WHAT IS JAUNDICE?

This condition, common in newborns, can turn skin and eyes a shade of yellow

- SCOTT DUTFIELD

If you've noticed that your skin and the whites of your eyes have started to develop a yellow hue, there's a chance you might be suffering from a condition called jaundice.

Also known as hyperbilirubinemia, the name jaundice comes from the French word ‘jaune’, meaning yellow. The cause of this sudden shift in skin tone is due to the buildup of a substance called bilirubin in the blood. As a naturally occurring waste product, bilirubin gets left behind when red blood cells are broken down and recycled for iron and other compounds.