Cosmetic Skin Surgery | Xantelasma
Xantelasma are elevated lesions on the skin that arise most commonly on upper and lower eyelids. They usually occur due to metabolic disorders.
They are yellowish deposits of fat and cholesterol underneath the skin. The patches can be flat or slightly elevated above the skin surface, and they usually appear on the inside corners of eyelids.
Although they are not harmful nor they cause any pain, they represent a significant aesthetic problem, that cannot be easily covered with make-up.
Causes of Xanthelasma
They are common in adults with metabolic disorders such as hypercholesterolemia, diabetes and biliary cirrhosis.
Xanthelasma affects people who have had conditions related to elevated cholesterol levels but can also be identified in young people who inherited the problem (familial hypercholesterolemia) from their parents.
However, they may appear in individuals with normal fat levels, in which case the doctor should investigate other causes.
Xantelasma Removal
Numerous options are available for the removal of xanthelasma and all are carried out under local anesthesia so the procedure is painless.
After a thorough consultation, the doctor can suggest one of the effective methods.
Surgery is commonly used when xanthelasma is on the upper eyelid, as it is easier for the scars to be hidden (in addition, the usual excess skin in the area reduces the possibility of complications).
Xantelasma removal with radio waves is a completely safe and non-invasive method that gives good results, but it is important to mention that, depending on the size and the degree of the condition, the treatment may need to be repeated.
Procedure
Prior to the intervention, the patient is injected with a small amount of local anesthetic, since the procedure is done on the skin of the eyelid.
The lipid deposits are slowly dissolved using a radio wave wire loop. It takes seven to ten days for the scabs to fall off after the intervention. There is no scarring after removal.