Xanthelasma: Are They Cholesterol Deposits Around Your Eyes?
If you’ve noticed any yellow deposits around your eyelids or are afraid of those yellow patches, the first thing that comes to mind is the skin condition Xanthelasma.
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What Is Xanthelasma? A Brief Note On The Causes And Treatment!
Otherwise, because they are painless, you might think they are simply signs of aging. But what exactly are those patches packed off? Or do they cause additional problems?
If you’re interested, just keep reading.
Cholesterol Deposits In The Eyelids – How To Get Rid Of Them?
The yellow deposits you are puzzled about are actually an indication that your lipid levels are high in the blood, hyperthyroidism, or any other serious health issue that you are currently going through.
This condition is also called Xanthelasma, which may remain silent in the initial stage, but can bring harm later on as it causes discomfort and pain.
What Causes Xanthelasma?
There are many complications associated with higher cholesterol levels including heart attacks and kidney diseases.
If you go behind to find the true cause of xanthelasma you can see its close connection with your cholesterol markers.
However, these patches are more likely to pop up during your middle age, especially among women than men. Still, there is little scientific reference available regarding the exact cause of xanthelasma.
But it is commonly seen in people with conditions like:
- Dyslipidemia
- High levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol
- Low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol
- High levels of both LDL and HDL
- Raised levels of triglycerides
- Inherited genetic disorders ( familial hypercholesterolemia, familial hypertriglyceridemia, and lipoprotein lipase deficiency)
- Lifestyle factors like a high saturated fat diet, smoking, excess alcohol consumption, lack of exercise, obesity, and a low fiber diet
Symptoms Of Xanthelasma
The main symptoms of this condition are the fatty and yellowish-white lumps seen on your upper and lower eyelids.
These are accumulated under the skin and can be found in the inner parts of your both upper and lower eyelids. These patches are packed with lipids or fats and are commonly seen between your eyes and nose.
Initially, these lumps are totally harmless, but gradually, they will get bigger and bring discomfort to your eyes. At the same time, you can feel them when you blink.
But it is not necessary to put them under the knife and remove them until they do not bring you any discomfort or bring cosmetic issues.
How To Treat Xanthelasma?
Once you notice these patches around your eyes it means it’s time for you to harness your cholesterol levels, as they mainly appear due to the rise in your lipid levels. There are also certain medical procedures you can follow to get rid of them.
Surgical excision: it is the surgical removal of these patches with the help of a blade, and it takes four weeks or more for complete recovery.
Carbon dioxide and argon laser ablation: this treatment is less risky than surgery and has a higher success rate, except it may cause pigmentation changes in your skin.
Chemical cauterization: this is the removal of these patches using chlorinated acetic acid. It carries very less risk of scarring and pigmentation changes of the skin.
Cryotherapy: it is the use of extreme cold since it can freeze and remove abnormal tissues. To get rid of xanthelasma, this method is practiced repeatedly but has the risk of skin pigmentation and scarring.
Electrodesiccation: this is a simple technique in which electrical current is used to remove specific skin lesions and xanthelasma. It is also practiced along with cryotherapy for better results.
Lifestyle Changes
Since xanthelasma often occurred as a lifestyle condition, you can also follow certain changes in lifestyle to manage it.
The major cause of the condition is dyslipidemia, so, the first thing you can do to help yourself is to bring down the levels of lipids in your blood. It will prevent the risk of the development of more patches around your eyes and reduce their intensity.
So, you can adapt to the following habits in case you are struggling with xanthelasma due to an unhealthy lifestyle.
- Healthy diet
- Quitting smoking and tobacco consumption
- Practicing regular exercise with resistance moves
- Adding more protein to your food
- Reducing sugar intake
- Cutting down alcohol
- Following cardio exercises
- Limiting the number of saturated fats
- Adding more fiber to your diet
Conclusion
Even though Xanthelasma appears to be entirely harmless, it can be a great signal given by your body regarding any serious underlying condition. At the same time, they can worsen to cause discomfort and cosmetic struggles.
So, you can get rid of these lumps with the help of an expert physician, as there are many procedures that you can follow to remove them completely, and there are chances for them to reoccur in the same spot.
So, once you go through medical treatment, it will be ideal to adapt to a healthy lifestyle with proper diet, exercise, and limited use of tobacco and alcohol.
