Xanthelasma is a 'little ball of fat' that appears on the eyelids. The upper and/or lower eyelid may be affected. This subcutaneous lipid deposit is not dangerous to health, but it does require screening for any abnormal lipid balance.
The onset of xanthelasma can be :
In both cases, macrophages (the cells that eliminate foreign bodies) capture the foreign molecules present in our body and are surrounded by lipid particles. This complex is deposited on the eyelids.
Xanthelasma is treated for aesthetic discomfort. These lesions are not dangerous to health.
A check for abnormal lipid levels is compulsory and should be carried out if cholesterol levels rise.
Dr Romano uses only the electric scalpel to remove these lesions, which is much less traumatic than an ablative laser.
This is a kind of pen with a needle at the end that selectively vaporises the lesion.
A local anaesthetic is administered and the treatment lasts around ten minutes.
For one week, a healing cream should be applied continuously to the treated area.
Significant oedema may appear in the first few days, depending on the tone of the patient's skin and the number and extent of lesions.
Removal of the xanthelasma exposes the underlying tissue, leaving a small hole that heals within a week. Once the skin has healed, it will have a pinkish colour for two months.
The healing process takes around six months.
A frequent side effect is a discolouration of the treated area that is lighter or darker than the skin.
Recurrences are frequent, and there is no predictor of the time to recurrence.
| Type of consultation | General rates |
|---|---|
|
Electric scalpel
|
from CHF 500 |
The services described on this site are applicable to Switzerland; there are differences between countries.
Contact details
Dr Valeria Romano
Bd Helvétique 17, 1207 Geneva, Switzerland
Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 6pm
Dr Valeria Romano - All rights reserved.
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