Please see this 54-year-old female patient who came to SurgiSculpt to manage her body’s problem areas.
Much too often, women suffering from lipedema are told that the swelling and adiposity in their legs are due to genetics or poor lifestyle decisions. Although patients that suffer from lipedema may be experiencing poor quality of life, it cannot be concluded that people suffering from lipedema are to blame for their condition. People with lipedema will routinely present with generous fat tissue prominence throughout their inner thighs, outer thighs, and lower legs, resulting in compression of lymphatic vessels and subsequent lymphatic drainage difficulties. Inevitably, the skin of the lower legs and thighs will thin out secondary to the tightness of the soft tissues making their treatment even more complicated.
Although patients adhere to strict compression therapy by wearing of compression garments around the clock, no appreciable improvement in their lower body contour is observed even following weight loss. In summary, treatment of lipedema varies and is complex, being affected by the various factors discussed above that, include:
- Extensive fat deposits in the legs
- Poor lymphatic drainage
- Thinning out of the skin
Treatment of lipedema includes lymphatic support by surgery, particularly specialized lipectomy. It is important to find an experienced and highly knowledgeable surgeon who understands lipedema’s anatomy and condition. This is critical in surgical treatments because they can successfully spare injury to lymphatic channels when removing the lipedema fat.
The lipedema fat cannot shrink and does not respond to weight loss. Unfortunately, calorie restrictions and dieting will not prevent the development of the condition.
However, it has been shown to reduce the size and weight of the fats, reducing the likelihood that the disease can progress any further. Excess fats typically remain in the lower extremities, even when strict diet control is controlled.
Is surgery the right choice?
How can lipedema fat be managed? Can it be managed through surgery? It is an option to consider! Multiple surgical techniques have been developed to remove this stubborn fat. A surgical approach can minimize the swelling and allow the involved limb(s) to return to normal size.
In selected cases, having surgery can minimize the disease burden and allow the individual to regain complete mobility of the limbs where lipedema fat was affected.
How Can Lipedema Fat Be Managed?
VASER liposuction in the hands of an experienced surgeon is a great technique that can address this problem. VASER technology allows SurgiSculpt surgeons to emulsify the targeted fat for fat reduction while avoiding any sensitive nerves and vessels throughout the surgery. First, the tumescent solution is infiltrated into the tissues to limit discomfort and minimize the risk of injury to blood vessels. The ultrasonic energy is administered to the fatty tissue before fat extraction. This precaution is critical, especially in the lower limbs. Less frequently, patients with lipedema may present with fatty tissue accumulation in the upper body. VASER liposuction and even excision of redundant skin and soft tissues may be prudent in this patient population.
Treatment for lipedema should occur early as chronic conditions will result in the thinning of your skin, making excisional surgery more difficult. In addition, lipedema symptoms are ongoing, and the progression of lipedema will result in the accumulation of lymphatic fluid that is more difficult to treat. If you are concerned about the abnormal accumulation of fatty tissues throughout your body, you may suffer from primary lymphedema, a natural progression of non-treated lipedema.
We value each individual and are happy to provide the care and treatment lipedema patients need and deserve. If you suffer from this medical condition, contact us for your free consultation today.
