Yahoo News Two warning signs of high cholesterol can appear on your face, health experts say
Two red flag signs of potentially deadly high cholesterol can show up on your face, according to health experts.
High cholesterol is when you have too much of a fatty substance called cholesterol in your blood. It's mainly caused by eating fatty food, not exercising enough, being overweight, smoking and drinking alcohol. It can also run in families.
The NHS warns: "Too much cholesterol can block your blood vessels. It makes you more likely to have heart problems or a stroke. High cholesterol does not usually cause symptoms. You can only find out if you have it from a blood test."
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Around two in five people in the UK are thought to be living with high cholesterol but many will not realise unless they suffer an associated problem or get their blood tested. This is largely because most people do not experience symptoms, reports the Mirror.
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) explains: “There are usually no symptoms of high cholesterol. But if left untreated, it can lead to heart attack and stroke. It's often a hidden risk factor which means it can happen without us knowing until it's too late. That is why it's so important to get your cholesterol level checked.”
But in some cases, usually if you have familial hypercholesterolaemia - a genetic condition causing high cholesterol - there are two warning signs that might appear on your face. The BHF says these are:
Xanthelasmas - small, yellow lumps of cholesterol near the inner corner of your eye
Corneal arcus - this is a pale white ring around the coloured part of your eye, your iris
Xanthelasmas
These are “harmless” yellow growths that appear on or by the corners of your eyelids next to your nose. The Cleveland Clinic says: “Cholesterol deposits build up under your skin to form a xanthelasma.”
Around half of people who have xanthelasmas have high cholesterol levels. However, xanthelasmas could be a sign of another condition, such as:
Diabetes
Thyroid problems
Corneal arcus
This is characterised as a grey or white arc that appears in the eye above and below the outer cornea. Cardiologist Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, writing for the Mayo Clinic, said: “Eventually, the arc may become a complete ring around the iris. The iris is the coloured portion of the eye.”
He added that it doesn’t affect your vision or need treatment. But if you spot this sign you should speak to your GP. To prevent high cholesterol or to lower your levels the NHS recommends:
Eating less saturated fat
Eating a healthy, balanced diet
Stopping smoking
Reducing your alcohol intake
