Cholesterol Deposits: What Your Skin Is Telling You About Your Heart
When Fat Appears Under Your Skin
Xanthelasma — yellowish plaques around the eyelids — and xanthomas on tendons or elbows are visible deposits of cholesterol and lipids under the skin. In Lagos, they're often dismissed as cosmetic concerns or ignored entirely. But they can be an early warning sign of significant lipid disorder and elevated cardiovascular risk.
What These Deposits Mean Metabolically
FXMed tip: If any of this sounds familiar, our Functional Health Analysis may be exactly what you need. Book a free assessment to find out where your health stands today.
Cholesterol deposits form when lipoproteins accumulate in tissue. This happens in:
- Familial hypercholesterolaemia — a genetic condition dramatically elevating LDL; common in all populations and frequently undiagnosed in Nigeria
- Dyslipidaemia from insulin resistance — high triglycerides and low HDL alongside normal or elevated LDL
- Hypothyroid (see our hormones guide)ism — the thyroid regulates cholesterol metabolism; low thyroid function drives lipid accumulation
- Diabetes — chronic high blood sugar alters lipoprotein structure and accelerates atherosclerosis
What Testing Reveals
Standard lipid panels only show part of the picture. FXMed measures advanced markers: LDL particle size and number, ApoB, lipoprotein(a), triglycerides, HDL, non-HDL cholesterol, fasting insulin, and thyroid function. Together, these reveal your true cardiovascular risk — and what's driving it.
Treatment That Goes to the Root
Depending on your results, FXMed creates a personalised plan: dietary changes that target the actual lipid driver, omega-3 supplementation at therapeutic doses, thyroid correction if deficient, and where needed, referral for pharmaceutical management. We don't prescribe statins without understanding why your lipids are elevated.
Your Skin Sent a Signal — Listen to It
Book a cardiovascular health assessment with FXMed today. A blood draw at your home in Lagos and a physician review can reveal — and begin to address — what your lipid deposits are warning you about.
Ready to take action?
At FXMed, we go beyond symptom management. Our Home Lab Testing means a qualified phlebotomist comes to your home — no queues, no hospital stress, results reviewed directly with your physician. Our Functional Health Analysis is designed specifically to address the root causes discussed in this article.
About the Author
FXMed Team
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