Is jaundice in adults ever harmless like in newborns?

No. Newborn jaundice is common and usually harmless, but in adults jaundice always signals an underlying problem that needs medical investigation.

What do dark urine and pale stools mean?

Together they suggest bile is not draining properly (a blockage or cholestasis) — for example a bile-duct stone or a tumour — and should prompt a doctor’s review.

When is jaundice an emergency?

When it comes with fever and right-upper abdominal pain (possible cholangitis, an infected blocked bile duct), or with confusion or severe pain. Call 995 or go to A&E.

Can medicines or supplements cause jaundice?

Yes. Some prescription drugs, over-the-counter painkillers in excess, and certain herbal or traditional remedies can injure the liver and cause jaundice. Tell your doctor everything you take.

Should I worry about cancer if I turn yellow?

Most jaundice is not cancer, but painless jaundice — especially with weight loss and itching — can be an early sign of pancreatic or bile-duct cancer, so it must be investigated promptly.

Jaundice in Adults: Causes & When to Worry (Singapore)

Written & reviewed by the BestDoctors.sg editorial team · Last updated 1 Sep 2026 · General information, not medical advice

Quick answer. Jaundice is a yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes caused by a build-up of bilirubin, a yellow pigment produced when the body breaks down old red blood cells and which the liver normally clears into bile. In adults, jaundice is never “normal” – unlike the common, usually harmless jaundice of newborns, it always signals something that needs investigation. Its causes fall into three groups: too much red-cell breakdown, a problem in the liver itself, or a blockage of bile drainage. Because some causes are serious, anyone who turns yellow should see a doctor promptly – and treat jaundice with fever and abdominal pain as an emergency (call 995).

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In a medical emergency, or for severe or sudden symptoms such as breathing difficulty, chest pain, fainting or stroke signs, call 995 immediately.

Yellow skin or eyes in an adult is always a signal, not a diagnosis. The pattern of associated symptoms – especially urine and stool colour – gives important clues to what’s behind it.

What jaundice is

Jaundice is a yellow colour of the skin and the whites of the eyes. It happens because of a build-up of bilirubin, a yellow substance the body makes when old red blood cells break down. Normally the liver takes up bilirubin, changes it into a form that dissolves in bile, and passes it out through the bile ducts into the gut, where it eventually leaves the body in the stool. When bilirubin is produced faster than the liver can handle it, when the liver itself is not working properly, or when bile cannot drain away, bilirubin backs up into the bloodstream and stains the skin and eyes yellow.

The most important point about jaundice in an adult is that it is a sign of an underlying problem, not a disease in its own right. It usually points to something affecting the liver, the gallbladder and bile ducts, or the blood. The yellowing is often seen first in the whites of the eyes, and may be easier to notice there than in the skin. Deep or long-standing jaundice can also make the skin look tanned or greenish.

Associated symptoms

Jaundice rarely appears on its own, and the symptoms that come with it depend on the cause. Common accompanying features include:

Dark urine and pale stools – urine the colour of strong tea and stools that look pale, clay-coloured or putty-like. This pattern strongly suggests that bile is not draining properly.
Itching of the skin, which can be widespread and troublesome when bile salts build up.
Tummy (abdominal) pain, often in the upper-right or central abdomen, which may point to gallstone disease.
Tiredness, poor appetite, nausea or feeling generally unwell.
Fever and chills, which can indicate infection.
Unintended weight loss, which is an important warning feature when jaundice is painless.

The colour of the urine and stools is one of the most useful clues a person can give a doctor, so it is worth taking note of any change.

What causes jaundice

It helps to group the causes by where the problem sits in relation to the liver.

Before the liver (pre-hepatic) – too much red-cell breakdown, so more bilirubin is made than the liver can clear. This happens in conditions where red blood cells are destroyed faster than normal, such as certain inherited blood disorders including some anaemias, sickle cell disease and thalassaemia. Here the urine and stool colour are often normal.
In the liver (hepatic) – the liver cells themselves are damaged or inflamed. Causes include viral hepatitis, alcohol-related liver disease, fatty liver disease, injury from certain medicines and herbal or traditional supplements, and cirrhosis (long-term scarring of the liver). Gilbert’s syndrome is a common and harmless inherited cause of mild jaundice that tends to come and go with illness, fasting or stress.
After the liver (post-hepatic or obstructive) – bile cannot drain because the bile ducts are blocked. This is often caused by gallstones in the bile duct, or, importantly, by a tumour of the pancreas or the bile ducts. Obstruction typically produces the tell-tale combination of dark urine and pale stools, often with itching.

