Xanthelasma palpebrarum

What is Xanthelasma palpebrarum?

Xanthelasma palpebrarum (XP) is also termed as Xanthelasma is the deposition of cholesterol a waxy substance from our body over the upper eyelids or under the lower eyelids as yellowish patch or bump. Deposition of cholesterol particles over tissue organs and skin is called xanthoma.

Why does Xanthelasma XP occur?

Person with hereditary history, one of the parents with XP, person affected with Diabetes, thyroid dysfunctions (hypothyroidism)liver disease, high cholesterol level develops XP.

Sometimes the cholesterol level of a person with XP is normal, while it is an indicator that a person will get hypercholesterolemia sooner or later. About fifty percent of the people with XP are found to be affected with hypercholesterolemia, or have other underlying causes like hypothyroidism, diabetes, liver disease.

Patients affected with XP may have normal cholesterol while there are other diseases like Diabetes, thyroid dysfunctions hypothyroidism, liver diseases also causes XP.

Is there any risk due to XP?

Cholesterol deposition over the eyelids or under the eyelids affect the look of a person. While there is no other physiological effect of XP on the health of the person.

Xanthelasma is an indicator of future health conditions. A person affected with XP is likely to have hypercholesterolemia, peripheral vascular disease, cardiac artery disease, atherosclerosis, and autoimmune diseases associated with diabetes and hypercholesterolemia.

Therefore, a diet with low fat, and exercise are the first line of treatment apart from the medicine for cholesterol for people affected with Xanthelasma.

Prognosis of XP ?

XP is not a harmful condition, while the look of the person gets affected. Plastic surgery is one of the best options to remove XP bump, the cholesterol deposition over the skin.

There is no medicine for Xanthelasma drug which when consumed XP goes away.

Surgical procedures for XP:

XP can be removed with surgical procedures, cauterization, or with liquid nitrogen sessions, care must be taken to treat XP over the eyelids as self-medication and treatment may cause damage to eyes.

Xanthelasma occurs due to underlying causes like liver diseases, hypothyroidism, diabetes and hyperlipidemia. Therefore, it’s important to treat these underlying disease conditions.

Reference: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5921443/