The 'Impossible to treat' is very possible!
Xanthelasma are small yellow fatty deposits that develop around the upper and lower eyelids.
Why do we get this issue ? / why do you have it?
Occasionally there development may be associated with underlying excess lipid or cholesterol in the blood. If Xanthelasma develop it is always worth seeing your GP to exclude any other underlying fat metabolism problems or high cholesterol levels.
However when Xanthelasma is present over half the patients will have no underlying metabolic concerns. Xanthelasma is therefore a common cosmetic concern due to the unsightly appearance of these yellow plaques on the eyelid. Dr Hussein can remove these Xanthelasma effectively and safely with lasers.
The safest gold standard treatment for xanthelasma is ablative laser
Dr Hussein has both Ultrapulse Carbon Dioxide Laser (Lumenis Ultrapulse Alpha CO2) and Erbium YAG Laser (Sciton Joule X Erbium YAG).
Dr Hussein can use both laser in conjunction or individually depending on the lesion type, size and position.
Why is this issue hard to treat effectively often?
Surgery with removal of the skin containing the deposit has been the most common solution for this condition for many years. Once of the main problems with surgical excision is the resulting scar but the potential that removal of the excess skin can then lead to a problem called ectropion.
Ectropion is eversion of the eyelid that can be caused by excessive skin removal and adverse scarring from surgical excision of xanthelasma containing skin.
Other techniques that are used are methods such as surgical electrocautery, cryotherapy and chemical cautery. Although less risky than surgical removal of affected skin these methods give mixed and unreliable results.
The primary reason for this is because it is difficult to control damage to surrounding normal tissues. In an effort to minimise risk sometimes the Xanthelasma may be incompletely removed. These methods commonly give side effects of scars, pigmentation loss, recurrence of Xanthelasma.
Treatment at a Glance
Procedure Time
30 minutes for straightforward lesions. More complex lesions may require anything up to 1hr 30mins
Number of Treatments
Typically one session only
Downtime
Off work two days. See FAQs for full details of recovery.
Visible Results
Immediately after the procedure
For an in depth review of Xanthelasma please see here. For our full FAQs see here.
Before and After Photos
Asian Fitzpatric type 5 darker skin. Xanthelasma removal with Sciton Joule X Erbium YAG laser.
Xanthelasma removal for thick plaque xanthelasma with combination Ultrapulse Alpha CO2 and Sciton Joule Erbium YAG combination. One laser to debulk and 2nd laser to perform fine removal with minimal damage to surrounding tissues.
This gentleman has had two large xanthelasma plaques removed from the upper eyelid with Sciton Joule X Erbium YAG laser
Frequently Asked Questions
Complications are essentially wound infection. This is mitigated by antibiotic ointment and appropriate woundcare. Dr Hussein will also be monitoring your healing daily on the Virtual Round Phone. The purpose of laser xanthelasma surgery is to minimise complications such as scarring. This is still technically possible if the xanthelasma is particularly thick and deep. Some deposits penetrate through the skin into the orbicularis oculi muscle. In these cases in order to effectively remove the lesion some scarring or discolouration to the skin may occur. This however if it does occur is minimal because the laser has been used and also usually a lot less unsightly when compared to the original xanthelasma.
Full details, costs and timings of your surgery can then also be determined by Dr Hussein and his team.
How do derma / aesthetic clinics usually treat this condition?
In short there are not many UK centres that have the adequate experience, skills and equipment to treat this issue. The reason for this is that it is classed as a cosmetic abnormality because it causes no functional loss or vision issues. As such it is not treated on the NHS. As a result most dermatologists, plastic surgeons and ophthalmologists will not routinely be trained to remove them.
Dr Hussein is one of the few UK dermatologic surgeons who has the necessary knowledge, equipment and experience to safely and effectively remove Xanthelasma. We routinely perform Xanthelasma laser treatment safely and effectively. The cases and videos in this section will help illustrate this. Case photos are also included in the gallery on this page.
The methods and techniques used by Dr Hussein are clearly evidenced in medical literature. The following papers have been published in medical literature describing the methodologies used by Dr Hussein in Xanthelasma management:
- Borelli, C. and Kaudewitz, P., 2001. Xanthelasma palpebrarum: treatment with the erbium: YAG laser. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine: The Official Journal of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, 29(3), pp.260-264.
- Raulin, C., Schoenermark, M.P., Werner, S. and Greve, B., 1999. Xanthelasma palpebrarum: treatment with the ultrapulsed CO2 laser. Lasers in surgery and medicine, 24(2), pp.122-127.
- Pathania V, Chatterjee M. Ultrapulse carbon dioxide laser ablation of xanthelasma palpebrarum: a case series. J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2015 Jan-Mar;8(1):46-9. doi: 10.4103/0974-2077.155084. PMID: 25949023; PMCID: PMC4411593.
Dr Hussein is a specialist in laser skin surgery. He is the UK’s most experienced laser surgeon by case volume.
He uses the most advanced lasers to treat xanthelasma.
Dr Hussein is the only UK laser surgeon with the skill, technology and experience to perform Xanthelasma laser treatment in all skin types.
Why is our approach different / better?
- Dr Hussein owns all the lasers required to manage scars and has them present in one location.
- Dr Hussein routinely performs laser xanthelasma treatment and therefore has sufficient caseload and experience in treatment.
- Dr Hussein He has been using laser in skin surgery for over a decade and is internationally renowned for his laser surgical work. Laser xanthelasma cases are referred to him from all over the UK by ophthalmologists, dermatologists and plastic surgeons.
- Dr Hussein is the only UK dermatologist with extensive experience in the use of ablative lasers in darker skin types. This means he is the only specialist in the UK to be able to safely perform xanthelasma laser surgery on all skin types.