High cholesterol is harmful because it usually does not show any symptoms. However, a telltale sign may sometimes appear “near the nose”.

High cholesterol occurs when you have too much of a fatty substance called cholesterol in your blood. Over time, a buildup of cholesterol can lead to inflammation of the arteries, increasing the risk of a heart attack.

Most of the time, high cholesterol is only detected during a blood test, but sometimes noticeable signs can appear.

According to Harvard Health, plaques, which are smooth, cholesterol-filled plaques that develop under the skin, can appear on the face, “usually on or around the eyelids and often near the nose.”

The health institution explains, that this condition occurs mainly in middle-aged and elderly adults, and in women more than men.

It could be a sign of hyperlipidemia, which is high levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, or other fats in the blood.

The xanthelasma can vary in size, from a small pinhead to the size of a grape. It usually looks like a bump under the skin, and may appear yellow or orange.

These yellow masses may be isolated growths or may develop in groups, and may appear anywhere on the body.

Since most people do not have symptoms associated with high cholesterol, doctors will likely suggest testing if they think a patient’s cholesterol level may be high.

There are two ways to get a cholesterol test: drawing blood from your arm, or a finger prick test.

How to lower high cholesterol

There are many foods that are not only part of a healthy diet, but can actively help lower blood cholesterol as well.

Health experts say reducing saturated fats and replacing some of them with unsaturated fats is a great way to lower blood cholesterol.

Saturated fat is the type of fat found in butter, margarine, fatty meats, and cheese.

Foods that contain unsaturated fats include:

Vegetable oils such as olive, sunflower, corn, nut and seed oils

Avocados, nuts and seeds

Fats made from vegetable oils, such as sunflower oil and olive oil

– oily fish

And a Mediterranean-style diet can help get plenty of unsaturated fats in your diet.

The Mediterranean diet varies by country and region, so it has a set of definitions.

In general, they are high in vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, beans, grains, fish, and unsaturated fats such as olive oil.

Other essential tips

In addition to healthy eating, regular physical exercise can help lower high cholesterol levels.

Adults are advised to do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week.

Russia Today