The only time you can see a lipid disorder is if the amount of cholesterol in your blood is so high that it collects in small yellow bulges under your skin.

About three-quarters of people with familial hypercholesterolemia (an inherited lipid disorder that gives you high levels of total cholesterol) get fatty bulges, called xanthomas, usually around their knuckles and ankles.¹ They may also appear on your elbows and buttocks. In many cases of familial hypercholesterolemia these yellow bumps can develop on your eyelids or in clusters anywhere on your body (these are called xanthelasmas). Usually you only get these bulges if you have inherited a lipid disorder. They may not happen in younger people with the condition.

To learn more about familial hypercholesterolemia, see Inherited lipid disorders.

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.