Is a ferritin level of 32.6 normal? I’m asking because I’m suffering from sallow skin.

A ferritin level of 32.6 ng/mL can be considered on the lower end of the normal range for adults, which generally falls between about 20 to 300 ng/mL for men and 15 to 150 ng/mL for women, although these ranges can slightly differ based on the laboratory and population standards. Lower ferritin levels might indicate that your body’s iron stores are on the lower side, which could be a contributor to your symptoms, including sallow skin. Iron deficiency can lead to anemia, which manifests in a variety of ways, one of which might be changes in skin color, leading to a paler or sallow complexion. However, given your description of your skin turning light yellow, it’s important to consider other possible causes. One condition to rule out is a mild form of jaundice, which you’ve already considered and partly eliminated, but knowing that jaundice can sometimes present subtly, especially without significant eye discoloration, it’s worth having liver function tests to exclude this. It could also be influenced by other hematological conditions that affect the skin’s appearance, so a complete blood count (CBC) and reticulocyte count might be useful. Additionally, nutritional deficiencies (other than iron) like vitamin B12 or folate, can cause pallor or skin changes. To address the ferritin issue, you should speak with your doctor about dietary adjustments or supplementation if necessary. If you’re truly iron-deficient, increasing iron-rich foods like lean meats, beans, and leafy green vegetables can help, particularly with vitamin C which aids iron absorption. If there’s no improvement and particularly if symptoms progress, further investigation will be required, perhaps including a referral to a dermatologist or a hematologist to consider less common causes of your symptoms. To safely address this, connect with your healthcare provider for a complete evaluation.