What Are The Yellow Bumps On My Eyelids?

Soft, flat or slightly raised yellow bumps on your eyelids are almost always cholesterol deposits on eyelids, known to doctors as xanthelasma. They’re small collections of cholesterol-rich fat sitting just under the skin, usually near the inner corners of the eyes, and often on both sides. People call them cholesterol spots, cholesterol pockets or fatty deposits on the eyelids, but they’re all the same thing. They don’t hurt or itch, they aren’t infectious, and they don’t affect your sight. Many people only notice them in photos or in bright bathroom light.

Why Do Cholesterol Spots Form On The Eyelids?

Fat travels around the body in the blood, wrapped up in cholesterol-carrying particles. In some people, some of that fat leaks out of tiny blood vessels and is taken up by cells in the skin, which slowly fill up and turn yellow. The eyelids are a common place for this because the skin there is very thin, moves constantly and has a rich supply of small blood vessels.

Raised cholesterol or triglycerides make it more likely, and it often runs in families. But around half of people with cholesterol spots have normal blood fats, so a normal test doesn’t mean you’re imagining them. Our guide to what causes yellow patches on eyelids goes through every known link in plain English. Whatever the reason, the spots usually appear slowly over months or years, rather than overnight.

What Do Cholesterol Spots Look Like?

They’re usually pale lemon to deeper yellow, soft to the touch, with a clear edge. They can be as small as a grain of rice or spread into patches a couple of centimetres long, and neighbouring spots sometimes join up along the lid. Most start at the inner corner of the upper eyelid, and many people have them on both eyes. Compare yours with our cholesterol deposits on eyelids pictures, or read the signs in our guide to yellow plaques on the eyelids. Other bumps can look similar, so our guide to syringoma or xanthelasma shows how to tell them apart.

Are Cholesterol Spots On Eyelids Harmful?

No, not in themselves. Cholesterol spots on the eyelids are harmless, don’t turn into anything serious and don’t damage the eye. Their main effect is on how you feel about your appearance. They can, though, be a sign of raised cholesterol, and research has linked xanthelasma with a somewhat higher risk of heart disease, even when cholesterol is normal. That’s why a quick blood test with your GP is worth having: it checks the inside, while the spots themselves are a cosmetic matter you can deal with separately. Our guide to signs of high cholesterol on eyelids explains the link calmly.

The spots don’t spread to other parts of the body, can’t burst or leak, and don’t need removing for health reasons. Some people are happy to leave them; others find they knock their confidence and choose to have them removed. Either is a perfectly sensible choice once the blood test is done.

Other Signs To Mention To Your Doctor

Most people with high cholesterol have no visible signs at all, which is why a blood test is the only reliable way to know. A few things are worth mentioning to your GP alongside cholesterol spots, though.

• A grey or white ring around the coloured part of the eye (called arcus), especially if you’re under 45
• Firm yellow lumps on the elbows, knees, hands or heel tendons, which are a different kind of fatty deposit; see our guide to xanthomas cholesterol
• A family history of high cholesterol or heart problems at a young age
• Diabetes, an underactive thyroid or liver problems, which can all raise blood fats

None of these needs to worry you on its own; they simply help your doctor decide which tests make sense. If your blood test is normal and you have none of these signs, that’s reassuring: your cholesterol spots are most likely just a cosmetic issue. If it’s raised, your doctor will talk you through simple steps, starting with diet and activity, to bring it down and protect your heart.

How Can I Remove Cholesterol Spots On My Eyelids?

Lowering your cholesterol is good for your heart, but it rarely makes existing spots fade. To change how they look, people choose a clinic method, such as surgery, laser or freezing, or an at-home option. Our guide to cholesterol spots on eyelids removal explains each one, and you can compare them all on our page of xanthelasma removal options. At home, Xanthel® xanthelasma removal cream is a cosmetic gel designed to improve the look of xanthelasma, made to order for your skin and applied usually just once. See real customers’ eyelids on our Xanthel® results page.