{"id":1865,"date":"2026-10-20T08:52:45","date_gmt":"2026-10-20T08:52:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/laseristanbulclinic.com\/eye-glossary\/xanthelasma\/"},"modified":"2026-10-20T12:57:30","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T12:57:30","slug":"xanthelasma","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/laseristanbulclinic.com\/en\/eye-glossary\/xanthelasma\/","title":{"rendered":"Xanthelasma: What It Is, Causes, Removal and Treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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  1. Home<\/a><\/li>
  2. Knowledge centre<\/a><\/li>
  3. Eye glossary A\u2013Z<\/a><\/li>
  4. Xanthelasma: What It Is, Causes, Removal and Treatment<\/span><\/li><\/ol><\/div>\t\t\t

    Xanthelasma: What It Is, Causes, Removal and Treatment<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

    Medically reviewed by {{surgeon}}<\/span><\/strong>, {{surgeon’s title and specialty}}<\/span>, on {{review date}}<\/span>. Last updated {{date}}<\/span>. Xanthelasma<\/strong> is a harmless but permanent build-up of cholesterol-rich fatty deposits in the skin of the eyelids, usually yellow patches near the inner corner of the upper lids. It does not affect vision, but a third to a half of people with it have abnormal blood fats, so a cholesterol check is advised. Removal is cosmetic (surgery, laser, acid or radiofrequency) and it can come back; our eyelid surgeon is Prof. Dr. Ahmet Sat\u0131c\u0131.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

    \"Illustration<\/figure><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n
    \n\t\t<\/svg>Definition<\/span>\n\t\t\t

    Xanthelasma<\/strong> (noun; full medical name xanthelasma palpebrarum; plural xanthelasmata)<\/em>: soft, yellowish plaques or patches on the eyelid skin, made of cholesterol-filled cells called foam cells that collect in the upper layers of the skin. They are the most common type of xanthoma (a fatty skin deposit), usually appear on the upper lids near the nose, are often symmetrical, and tend to stay and slowly grow rather than disappear. They are benign (not cancer) and usually cause no symptoms other than their appearance.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n\n

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    Xanthelasma: key facts<\/h2><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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    <\/svg>What it is<\/span><\/dt>
    Yellow, soft, cholesterol-containing plaques in the eyelid skin (a type of xanthoma)<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Where<\/span><\/dt>
    Most often the inner corner (medial canthus) of the upper eyelids; often on both sides; sometimes the lower lids too<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Who gets it<\/span><\/dt>
    Peak onset between 30 and 50 years; in one review about 1.1% of women and 0.3% of men were affected, and another review gives about 4% overall<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Cholesterol link<\/span><\/dt>
    Roughly 33\u201352% of patients have abnormal blood fats, depending on the study; the rest have normal cholesterol<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Harmful to the eye?<\/span><\/dt>
    No. It does not normally limit vision or eyelid function<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Goes away by itself?<\/span><\/dt>
    Not usually. Lesions tend to be permanent and can grow over time<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Treatment<\/span><\/dt>
    Surgical excision, laser, trichloroacetic acid, radiofrequency; removal is mostly for appearance<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Comes back?<\/span><\/dt>
    Often, after any method; reported rates range from about 3% to over 30% depending on method and study<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Specialist<\/span><\/dt>
    Eyelid (oculoplastic) surgeon; at Laser Istanbul Clinic, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Sat\u0131c\u0131<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n\n
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    \"Illustration<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t
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    What does xanthelasma look like?<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

    Xanthelasma looks like flat or slightly raised, soft, yellowish patches on the eyelid skin. Specialists describe them as soft, yellow papules or plaques at the inner corner of the eyelid, found more often on the upper lid than the lower and usually appearing symmetrically on both sides. Some are single small patches; others merge into larger plaques that spread along the lid. They feel soft, although some become firmer, and the skin above them is normally smooth and unbroken.<\/p>

    <\/svg>{{Image: close-up photo of xanthelasma on the upper eyelids, with alt text "Xanthelasma: yellow cholesterol plaques at the inner corner of the upper eyelids"; supplied by the clinic or a licensed source, with patient consent if a real case}}<\/span><\/span><\/div>

    If you are searching for xanthelasma photos to compare with your own eyelids, remember that other lid conditions can look similar (see “How is xanthelasma diagnosed?” below). A photo can help you decide to get checked, but it cannot confirm what a patch is.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n\n

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    What causes xanthelasma?<\/h2><\/div>

    Xanthelasma forms when cholesterol-laden immune cells (foam cells) collect around the small blood vessels and glands in the upper skin of the eyelid. Several factors make it more likely:<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t