Cyanosis is where your skin or lips turn blue or grey. It can be a sign of a serious problem.

If you have cyanosis, you may notice a blue or grey colour on your:

• lips
• tongue
• gums
• skin (black or brown skin may turn grey - this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, lips, gums and inside the eyelids)
• ears
• under your nails

Your hands and feet are usually a normal temperature. They may be cold if you also have poor blood circulation, which can be a cause of cyanosis.

Call 999 if:

Get help from NHS 111 if:

Blue or grey skin or lips (cyanosis) happens when there's not enough oxygen in your blood, or you have poor blood circulation.

It can be caused by a serious problem with the:

• lungs, like asthma or pneumonia
• airways, like choking or croup
• heart, like heart failure or congenital heart disease

Other causes of cyanosis include:

• Raynaud's, which affects your fingers and toes
• beta blockers, medicines used to treat high blood pressure
• a blood clot that stops the blood supply to a limb
• being in cold air or water
• wearing clothing or jewellery that's too tight

Cyanosis is a symptom of many different conditions.

Treatment depends on the cause.