Lipoma

Lipoma is a slowly increasing fat lump that is most often located between the skin and the superficial layer of muscles.

In most cases, the formations can be easily located with light pressure applied with one of the fingers.

A few fatty lumps are possible, and they can appear at any age, but are most often found in middle age.

A fatty lump is not malignant and usually harmless. In most cases, no treatment is needed, but if the lump causes a person any concern, becomes painful, or grows, they can have it removed.< /p>

What are the symptoms?

Fat formations in the form of lumps are:

• They are localized just under the skin. They most often appear on the neck, shoulders, back, abdomen, arms and thighs.

• They are soft to the touch and are easily removable with light finger pressure;

• They are usually small, less than 5 cm in diameter, but it is possible to increase their size even more;

• They are sometimes painful. This happens if, as they grow, they press on the surrounding nerves or if they contain significant blood vessels.

Fat lumps are rarely a serious medical condition. But if you notice any lump or swelling anywhere on the body, see your GP.

What are the causes?

The exact cause of fat formations is unknown.

In the formation of fat lumps, the presence of a family history is established, and in this connection, it turns out that genetic factors contribute to their appearance and development.

The classification of lipomas is determined depending on their location, the presence of blood vessels and connective tissue.

Those with a finger shape usually appear on the neck, and if they grow too much, they can make it difficult to breathe normally and swallow, and cause asthma attacks due to increased pressure in the airways.

If the fatty lump is in areas that are normally covered by clothing, such as the neck or armpit, it may cause pain or develop maceration.

There are several factors that can increase the risk of developing fatty lumps:

• Age between 40 and 60 – although they can occur at any age, they are most common in this age group and are very rare in children.

• In the presence of certain other diseases – people with the following diseases are at increased risk such as adiposis dolorosa, Madelung’s disease, Gardner’s and Cowden’s syndrome.

Lipoma treatment

Although no treatment is necessary, if the fatty lump is located in a place where it bothers the affected person, is painful or is growing, the treating doctor may recommend its removal.

The most commonly applicable methods are:

• Surgical removal – most fatty formations are removed surgically by cutting them out. Recurrences after such a procedure are rare.

• Steroid injections – this is a treatment to reduce the size of the tumor, but not to eliminate it completely;

• Liposuction – in this method, a needle with a wide lumen is inserted into the fat lump, through which its contents are removed using electric pumps.

The advantages of this technique is that no sutures and dressings are needed and the patient can go home on the day of the operation.

However, since the capsule of the lump is not removed with this method, leaving even a very insignificant part of its contents can lead to a relapse.