Lipomas

Lipomas: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

About

A small, soft, rubbery lump or a noncancerous tumor made of fat tissue that is located just beneath the skin.
Lipomas can occur at any age, but they typically grow between the ages of 40 and 60 years. [1]

- Self-diagnosable
- More common in men than women.
- Treatment options available
- Lab tests, throat culture are always required.

Lipomas can look very similar to a cancerous condition called liposarcoma. They are most commonly located in the neck, back, and shoulders but can occur on the stomach, thighs, and arms too. It is painful if it grows into nerves underneath the skin. Various types of lipomas are:
1) Conventional lipoma
2) Hibernoma
3) Fibrolipoma
4) Angiolipoma (fat plus a large amount of blood vessels)
5) Myelolipoma
6) Spindle cell lipoma (cells that look like rods)
7) Pleomorphic lipoma
8) Atypical lipoma

Causes:

1. Cowden syndrome
2. Gardner’s syndrome
3. Madelung’s syndrome
4. Adiposis dolorosa
5. Genetic condition

Symptoms

It is self-diagnosable
People suffering from this condition may experience:
-Small, soft lumps
-Doughy to touch
-Sometimes painful
-Pale
-Colorless
-Slow growth

Treatment

Medications: Steroid injections are used to shrink lipomas but not to remove them.
Specialists: Consult a doctor for any concerns. Surgery is the most common way to remove lipomas. Liposuction also helps in size reduction. At mfine, you can get a comprehensive treatment plan for optimum health.