eli5: Do people actually visibly turn pale (ex. when they realize something awful, when they’re scared, etc)?

Question

I’m not sure if “turning white/pale” is an exaggeration or if people actually do turn pale in certain situations. I’ve never witnessed it myself, anyone here who has?

In: Biology

Answer 1

I get really bad motion sickness and when I’m about to hurl, I turn white as a ghost. For reference, I am of Italian descent and have a decent tan. When I go pale you’d think I was a ginger.

Not sure why I go pale, but it happens.