How can high cholesterol show up in your skin? High cholesterol is a pretty common condition where too much cholesterol is circulating in your blood. But did you know there can be some early signs that can show up on your skin? Like this, as well as this.
Now in this post I'm going to cover some of these common skin signs that could give you a clue that you've got too high cholesterol, plus when you need to see your doctor and how you can try reduce your cholesterol at home.
What is cholesterol?
First, what exactly is cholesterol and why should we care about it? Well, speaking in very general terms, there are two types of cholesterol, and the one that I really care about as a doctor is low-density lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol. Often called bad cholesterol, LDL is the main type of cholesterol that builds up in your arteries if it gets too high and it can lead to blockages.
Now, if your arteries are blocked, then they are narrowed, which reduces the blood flow both to as well as from the heart. Now, this is important because it can lead to heart disease, heart attack or even a stroke. Importantly, high cholesterol doesn't usually cause symptoms unless it leads to complications.
Obviously no one wants to have a heart attack or a stroke as their first sign of high cholesterol. But high levels of cholesterol can sometimes lead to noticeable skin changes which we are going to discuss now.
1. Xanthomas
So first are xanthomas, which are fat deposits that typically affect the skin, the tissues underneath the skin and even the tendons. There are a few different categories of xanthomas, which we'll discuss briefly now.
So first are eruptive xanthomas, which is the sudden appearance of what appears to be a rash of several bumps on your skin that are filled with fatty deposits of cholesterol.
The next are tuberous or tendinous xanthomas, these are nodules that are often found on the knuckles, the knees, the elbows, as well as the buttocks.
The next are verrucous xanthomas, these are wart like xanthomas that you can find on the inside lining of your mouth or sometimes on the genitals.
Finally, there are planar xanthomas, these are flat or slightly elevated patches that can be found in any part of the body.
2. Xanthelasma
This brings us on to the second important skin sign, which are xanthelasma. These are the most common type of planar xanthomas, and you'll recognize them as a soft patch of yellowish bumps typically around the eyes, usually in the corners of your eyes closest to your nose. It's more common on the upper lid than the lower lid, but it can affect both.
3. Psoriasis
The third skin sign or condition that's associated with high cholesterol might be surprising, and that's psoriasis, which is a skin condition that causes raised red itchy patches of skin, often due to unusually fast turnover of skin cells.
It's a chronic autoimmune disorder that causes an inflammatory response in your body, and it can affect your blood vessels, causing a higher risk of heart disease. Now, the exact link between psoriasis and high cholesterol isn't fully clear. But if you've got psoriasis, you might want to consider having your cholesterol and triglyceride levels checked by your doctor.
4. Cholesterol Embolism
he fourth skin sign associated with high cholesterol is something called a cholesterol embolism. This happens when crystals that are made up of cholesterols and other substances break free from the plaques in one of your large arteries.
They then travel through your circulatory system before they can become lodged in a smaller artery or blood vessel. Now, this can block the flow of blood to that area, and this can cause damage and skin symptoms like leg ulcers, skin discoloration, gangrene, or even blue or purple toes due to the blocked blood flow.
5. Levido Reticularis
The fifth sign is called levido reticularis typically looks like a bluish-red mottling of the skin in a net-like pattern, which looks like this. Now, this usually shows up on the thighs, the feet, the toes, the buttocks, or the lower legs.
6. Corneal Arcus
Finally, if you're younger than 45 years old and you've noticed a ring around your iris, which is the colored part of the eye that wasn't there before, you might be developing something called corneal arcus.
This is typically a light-colored ring made up of gray, yellow, or white deposits at the outer edge of your cornea. It's common after middle age, but if you develop it before age 45, it might be a sign of high cholesterol or high cholesterol that runs in families. Again, you can speak to your doctor about this.
Conclusion
Now that we've covered these skin and eye signs, well, when should you contact a doctor? Well, if you've had any of these skin signs, I'd suggest that you speak to your doctor. They may not be due to high cholesterol, but it's best to speak to them to find out. They might suggest a cholesterol blood test.
You should have a test if you've not had a test before and you're over 40, overweight, or high cholesterol or heart problems run in your family. If your skin condition is due to high cholesterol, your healthcare team might recommend lifestyle changes.
So things such as improving your diet, getting more exercise, reducing your stress, stopping smoking if you smoke, and they may also recommend cholesterol-lowering medications if needed.
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