While not as bizarre-looking as floppy eyelids, growths on the eyelid-like growths anywhere on the body are unwelcome and worrisome intruders. And they can be disturbing to both you and your vision. If the growths are yellowish, they are probably XANTHELASMAS, painless fatty deposits under the skin. They are usually found on the inner corner of the upper eyelid. (when found on other parts of the body, they are called Xanthomas) Regardless of where they are located, they tend to occur in people over age sixty, and women are about twice as likely as men to have them.
Although xanthelasmas themselves are usually harmless, half the time they are markers of high levels of LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) or low levels of HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol), both of which are risk factors for heart disease. And because xanthelasmas can grow quite large, there is a chance they can interfere with eyesight and may need to be removed surgically. They may, however, grow back.
If you have yellow growth on your eyelids as well as yellow skin (jaundice) and intense itching (pruritus), these can be signs of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), a rare but potentially deadly liver disease. About 90% of PBC sufferers are middle-aged women. It is a progressive autoimmune disease that leads to cirrhosis, liver failure, and death.
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