Lipedema is a chronic medical condition characterized by an unusual buildup of fatty tissue under your skin. It causes large amounts of hard, painful fat to accumulate in your lower body. It typically affects your hips, thighs, and calves but may also affect your upper arms.
This condition usually affects people assigned female at birth. It runs in families and may be linked to hormones. It typically appears at times of significant hormonal change, such as puberty, pregnancy, and menopause.
Lipedema can worsen over time. Your treatment plan will depend on the stage and severity of your condition.
There is no cure for lipedema, but research is ongoing. Current treatments aim to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life. Treatments may:
- reduce fatty tissue
- improve lymphatic drainage
- relieve pain and inflammation
- improve mobility
- reduce emotional distress
Lipedema treatments range from lifestyle strategies to surgery. A doctor may use multiple strategies at the same time to reduce symptoms and the discomfort they cause.
Lipedema can progress over time. Effective treatment will depend on how severe your symptoms are. To clarify how much the condition has progressed, doctors classify symptoms into
- Stage 1: The surface of your skin looks typical, with minimal swelling. The fatty tissue under your skin, called subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), is soft. Stage 1 lipedema usually responds well to treatment.
- Stage 2: Your skin’s surface is hard and uneven, with fat nodules and more swelling. SAT is also hard. Treatments may still be effective.
- Stage 3: Your skin’s surface is thick and hard, with hard SAT under it. You have continuous swelling and large overhanging masses of tissue. This stage may be less responsive to treatment.
- Stage 4: You have very hard skin and SAT. You also have lymphedema. This stage is the least responsive to treatment, but pain management techniques and surgery may help.
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