Cholesterol and the Skin (Hypercholesterolemia) – Skin conditions associated with elevated cholesterol (for professionals)

Skin conditions associated with elevated cholesterol:

• androgenic alopecia (androgenetic alopecia)(Male pattern hair loss)
• “blue toe” syndrome (due to cholesterol emboli)
• cutaneous reactive angiomatosis (due to cholesterol emboli) (Kaposi-like)
• gangrene (due to cholesterol emboli)
• livedo reticularis (due to cholesterol emboli) (livedo racemosa)
• psoriasis
• skin necrosis (due to cholesterol emboli)
• skin tags (along with the other cardiovascular risk factors)
• xanthoma (intertriginous, subperiosteal, tuberous, tendinous)
• xanthelasma

Bibliography

Association of androgenetic alopecia with metabolic syndrome in men: a community-based survey. Su LH, Chen TH. Br J Dermatol. 2010 Aug;163(2):371-7.

Association between Psoriasis and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Korean Patients. Choi WJ, Park EJ, Kwon IH, Kim KH, Kim KJ. Ann Dermatol. 2010 Aug;22(3):300-6. Epub 2010 Aug 5.

Cutaneous reactive angiomatosis associated with cholesterol embolism. Yang YW, Chen CL, Ho WT, Wang KH. J Cutan Pathol. 2010 Jun;37(6):692-6. Epub 2009 Jul 10.

Mottled legs. Cholesterol emboli syndrome (CES). Natkunarajah J, Simpson L, Chong H, Millington GW, Marsden RA. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2010 Apr;35(3):e70-1

Skin manifestations in familial heterozygous hypercholesterolemia. Pietroleonardo L, Ruzicka T. Acta Dermatovenerol Alp Panonica Adriat. 2009 Dec;18(4):183-7.

Skin tags and atherosclerotic risk factors. Erdogan BS, Aktan S, Rota S, Ergin S, Evliyaoglu D. J Dermatol. 2005 May;32(5):371-5.