Xanthelasma and Xanthoma

Alternative names:

skin growths - fatty

Definition:

Skin conditions with fatty bumps beneath the surface of the skin.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Xanthelasmas and xanthomas are common skin disorders, particularly among older adults and persons with elevated blood lipids (fat levels).

Xanthelasmas are small deposits of fatty materials under the surface of the skin. They are not painful. They usually appear in the skin of the eyelids near the nose. They may indicate increased blood cholesterol levels and increased levels of triglycerides.

Xanthomas are also deposits of fatty materials under the surface of the skin ranging in size from very small to more than 3 inches in diameter. They are a symptom of underlying metabolic disorders that are associated with an increase in blood lipids, including diabetes, primary biliary cirrhosis, some types of cancer, and inherited metabolic disorders including familial hypercholesterolemia (inherited tendency to high cholesterol levels). They can appear anywhere on the body, but commonly appear on the elbows, joints, tendons, knees, hands, feet, or buttocks.