Newborn jaundice is different. Jaundice in the first days of life is very common and is usually a separate, generally harmless process related to a baby’s immature liver – not the same as adult jaundice. It can nonetheless occasionally be serious, so any yellow baby should be checked. Parents should follow the separate advice for newborns and see a doctor rather than apply the guidance on this page, which is written for adults.

How jaundice is assessed

Because jaundice can have many causes, a doctor works methodically to find the source. Assessment usually includes:

History and examination – asking about alcohol use, medicines and supplements, travel, pain, weight change and the colour of urine and stools, and examining for signs of liver disease, an enlarged liver or gallbladder, and tenderness.
Blood tests – liver function tests and bilirubin levels to gauge the pattern and severity, a full blood count to look for red-cell breakdown, clotting tests to check how well the liver is working, and screening for hepatitis and other liver conditions.
Imaging – usually an ultrasound of the abdomen first, to look at the liver, gallbladder and bile ducts and to check for stones, a blocked duct or a mass. Depending on the findings, a CT scan, an MRCP (a specialised MRI of the bile ducts) or an endoscopic ultrasound may follow to look more closely at the ducts, pancreas and surrounding structures.

In Singapore, an adult who notices yellowing can start with a GP or polyclinic, who can arrange initial blood tests and refer on. Ongoing care is usually with a gastroenterologist or hepatologist (liver specialist).

Why jaundice always needs medical assessment

Some causes of jaundice are mild and settle, but others – a blocked bile duct with infection, advanced liver disease, or a cancer of the pancreas or bile ducts – are serious and treatable only if found early. There is no reliable way to tell the harmless causes from the dangerous ones by appearance alone, which is why any adult who turns yellow should be assessed promptly by a doctor. Painless jaundice, in particular, can be the first sign of an obstructing tumour and should never be dismissed simply because it does not hurt.

Treatment

There is no single treatment for jaundice itself, because it is a sign rather than a disease. Treatment is directed entirely at the underlying cause. That might mean antiviral or supportive care for hepatitis, stopping alcohol or a medicine that is harming the liver, managing cirrhosis and its complications, or a procedure to remove a gallstone and relieve a blocked bile duct. When a tumour is found, treatment is planned by a specialist team. As the cause is treated and bilirubin clears, the yellow colour fades – sometimes quickly, sometimes over weeks. Itching and other symptoms can often be eased while the main problem is being addressed. A doctor can assess which approach is appropriate.

When to see a doctor – and when it’s an emergency

Any adult who develops yellow skin or eyes should see a doctor promptly, even when they otherwise feel well. Painless jaundice with weight loss needs prompt investigation rather than watchful waiting.

Seek urgent or emergency care – go to A&E, or call 995 if very unwell – if jaundice comes with any of the following, as they suggest a serious cause:

High fever with shivering (chills), which can signal a bile-duct infection (cholangitis).
Severe tummy pain.
Vomiting blood, or black tarry stools.
Confusion or unusual drowsiness.
Easy bruising or bleeding.

You can also read more health information for Singapore residents on HealthHub.

Related digestive & liver conditions

Sources

SingHealth — stones in the bile duct (jaundice with dark urine and lighter stools; links to cholangitis and pancreatitis).
NHS — jaundice and pancreatic cancer symptoms (bilirubin build-up; itch, dark urine, pale stools; jaundice + weight loss + itch as warning symptoms; urgent assessment for yellowing).
Cleveland Clinic / AAFP — adult jaundice (pre-hepatic / hepatic / post-hepatic classification and work-up).

General information only. This guide is general information about a digestive or liver condition and is not a diagnosis or personalised medical advice. See a doctor — a GP or a gastroenterologist — for assessment, tests and treatment. Call 995 for severe abdominal pain with fever, vomiting blood, black tarry stools, or jaundice with fever and abdominal pain.

Jaundice in Adults: Causes & What to Do (Singapore)