Xanthelasma is a yellowish plaque caused by lumps of fat that appear on the eyelids. This yellowish plaque grows in the corner of the eye on the side close to the nose, both on the upper and lower eyelids.
Xanthelasma is shaped like a soft lump, rather solid, or like a round spot with a symmetrical position on both eyelids. Disorders of the eyelids are most common in women aged 30-50 years and in people with high cholesterol.
Causes of Xanthelasma
In some cases, xanthelasma occurs in people who suffer from high cholesterol . However, there are also people whose cholesterol levels are normal but are still exposed to xanthelasma.
Patients with xanthelasma are usually aged 30 years and over. Although it can happen to anyone, xanthelasma is more common in women than men.
There are several factors that can increase the risk of xanthelasma, namely:
- High cholesterol or low levels of HDL (good cholesterol).
- Primary biliary cirrhosis, which is liver disease that can increase cholesterol levels in the blood
- Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages
- High-fat diet.
- Consumption of drugs that can increase cholesterol levels, such as corticosteroids or drugs for epilepsy
- Hypothyroidism
- Obesity
- Diabetes
Xanthelasma Symptoms
Xanthelasma is characterized by yellow lumps or plaques on the eyelids at the inner corner of the eye, both the upper and lower eyelids, as well as the right and left eyes. These plaques do not cause pain or visual disturbances.
Clots that occur in one eye can increase over time, then coalesce and become permanent with a shape like half a butterfly wing.
When to see a doctor
Xanthelasma is harmless. If you are not bothered by its appearance, the xanthelasma does not need to be removed. However, if you are bothered by the presence of xanthelasma, consult a dermatologist about handling it.
Patients with xanthelasma are advised to consult a cardiologist, to undergo cholesterol and heart checks. The goal is to determine cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease.
Xanthelasma diagnosis
The doctor will examine the skin around the patient's eyes to check for lumps or lumps in the area. Next, the doctor will check the cholesterol level to determine whether the symptoms experienced by the patient are related to high cholesterol levels.
The doctor will also take a patient's blood sample and send it to the laboratory for further research. In addition, the doctor may also do a heart EKG, to ensure the patient's heart health.
Xanthelasma Treatment
Xanthelasma is generally harmless. Therefore, this condition does not really need to be treated if it doesn't bother the sufferer.
If xanthelasma is felt to be bothersome and has the risk of causing complications, doctors can do the following methods to handle it:
- Cryotherapy , namely therapy to freeze xanthelasma with liquid nitrogen so that it can be easily removed
- Surgery using a scalpel, to remove xanthelasma
- Radiofrequency advanced electrolysis , to reduce or eliminate xanthelasma with radiation
- Electrodessication , to dry tissue using an electrified needle
- Chemical peeling , to remove xanthelasma by using a chemical solution
Please note, xanthelasma can reappear if the patient's cholesterol levels do not decrease. Therefore, doctors may also give cholesterol-lowering drugs, such as rosuvastatin , lovastatin, and simvastatin, if the patient has high cholesterol.
Xanthelasma complications
Xanthelasma is actually harmless, but this condition can indicate high cholesterol levels. If left untreated, high cholesterol has the risk of forming plaques in the arteries, thus triggering heart disease and stroke .
Xanthelasma Prevention
The main trigger for xanthelasma is high cholesterol. Therefore, do the things below to prevent high cholesterol and xanthelasma:
- Reduce consumption of alcoholic beverages.
- Do regular exercise, at least 30 minutes a day.
- Maintain or lose weight so that it is in the ideal range .
- Increase the consumption of fiber , such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts.
- Eat foods high in good fats , such as fish, nuts, and seeds.
- Avoid foods or drinks that are high in saturated fat , such as red meat, full cream dairy products , and packaged food products.
The above prevention efforts also need to be carried out by patients with xanthelasma who have had surgery, to prevent xanthelasma from growing back.