High cholesterol means too many lipids or fats circulating in your blood, which build plaques in your arteries. According to experts, high cholesterol levels narrow your arteries and constrict blood flow to and from your he leading to heart attacks or strokes. While cholesterol usually does not cause symptoms until it leads to complications, you would notice some changes in your skin though.

Doctors say the first clue that you have high cholesterol may come in an unexplained set of bumps, patches of soft yellowish skin, or discolouration on your extremities. These are important to not just note but to take action so that you can manage cholesterol levels.

Skin conditions that are caused by high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides usually range from mild to more severe, and a few of the most common ones include:

Xanthomas are fat or lipid deposits that affect your skin and tissues underneath the tendons. They usually look like rash-causing bumps on your skin, filled with fatty deposits of cholesterol. They are also sometimes found on your knees, elbows, and buttocks.

According to experts, xanthomas also form wart-like small bumps inside the lining of your mouth or the genitals.

Livedo reticularis is a bluish-red mottling of the skin in a netlike pattern that is visible generally on your thighs, feet, toes, buttocks, lower legs, or other extremities. When the cholesterol levels in your blood are extremely high, it makes your skin turn extremely dusky blue or black.

According to doctors, you may usually have this sign as a blockage that needs urgent medical attention.

These are extremely common soft patches of yellowish bumps around your eyes—usually around the corners closest to your nose. Xanthelasma is more common on the upper lid than the lower lid but can affect both equally.

Psoriasis causes inflammation in your skin, leading to raised, red, itchy patches. It is a chronic autoimmune disorder that affects your blood vessels, leading to a higher risk of heart disease.

Embolism happens when crystals of lipids break free from plaques in one of your large arteries, travelling through your heart before becoming lodged in a smaller artery or blood vessel. These crystals block the flow of blood to that area, causing damage and skin symptoms like ulcers in the legs, skin discolouration, gangrene, and blue or purple toes.

Experts say the best way to treat your skin condition is to find and address the underlying cause, which means lowering your cholesterol levels through diet, exercise, reducing stress, quitting smoking, and drinking alcohol.

You must also work daily to a certain level to keep healthy and fit and keep away from processed foods. Doctors advise losing weight if you are overweight or have obesity.

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