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Cutaneous spots and blotches may be yellow because of endogenous or exogenous pigment (xanthochromia), or because of a thick layer of keratin of lipid.
For each of the twelve cases, study the image(s) and then answer the questions. You can click on the image to view a larger version if required.
Each case should take approximately 2 minutes to complete. There is a list of suggested further reading material at the end of the quiz.
What is the diagnosis?
Xanthelasma
What causes the yellow hue in the skin in this condition?
Xanthelasma appears yellow because of cholesterol deposited within the dermis. It is not always associated with hyperlipidaemia, unlike yellow-brown eruptive xanthomas associated with hypertriglyceridaemia and yellowish palmar creases (planar xanthoma) seen in type III dysbetalipoproteinaemia.