply cutting back on the amount of beta carotene in your diet should be enough to turn your skin back to its regular shade in just a few weeks, with no lasting health effects.
