10 Symptoms of Acute Myeloid Leukemia

3. Pale Skin

A decreased number of red blood cells can also cause pale skin. The blood running through the vessels is what gives the skin its pinkish color, and the blood appears red in color because it contains red blood cells. Red blood cells are red because they contain red subunit called heme. Heme helps in binding iron which, in turn, helps in binding oxygen. When there are less red blood cells, the blood will contain a lesser amount of that subunit, causing the skin will appear paler.