What are lipomas and how can they be removed?

While lipomas are usually harmless, many people find them unsightly and want to get treated before they get bigger. So how do you remove a lipoma? Is surgery necessary and what is the recovery time?

What is lipoma?

Lipomas are soft, painless lumps that grow slowly under the skin over several years. These are not cancerous tumors, but growths of benign fat cells. They can occur anywhere on the body between the skin and the underlying muscle layer where fat cells are located.

What problems can lipomas cause?

Lipomas usually do not cause any symptoms. However, over the years, as they get larger, you may feel uneasy about the unsightly swelling, especially if it is in a visible area. In areas that are not as open, as the lipoma grows larger, swelling may begin to show through clothing.

What is the difference between a lipoma and a skin cyst?

You can differentiate a lipoma from a skin cyst by examining them.Lipomasofter to the touch, lies deeper in the tissue and never attaches to the overlying skin.Skin cysthowever, tends to be firmer, is attached to the overlying skin, and may have a "punctum" (a small 1mm hole in the skin that is the origin of the cyst).

Do lipomas need to be scanned before removal?

Most lipomasgrow slowlyfor several years. They can be diagnosed by examination in a clinic and do not require any scans.

Any lipoma that is painful, or has grown rapidly, or is larger than 5 cm in size requires evaluation with ultrasound to rule out any cancerous changes before removal. This is done to rule out sarcoma or other cancers, which often grow rapidly over a short period.

Very large lipomas, such as those larger than 10 cm, may require an MRI scan to determine the nature of the tumor and its anatomical location.