Xanthelasma

Pete galbene de pe sau din apropierea pleoapelor sunt cunoscute sub numele de xantelasmă. Acestea pot fi plate sau ușor ridicate. Ele se formează atunci când depozitele de colesterol (lipide sau grăsimi) se acumulează sub piele. Deși xantelasma nu este dăunătoare în sine, poate fi un semn de boli cardio-vasculare sau hepatice.

Tratamentul xantelasmelor variază în funcție de severitatea leziunilor și poate implica metode conservatoare, cum ar fi utilizarea de medicamente topice sau abordări chirurgicale precum operația.

1. What causes xanthelasma?

About half of xanthelasma sufferers may have:

Low HDL ("good") cholesterol and high LDL ("bad") cholesterol.
Familial hypercholesterolemia - high cholesterol is an inherited disease
Primary biliary cirrhosis is a liver disease that can cause increased cholesterol levels.

2. What are the signs and symptoms?

Xanthelasmas are yellow patches of skin around the eyelids. They can be:

Flat or in relief.

3. Who is affected by xanthelasma?

Half of xanthelasma sufferers have high cholesterol. These levels are usually seen in people who have inherited high cholesterol levels or who have certain liver diseases.

However, the other half of xanthelasma patients do not have high cholesterol.

Risk factors for xanthelasma include:

Overweight;
Addiction to tobacco products;
High cholesterol levels;
Diabetes;
Blood pressure too high;
Xanthelasma in the family.

You can develop xanthelasma between the ages of 20 and 70. They are most common between the ages of 35 and 55.

What tests are performed to diagnose xanthelasma?

A diagnosis of xanthelasma does not require testing, but your doctor may want to check you:

cholesterol levels to see if you have high cholesterol;
thyroid function to determine if you have a thyroid problem;
blood glucose to see if you have diabetes;
liver function to see if you have liver disease.

5. How is xanthelasma treated?

The stains are unlikely to disappear by themselves. They will remain the same size or grow over time.

They can be removed if you are concerned about their appearance. Your doctor can do this using one of the following methods:

Use of medication to dissolve stains;
Freezing it - (this is known as cryosurgery)- freezing with liquid nitrogen;
Îndepărtarea cu ajutorul unui laser;
Surgical;
Using an electric needle to treat it (electrodesiccation);
Radiofrequency ablation (sometimes accompanied by stitches afterwards);
Chemical peeling.

In the case of very prominent and very large xanthelasmas, which occupy a large part of the eyelid area, excision may occur:

Retractile scars
Changes in skin colour
Ectropion

Xanthelasma can recur especially if there is a family history, high cholesterol or other predisposing factors (smoking, alcohol, high fat diet).

Lowering cholesterol can also help treat xanthelasma. Changes in diet and lifestyle may be enough for some people to get their cholesterol under control. To lower your cholesterol, do the following:

Avoid smoking and limit alcohol consumption.
Maintain a healthy weight by exercising at least 30 minutes most days of the week and limiting your intake of saturated fats found in foods such as butter

6. How long does it take to recover from this treatment?

Recovery depends on the treatment applied. In surgical treatment the hairs are removed after 7-10 days and local ointment is applied for up to 1 month.Side effects, such as skin discoloration, take several months to fade.

7. How can I reduce my risk of developing xanthelasma?

You can reduce your risk by doing the following:

Lower cholesterol;
Quitting smoking or reducing the number of cigarettes;
Healthy diet to reduce overweight;
Diabetes and hypertension need to be diagnosed and treated.

8. Can this condition have complications?

Xanthelasma itself has no complications, but it may indicate the presence of another condition, such as:

Diabetes
Hyperlipidaemia (high cholesterol) (high cholesterol).
Thyroid problems.

Researchers have found that having xanthelasma increases the chances of developing the following conditions in the future:

Cardiovascular disease. Xanthelasma may indicate that cholesterol is accumulating in the blood vessels. This restricts blood flow and can lead to a stroke or heart attack.
Atherosclerosis (even if cholesterol levels are normal).

Go to your doctor for regular checkups to reduce the risk of heart problems. They can help you keep your heart healthy.

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- 14th February 2023

Xanthelasma

Xanthelasma

1. What causes xanthelasma?

2. What are the signs and symptoms?

3. Who is affected by xanthelasma?

What tests are performed to diagnose xanthelasma?

5. How is xanthelasma treated?

6. How long does it take to recover from this treatment?

7. How can I reduce my risk of developing xanthelasma?

8. Can this condition have complications?

Dr. Manuela Buzescu

From 30 years with our patients!