Lipoma

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 Lipomas are slow-growing, fatty lumps that develop between the underlying muscle layer and the skin. When finger pressure is applied, it moves easily and usually feels doughy. Some people may have more than one lipoma at the same time. Lipomas are most commonly detected in middle age.


Symptoms are as follows:

  • Anywhere in the body can develop lipomas. Normally:

  • Located just under the skin and commonly found in the neck, shoulders, back, abdomen, arms, and thighs.

  • When finger pressure is applied, it moves smoothly and is soft to the touch.

  • Lipomas are usually small, measuring less than 2 inches (5 centimeters) in diameter, but they can grow.

  • If they grow and press on nearby nerves or if they contain many blood vessels, lipomas can be painful.

 

Causes may include:

It is completely unknown why Lipoma occurs. Several factors may increase your risk of developing a lipoma, including:

 

  • Genetic factors play a part in their occurrence.

  • A person who is between 40 and 60 years old. Even though lipomas can occur at any age, they are most common in this age group.

  • Obesity

  • High cholesterol

  • Diabetes

  • Liver disease

  • Glucose intolerance

 

 

To diagnose lipoma, the doctor may perform 

 

  • Physical examination

  • For laboratory examination, tissue samples are removed (biopsies)

  • If the lipoma is large, has unusual features, or appears deeper than the fat, an X-ray or other imaging test may be needed.

 

There is a very small chance that a lump that looks like a lipoma could be liposarcoma, a form of cancer. The fast-growing liposarcomas are cancerous tumors of fat tissue - they do not move under the skin and are usually painful. If your doctor suspects liposarcoma, a biopsy or an MRI or CT scan may be recommended.

 

In most cases, a lipoma isn't cancerous. In most cases, treatment is essential, but if it bothers you, is painful, or grows, you may want to remove it.

 

When to see a doctor

When a lipoma changes or if more lumps appear, people should always tell their doctor. These changes might involve in case of lipoma:

 

  • Rapidly growing or increasing in size

  • Being painful

  • Becoming red or hot

  • Hardening or becoming immovable

  • Located on top of the skin

 

Preventive measures to be considered:

 

  • By limiting the amount of alcohol.

  • Avoid eating junk food and deep fried items from outside.

  • Maintaining a hygienic lifestyle.

 

When is removal necessary?

Lipomas are usually harmless, so most people do not require surgery to remove them. 

A lipoma may need to be removed if:

 

  • Contains cancer

  • Growing rapidly or is large

  • Pain and discomfort are common symptoms

  • Affects normal body functions

  • Cosmetically distressing

  • Doctor cannot confirm that it is a lipoma rather than another type of tumor

 



 

Outlook

  • Under the skin, lipomas are harmless, fatty tumors. Treatment is not usually necessary. It can be surgically removed by a doctor, however, if the lipoma is causing pain or other symptoms, or if it is cosmetically unattractive.

  • There are two types of fat tumors: benign and cancerous. Experts cannot agree on whether or not lipomas can become cancerous. A lipoma must be treated if it becomes painful, gets larger, or changes in any way.




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