Xanthelasma

Xanthelasma
Other names	xanthelasma palpebrarum; xanthoma palpebrarum
Pronunciation	/ˌzænθɪˈlæzmə/
Specialty	Ophthalmology

Xanthelasma is a sharply demarcated yellowish deposit of

A xanthelasma may be referred to as a xanthoma when becoming larger and nodular, assuming tumorous proportions.^[5] Xanthelasma is often classified simply as a subtype of xanthoma.^[6]

Diagnosis

Xanthelasma in the form of XP can be diagnosed from clinical impression, although in some cases it may need to be distinguished (

Xanthelasmata can be removed with a trichloroacetic acid peel, surgery, lasers or cryotherapy.^[2] Removal may cause, although uncommon, scarring and pigment changes.

Prognosis

Recurrence is common: 40% of patients with XP had recurrence after primary surgical excision, 60% after secondary excision, and 80% when all four eyelids were involved. A possible cause might be insufficiently deep excisions.^[2]

Epidemiology

Xanthelasma is a rare disorder in the general population, with a variable incidence of 0.56 to 1.5% in western developed countries. The age of onset ranges from 15 to 75, with a peak in the 4th to 5th decades of life. There also seems to be a greater prevalence in females, but this might be due to higher consciousness to cosmetic defects.^[7]

Etymology

The word is derived from Greek xanthós, ξανθός 'yellow' and élasma, έλασμα, 'foil'. The plural is xanthelasmata.

See also

• Xanthoma, a similar collection of cholesterol around tendons
• List of xanthoma variants associated with hyperlipoproteinemia subtypes

References