If you try and touch the lipomas, it will feel like a small rubbery, spongy ball, and you would be able to even move it around with a finger. They are in capsule form (encapsulated), and do not spread to the tissues around them.
Clinically, lipomas are often present specifically in the head, neck, shoulders, and backs of patients. However, they can less commonly be seen elsewhere, for example, the thighs . Less commonly, they can also be found on internal organs, such as the stomach and bowels.
The masses are often benign, and while the age of onset can vary. There is usually no reason for treatment. They pose no threat to the patient unless they are uncomfortable due to being located on joints or rapidly growing, which is uncommon, as the typical lipoma growth is slow . If lipomas are not painful and harmless, there is no need for removal.
Patients often complain of a soft, mobile mass of tissue they can feel under the skin. These are typically painless unless they encroach joints, nerves, or blood vessels. Patients often see these in the upper part of the body. Rarely, these lipomas can form in muscles or organs. These masses are typically less than 2 inches wide but maybe larger. They are commonly singular. However, some patients have more than one (Click here to know more).
While the age of onset for a lipoma varies, it is typically first seen in patients between the ages of 40 to 60. Certain types of lipomas are more frequently seen in other age groups. For example, such as hibernomas clinically present around the age of 30, lipoblastomas, and diffuse lipomatosis are commonly found in children older than the age of 3. Approximately 5% of patients present with multiple lipomas .
The prevalence of lipomas has been cited as affecting 1% of the population, while its incidence, which is possibly underreported, is 2.1 per 1000 individuals per year .
While the etiology of lipomas is unclear, some studies have shown a genetic link, whereby about two-thirds of lipomas demonstrate genetic abnormalities. In addition to the possibility of a genetic link, another theory presents the idea that there is a direct positive correlation between trauma to an area and lipoma production. In addition to the risk factors listed above, other possible connections that may lead to lipomas are obesity , alcohol abuse, liver disease, as well as glucose intolerance (Click here to know more).
Lipomas can sometimes, though rare, be associated with certain disorders such as multiple hereditary lipomatosis, Gardner syndrome, adiposis dolorosa, and Madelung disease (Click here to know more).
Lipomas (and many of the conditions that cause lipoma ) are inherited. Since they’re passed down through families, it isn’t possible to prevent them. You can lower your risk of developing Madelung’s disease (a condition that causes lipomas to grow) by limiting the amount of alcohol you drink .
While all lipomas are made up of fat, there are subtypes based on the way they appear under the microscope. Some varieties include :
Some conditions cause multiple lipomas to form on the body. Lipoma-causing conditions include :
Doctors usually diagnose a lipoma during a physical examination. Your doc will touch the lipoma and ask if it’s painful or tender. You may need a biopsy to confirm that the lipoma isn’t cancerous in nature (Liposarcoma). During this procedure, your provider removes a sample of the lipoma and sends it to a lab for testing(Click here to know more).
To see a clear picture of this lump, your provider may order an imaging test such as an X-ray, ultrasound, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan, or CT scan.
But, in every case, if you develop lipomas, whether its symptomatic or not, you have to consult your physician. It becomes even more important, if the lipoma is painful, is growing in size over time, is hard to touch, and doesn’t move as easily as normal lipoma does.
Lipomas are mostly harmless, however, some patients choose to have these masses removed for cosmetic reasons, as they can often be seen through the skin as they lie subcutaneously. Small lipomas (less than 4cm) can be removed through small incisions, and scarring is not usually a significant concern. Open surgery is a better option for removing Giant Lipomas (greater than 10cm) compared with lipoma removal by suction-assisted lipectomy through small incisions as it allows better judgment, prevents recurrences, and avoids damage to the surrounding tissues . Another common method is Liposuction, where you use a needle and a large syringe to suck out the fat from the lump.
Open surgical excision is the most common intervention with recurrence rate reported to be less than 5% contrary to intramuscular lipomas with recurrence reported as high as 50-80% .
Lipomas generally don’t grow back after treatment, but they may grow at any other place on the body, if the person is genetically susceptible.
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