Lipoma is a benign, non-cancerous growth that usually appears as lumps under the skin. They grow from one-quarter to 3 inches in size and can be widely dispersed or clustered together. They’re common but often harmless – with more than half of people older than age 60 having them.
The best lipoma treatment is to observe it. Lipomas that are small and do not change in size over time usually don’t require treatment at all, though you should have them checked every few years to ensure they’re not cancer.
Below are the most common types of lipoma:
- Common Lipoma
- Angiolipomas
- Pseudo Lipoma
- Solitary Fibrous Tumor
- Myxolipoma
- Spindle Cell Lipoma
- Inflammatory Lipoma
- Juvenile Angiolipoma
- Infantile Myofibromatosis
- Atypical Lipomatous Tumor
When to Get Lipoma Surgery?
Lipomas can grow to enormous sizes and become uncomfortable, but they won’t pose a threat unless they metastasize or develop an infection, which is very rare. If you have a lipoma surgically removed, it will not come back, so this is the only way to “cure” it.
Surgical removal may be considered if:
- They cause significant discomfort because of their size or location.
- They interfere with motion in a joint nearby
- They continue growing despite medical treatment.
- There is pain caused by pressure on a nerve or increased pressure in the lipoma area.
- Genetic testing to rule out familial neurofibromatosis.
Your doctor may recommend an expert surgeon who will perform surgical excision of the lipoma. The surgeon you pick must be an expert in these kinds of procedures, like this Toronto Minor Surgery Center.
Lipoma Treatment Options
Many types of lipoma can be removed by surgery, while others do not require any form of treatment at all. The decision depends on the patient’s situation. Doctors will monitor patients with lipomas to check for changes that suggest the tumor grows or becomes a bigger problem over time. In most cases, however, lipomas do not require any active treatment.
In case your doctor recommends it for you, they may perform either of the treatment options include:
- Surgery (suction-assisted lipectomy)
- Radiation therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Cryotherapy (freezing tissue using liquid nitrogen)
- Photodynamic Therapy
- Laser Therapy
- Emerging treatment options (namely two current clinical trials)
Furthermore, several other medical treatments can help reduce symptoms, including:
- Anti-inflammatory medications because lipomas often develop as a result of inflammation. In some cases where inflammation or irritation is present due to the lipoma, surgery may be performed if other therapies do not reduce swelling and associated symptoms.
Surgery
In the case of inflammatory lipoma, non-invasive treatments like pain medications and physical therapy may be recommended before surgery is considered to avoid interfering with vital tissues inside the body. They can also be treated to minimize side effects to improve the quality of life for patients without sacrificing too much function in affected areas.
Non-cancerous or benign tumors are typically removed if they appear at risk for growing, interfere with nearby organs or body parts, or cause inflammation when swelling occurs under the skin. Lipoma surgery or liposuction is typically preferred because it removes all visible signs of the tumor so that they cannot grow back after being removed. Removal methods vary depending on each patient’s circumstances and the type or types of lipoma present.
If you plan to go with this surgery, make sure that the doctor is versatile, like this keloid scar removal Toronto clinic. They provide a wide range of minor surgeries in Toronto if you’re in the area.
Note: Overweight patients may lose weight, which has been shown to increase the effectiveness of surgical lipoma removal techniques.
Conclusion
If you have a lipoma and don’t feel it is causing any issue or harm to you, keep an eye on it for a few more months before doing anything. If it seems irrelevant for a year or more, it’s probably safe not to have surgery.
If you’re in doubt, visit your doctor and request some tests to see if everything is fine. The best option is to keep an eye on it and get another test done if it’s necessary.
If your doctor tells you that the lipoma has some pathology (something that might make it dangerous), surgery is usually recommended. But this kind of surgery doesn’t remove the possibility of another lipoma growing again in another area. If you need a reputable clinic for this procedure, Check out Toronto Minor Surgery. They offer expert minor surgeries, including earlobe repair surgery.
