Extremely high cholesterol levels can show up not only in your test results, but also in your appearance. According to experts at the Mayo Clinic, a dangerous sign is the appearance of xanthelasma, which are yellowish-orange growths on the eyelids.
These formations are usually painless, but they indicate an increased risk of heart attack or stroke. Doctors emphasize: if you notice several such “spots”, you need to immediately check your cholesterol levels. If the problem is confirmed, doctors may prescribe statins – drugs that reduce the production of cholesterol in the body.
However, medication alone is not enough: without lifestyle changes, they will not have a lasting effect. The main tips include avoiding fatty foods, regular physical activity, reducing alcohol consumption, and completely quitting smoking.
Another visual marker of high cholesterol can be a gray or white arc above the cornea, which over time turns into a ring around the iris of the eye. This phenomenon is known as a “senile arc”. It is quite common in older people, but if similar signs appear in patients younger than 45 years, it can be a serious warning about the danger to the heart and blood vessels.
