A Complete Overview of Lipomas: From Diagnosis to Treatment

Have you ever experienced touching your skin when there’s an itchy, slow-growing growing, and painless kinetic tumour? Although finding a lump can be worrisome, not all breast lumps are likely to be cancerous. Lipomas are perhaps one of the most typical types of harmless or benign growths. Primarily, these fatty lumps are benign; however, they can sometimes be responsible for discomfort or lead to aesthetic issues.  

What are lipomas?

Lipomas are slow-growing benign tumours that occur in the subcutaneous tissue – the space between the skin and the underlying muscle. These lumps are some form of fat deposits, and they can be freely moved around beneath the skin. Lipomas are generally less than a centimetre to a few centimetres in diameter but can become even bigger occasionally.

Lipomas can develop at any site but are prevalent on the neck, shoulders, back, upper arms, or thighs. While rare, it is possible to have several lipomas throughout the body; it is also rare to have only one lipoma. Even though lipomas are benign tumours, they can be surgically excised, if necessary, if one feels self-conscious about them or if the growth is causing pain.

Causes of lipoma

To this date, it is also difficult to determine the precise origin of lipomas. However, the condition often runs in families, and researchers know that it is associated with genetic factors. Those with a family history of the condition are likely to be affected as well, and they are common.

Some other factors also have been found that précised the chances of getting lipomas. For instance, familial multiple lipomatosis is a very rare genetic disease in which lipomas are located all over the body. Lipomas can develop in anyone, but they are most frequently reported in middle-aged individuals and are marginally more common in males.

Symptoms  

• Lipomas are easily diagnosable. Specifically, they are soft, rubbery lumps that can be moved slightly with the fingers. These formations are non-painful most of the time and can cause discomfort or pain if the lipoma is exerting pressure on nerves or muscles.
• Lipomas are usually benign tumours and can take a long while before they increase in size. In case a lump progress over a short period or it is hard instead of tender, such conditions should be reported to a doctor since they can be indicative of liposarcoma (a malignant tumour).

Diagnosing lipoma

If you feel that you develop some mass in your body, you should visit your doctor even if you do not experience any pain. Lipoma diagnosis is typically easy and can be made simply through clinical assessment, often by palping the affected area. Your doctor will then palpate the lump and may question its duration, whether it has increased in size and if it was painful.

Treatment options

Several treatment options available for lipoma treatment are –  

• Surgical removal:

The usual way of eradicating lipomas is through surgery. Actually, the procedure is quite uncomplicated and often performed using local anaesthetic agents. The surgeon performs surgery on the lump, and they remove the fatty tissues. This method is very effective, and the lipoma is not likely to recur.

• Liposuction:

Another procedure is liposuction, especially in cases of large lipomas. In this procedure. A small tube is put through the skin into the lipoma, and the fat cells are removed with suction. Though liposuction is gentler than surgical intervention, there is a higher probability that some of the lipoma tissue might be left behind, resulting in recurrence.

• Steroid injections:

Steroid injections may, in some instances, reduce the size of a lipoma. This is not a long-term cure, but it helps decrease the size of the lump, depending on why surgery is not wanted or possible.

When to see a doctor?

Lipomas are benign tumours, but if you experience these symptoms, you have to seek medical attention. See a doctor if:

• The lump is growing rapidly.
• Lipomas change and become painful or tender.
• To the touch, it is still a very hard nod, not that soft one.
• This lump is painful, and the skin that covers it becomes softer or inflamed.

Conclusion

Lipomas are soft, fatty lumps that develop just below the surface of the skin and are non-cancerous. Nonetheless, if you have or are developing a lump on the body that bothers you or feels painful, it is wise to see a doctor. On a positive note, should you decide to undergo lipoma removal surgery, the surgery is safe and efficient and does not leave much room for complications. It also has a short post-operation recovery. Whatever decision you make regarding your lipoma, it is helpful to know what your choices are.