But the condition is often associated with increased amounts of cholesterol in the blood, with hyperlipidemia, and with the appearance of a xanthoma elsewhere in the body. Xanthelasma does not cause discomfort or disease, and so does not require treatment other than any that may be prescribed for hyperlipidemia. However, the spots can be removed surgically for cosmetic reasons.
Treatment includes a low cholesterol diet and drugs that further decrease the lipids in the blood.
The nodules of fatty substances sometimes ulcerate through the skin and have to be removed surgically. The skin may become abnormally dry because of sunburn, frequent bathing, the gradual dryness that occurs with increasing age, dietary deficiencies of vitamin A or the mineral zinc, or ichthyosis, a mild type of dry skin disorder present at birth. There may also be mild to moderate itching and an associated dermatitis. Often the problem is a minor one. A physician usually prescribes a cream to keep moisture in the skin and advises against using drying soap.