Lipomas. How much should you worry?

If there is a lump steadily growing between your skin and muscle tissue layer,  then this is what is commonly referred to as lipoma. It is a soft fatty tissue growth and the lump seems to move when you put pressure on it. If such a growth present under your skin has worried you, read on to know more.

What is a lipoma?

Lipoma can be described as a growth of fat cells in a thin, fibrous capsule. It is present just below the skin. The most common places in the body where a lipoma can be found are on the upper body, neck, upper thighs, upper arms, and armpits. But this list is not exhaustive, lipomas can be basically found anywhere on the body.  

Lipomas occur commonly and they are growth of soft tissues which are non-cancerous in nature. The growth of the fat is slow and lipomas can be easily identified as deposits which move easily when light pressure is applied through fingers. It is pliable to the touch. The unique thing about lipoma is that it is generally not cancerous and is harmless. This lump of fatty tissue is mostly not bothersome and can be left alone but some fat deposits or lipoma may be painful or persistently grow in size.

Why does this growth occur?

The cause of lipoma is not clearly known but there is a hypothesis stating that it may be inherited. It has been observed that the risk of developing lipoma is increased in case you have a family history of lipoma. Sometimes a minor injury to soft tissues may trigger the growth of a lipoma.

Are there any symptoms?

Lipomas are small, harmless and painless lumps appearing on the skin which can increase in size from 1 cm to 3 cm. They have a very slow growth rate but become noticeable when they appear on the neck, upper arms or thighs. The most bothersome symptom of a lipoma is the location of the lipoma in the body and the increased size which makes it noticeable to others.

In some people lipomas can cause pain when it grows in size and presses the nearby nerves. Some people also develop a rare condition where there is growth of several lipomas; this particular condition  is described as familial multiple lipomatosis. Such individuals may have several lumps and require it to be removed surgically. Lipomas should be treated when certain symptoms develop such as;

1.      Lipoma becomes painful or tender

2.      Lipoma either becomes infected or inflamed

3.      If there is foul smelling discharge emanating from the lipoma

4.      If the lipoma hampers normal movement or functioning

5.      If the lipoma increases in size

Diagnosis of a lipoma

It is very easy to diagnose a lipoma. A doctor can identify a lipoma by simply looking at its appearance and after performing some physical examination.

When the lipomas become unusually bigger in size, then your doctor may need to test it to confirm that it is non-cancerous in nature. In this case, a tissue sample from the lipoma is sent for biopsy. When it appears that the fatty tissues are more deeply embedded in the muscles below the skin, there is a need for an MRI or CT scan to be conducted. If the lipoma forms a cancerous growth it is referred to as liposarcomas and in this case the fatty tissues are not moveable.  

Is surgery the only option?

In most of the cases, there is no need to cure lipoma but if you want to remove it there are different treatments available. Currently there is no treatment available to prevent lipomas from occurring or diminishing or affecting their growth.

Depending on a number of factors which include the size of the lipoma, the number of skin tumours, personal or family history of  lipomas and whether or not the lipoma is painful; your doctor will recommend the best treatment for you.

Surgical removal

Surgery is the most common way of treating a lipoma especially in case of a large skin tumour which is still growing. Once removed surgically, lipomas usually do not grow back. Most of the lipomas can be removed in the doctor’s office or in an outpatient surgery centre. The lipoma is removed under the effect of a local anaesthesia. It is done by injecting a local anaesthetic around the lipoma, making an incision in the skin, removing the growth and finally suturing the skin to close the incision. In case the location of the lipoma is such that it cannot be reached easily then the surgery has to be carried out in an operation theatre under the effect of general anaesthesia.

Liposuction

Other forms of treatment available for lipoma are liposuction which is used to remove the fatty lump. Because the lipomas are fatty tissue growths, liposuction is a procedure which will work well in reducing the size of the lipoma. In this, a needle which is attached to a large syringe is used to remove the lipoma. The area around the lipoma is anesthetized locally.

Steroid injections

A steroid injection is also sometimes given to reduce the size of the fatty tissue growth. Steroid injection cannot be used to completely remove the lipoma.

Are there any natural treatments available for lipoma?

If you want to avoid the invasive procedures or the use of steroids then there are some natural cures which are aimed at reducing the size of the lipoma. The use of herbs such as turmeric and sage are related with diminishing the size of the lipoma.

Turmeric is an herbal remedy which has been used to cure lipomas naturally. When a paste of turmeric powder in olive oil is applied on the lumps, it is effective in shrinking the size of the lipomas. Sage is an herb which has been known to possess natural affinity for the fat cells and when applied on the skin it can naturally dissolve the fatty tissues thus reducing the size of the lipomas. Thuja plant extract is mixed with water and applied on the affected area thrice a day. It acts as an adjunctive treatment for lipoma. Dietary changes such as reducing the fat intake and increasing the intake of fruits and vegetables can also help in reducing the risk of further development of the lipomas.

Some myths about lipomas

Last but not the least; since lipomas are tumour, people are afraid of them spreading in the body. Please take note of the following and get rid of misconceptions regarding lipomas;

1.      According to the American cancer Society lipomas are classified as benign tumours.

2.      They are malignant in nature and hence there is no chance of spreading of an existing lipoma.

3.      The lipomas will not spread through muscles or other surrounding tissues.

4.      Lipomas are NOT fatal.

5.      There is no self-care approach to reduce the lipoma.

6.      Ice and heat packs do not work with lipomas because they’re fatty tissue growths.

7.      See your doctor if you are still concerned about your lipoma.