Xanthomas are small pigmented skin lesions that may occur around the eyelids. They are usually yellow in color, soft to touch and may be raised slightly. Xanthomas are most common on the inner aspect of the eyelid just next to the bridge of the nose. While many people do develop xanthomas sporadically, Xanthomas are most common in people who have high cholesterol levels- which is also indicative of an increased risk of coronary artery disease (heart attacks).
When Xanthomas are analyzed, they are usually found to contain high levels of cholesterol deposits. In some cases Xanthomas may spontaneously occur on outer aspect of the elbow when fat levels get high in the blood.
Xanthomas are not contagious nor are they harmful. Health care professionals with basic knowledge can easily make a diagnosis of a xanthoma by visual inspection. There is generally no need to perform a biopsy. Once a xanthoma has been diagnosed, the next test is to ensure that the individual does not have high levels of cholesterol. The treatment of eruptive xanthoma is diet, exercise and sometimes lipid lowering medications.
Xanthomas should not be surgically removed; even though many unscrupulous plastic surgeons have now been offering this therapy to patients- many Xanthomas spontaneously regress. The major reason for treating xanthoma is comesis but there is no medical reason to remove them.