Last Updated on July 20, 2023
Overview
High cholesterol (medical name: Hypercholesterolemia) is a common condition that affects the overall health of an individual. Now the question arises, what is cholesterol and what is its role in the body? Cholesterol is a creamy, fat-like substance produced by the liver. Cholesterol is essential for producing hormones such as vitamin D and helping in digesting fatty foods. The body produces all the cholesterol it needs; however, it also comes from animal sources as well. It is critical to maintain appropriate blood cholesterol levels to avoid complications like heart attack and stroke. Read on to learn about the symptoms and symptoms and signs of high cholesterol (including signs of high cholesterol on face). Moreover, it is important to consult a healthcare professional if the symptoms start to hinder your daily life activities.
What Are High Cholesterol Levels?
High cholesterol levels can cause severe complications if not treated on time. Below are given the ranges for cholesterol levels.
Range: Dangerous Levels
- Total cholesterol: 240 mg/dL
- LDL: 160 mg/dL and higher
- HDL: Under 40 mg/dL (males), under 50 mg/dL (females)
Range: Heart Healthy Levels
- Total Cholesterol: Under 200 mg/dL
- LDL: Under 100 mg/dL
- HDL: 60 mg/dL and higher
What is HDL and LDL and How It Causes Signs of High Cholesterol on Face?
Cholesterol travels through your bloodstream coupled with proteins. A lipoprotein is a mixture of proteins and cholesterol. There are several forms of cholesterol depending on what lipoprotein carries. They are as follows:
- LDL: stands for low-density lipoprotein. LDL cholesterol, also known as “bad” cholesterol, carries cholesterol particles throughout the body. LDL cholesterol piles up in the walls of your arteries, hardening and narrowing them.
- HDL: stands for high-density lipoprotein. HDL, or “good” cholesterol, collects extra cholesterol and transports it to your liver.
What Causes High Cholesterol Levels?
High cholesterol is a result of a multitude of factors that can cause signs of high cholesterol on face. These include:
- Diet: rich in saturated fat can increase blood cholesterol levels.
- Lifestyle: especially a sedentary lifestyle, and habits like smoking, stress and drinking alcohol can increase the risk of high cholesterol levels in the body.
- Medications: used to treat heart conditions, cancer and other inflammations can lead to reduction in the high-density-lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, also called “good” cholesterol.
- Family history: Familial hypercholesterolemia, a genetic condition, can increase the risk of developing high cholesterol levels.
- Comorbidities: including diabetes, kidney disease, sleep apnea and obesity can increase a person’s risk of developing high cholesterol.
What Happens When Cholesterol Levels are Raised?
High cholesterol can be difficult to handle if not treated on time. It leads to the development of fatty deposits in the blood vessels which grow with time, impeding blood flow through the arteries. Sometimes, these deposits break free and form a clot, that can move around resulting in a stroke.
What are the Signs of High Cholesterol on Face?
Apart from its effects on the heart, there are signs of high cholesterol on face too. One of the common signs of high cholesterol on face is the appearance of yellow patches on the eyes with bumps on the upper and lower eyelids. These bumps have a medical term called xanthelasmas. Additionally, high cholesterol leads to the formation of a gray ring in the eye, called the corneal arcus. The presence of corneal arcus reveals very high levels of cholesterol in the body. It mostly appears in people with a family history of high cholesterol.
Signs of High Cholesterol on Face: Eruptive Xanthoma
Eruptive xanthoma refers to bumps that appear on the skin and resemble the skin color. The bumps are itchy and most commonly appear on the buttocks. Additionally, other common sites include knees, hands, and elbows. It is a sign of very high triglycerides that may result in acute pancreatitis.
How to Manage Signs of High Cholesterol on Face?
The key to maintaining healthy skin is to lower your cholesterol levels by following different methods. These include:
- Healthy diet: It is the most powerful weapon in combatting high cholesterol levels. Eating foods rich in soluble fiber and avoiding saturated foods really helps in improving cholesterol levels.
- Exercise: Taking on physical activity is favorable for overall health. It is best to talk to your physician about your health and see which exercise would work best for you.
- Quit smoking: Smoking has a great impact on heart health leading to issues like stroke and heart attack. It is therefore advised by the doctors to quit
Ways to Prevent Signs of High Cholesterol on Face
Adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle not only aids in reducing cholesterol levels but also serves as a preventive measure against the onset of high cholesterol. You can help prevent high cholesterol by following this simple regimen:
- Incorporate a low-salt diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in your eating regimen
- Restricting your intake of animal fats and consume healthy fats occasionally
- Losing excess weight and try to maintain a healthy weight
- Stop smoking
- Exercising for at least 30 minutes
- Reducing intake of alcohol, and it would be better to avoid it
- Managing stress
A Word from Prime Revival:
Prime Revival Research Institute is dedicated to advancing medicine and transforming healthcare. We have successfully conducted Hyperlipidemia Clinical Trials with the goal of helping people manage their cholesterol levels and make informed decisions about their health.
Conclusion
To sum it up, high cholesterol or hypercholesterolemia can be a debilitating condition if not treated on time. It may lead to complications like stroke, heart attack and signs of high cholesterol on face. It is therefore important to keep a check on your symptoms and consult a medical professional to ensure better health. Lifestyle modifications such as healthy diet, exercise and quitting smoking can significantly help in improving the symptoms.
