Xanthelasma Removal

See us at OC MedDerm for any type of delicate skin surgery. Our dermatologists are experts in various eyelid diseases. They will perform a full evaluation to diagnose the exact disease and will provide you with various treatment options. They are well-trained in eyelid surgeries and are equipped to perform surgical excisions if necessary. All procedures will be performed under completely sterile conditions in the office. Procedures are performed with use of local anesthesia and will be completely pain-free.

The above photos depict before and after images of one of our patients after full surgical resection of their xanthelasma lesion.

What is Xanthelasma?

Xanthelasma are localized lipid deposits within the skin that can manifest as one or multiple thick, soft, yellowish plaques on the eyelids. They appear most often in middle-aged and older adults. The lesions are typically painless and grow gradually over time.

Xanthelasma, a red flag for risk of heart attack!

Although our patients usually seek medical attention for cosmetic purposes, xanthelasma may be a clue for serious internal disease namely dyslipidemia. The yellowish plaques on eyelids consist of lipid deposits in the skin. These can be skin manifestations of high cholesterol levels, high triglyceride levels, or bile duct disease. Approximatly 50% of people with xanthelasma have hyperlipidemia and of those some suffer from familial dyslipidemia syndromes (which start early in life). It is important to have a full work-up performed by a qualified dermatologist to evaluate for these conditions and treat promptly to decrease risk of early heart attack and stroke.

How do we treat Xanthelasma?

At OC MedDerm, our physicians not only treat your cosmetically displeasing skin lesions but they will also initiate a full blood work up to evaluate for any underlying culprit. If hyperlipidemia is present, your physician may discuss starting a lipid lowering medication that may induce regression of xanthelasma and prevent recurrence or development of new ones. If the lesions bother you cosmetically and you want rapid results, we offer various cosmetic treatment options for xanthelasma. During your complimentary consultation at OC MedDerm, we will thoroughly discuss the various treatment options and determine which is most suitable with your particular case. Surgical excision, CO2 laser ablation, and destruction with TCA peel are some of our offered treatment options at OC MedDerm.

Other less common type of Xanthomas include: Eruptive Xanthomas

Eruptive xanthomas often present as multiple yellowish, firm, itchy bumps on the skin. The photo above belongs to one of our patients who presented for a new “skin rash”. After thorough evaluation by our dermatologist was performed including a small skin biopsy and blood tests, the diagnosis was confirmed as eruptive xanthomas. Patients with this rash commonly have high triglyceride levels, which may be due to a primary or secondary cause. Primary causes include various familial dyslipidemias and secondary causes are commonly due to diabetes, obesity, alcohol use, or can be medication induced. Therefore, it is very important to go through a complete medical visit with a trained dermatologist to identify the culprit. Our patient above was immediately started on lipid lowering medications, educated about lifestyle modification, and scheduled for bile duct evaluation. He was also referred for cardiac workup to rule out any potential premature heart disease due to high cholesterol levels. After treatment, the majority of the skin lesions shrunk and disappeared without any invasive treatments.

Contact us

We offer free consultations for Xanthelasma treatment. During your visit, your physician will have a thorough discussion of the risks and benefits of various Xanthelasma treatment options. We tailor the treatment plan to your individual case. Ask questions. Treat your skin lesions at OC MedDerm Irvine Dermatology.

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