Yellow, raised, sharply defined spots, often somewhat elongated, located on the upper and lower eyelids.
What is it?
Xanthelasmata are yellowish spots on the upper and lower eyelids. They are small fat deposits in the skin at these locations. The exact cause is unknown. Although they are often associated with high cholesterol levels, this is usually not the case.
What does it look like?
Xanthelasmata appear as yellow, sharply defined, slightly raised spots. They are often elongated and occur on the upper and lower eyelids.
How is it treated?
There are several treatment options depending on the size of the spots and the patient’s preference:
- Surgical removal:
- The spots are removed surgically under local anesthesia, and the wound is closed with stitches.
- This can leave a small scar.
- For larger spots, the cosmetic result may be less appealing.
- If the spots return (recurrence), a second surgery may be more challenging.
- Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) treatment:
- A strong acidic solution is applied directly to the spots.
- The fat in the skin is dissolved, causing the treated area to turn white.
- A scab forms and falls off after a few days, leaving the spots barely visible.
- A second treatment may sometimes be necessary.
- If the spots reappear over time, they can be easily treated again.
- CO2 laser treatment:
- The spots are treated with a CO2 laser under local anesthesia.
- After treatment, a small superficial wound forms, which heals quickly.
- This method provides excellent cosmetic results with no scarring.
These treatments offer effective cosmetic solutions, but xanthelasmata may return over time. If they do, the chosen treatment can be easily repeated.
