High cholesterol is part of a notorious group of conditions that are invisible to the naked eye. Alongside high blood pressure, raised cholesterol levels can increase your risk of heart disease and other serious health issues without showing any obvious symptoms.
However, there are exceptions. Sometimes, these waxy deposits become visible. GB News consulted their resident doctor about how high cholesterol can manifest on the skin.
"You can get yellowish-orange growths on your skin if your cholesterol levels are high," explained NHS Doctor Renee Hoenderkamp. According to the doctor, these waxy lumps are cholesterol deposits under your skin. When they appear on the eyelids, they're known as xanthelasma.
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Studies suggest that around half of people with xanthelasma have abnormal cholesterol levels. These deposits are referred to as xanthoma when they form elsewhere on the skin. As Dr Hoenderkamp explains, they are painless and can appear in various areas, particularly around the corners of your eyes. The sudden emergence of bumps across the affected skin area can resemble a rash, warts, or molluscum contagiosum.
In reality, they are fatty cholesterol deposits caused by extremely high levels of triglycerides (a type of cholesterol) in the blood. "Triglycerides is often high in familial hypercholesterolaemia," she said.
Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is a genetic condition that results in reduced clearance of harmful LDL-cholesterol ("bad cholesterol") from the blood, leading to an increased risk of early heart disease.
