Are you bothered about the painless multiple swellings that appear as soft rubbery balls under your skin? Well, these are harmless benign tumours. In case you want to know about multiple lipomas, you are in the right place.

Mykare Health is here to help you out in understanding multiple lipomas, what causes them. How to diagnose these lumps and how to safely and effectively manage the condition.

Let’s dive in!

What is a Lipoma?

Lipoma is a benign tumorous growth in any part of your body. It consists of fat cells and is usually harmless, meaning it cannot turn into cancer. You can see a lot of people with multiple lipomas in different parts of the body like arms, legs, neck, back, thighs and shoulders.

It is a very common condition. Around 1 in every 1000 people has this tumour. Multiple lipomas are found usually in 40- 60 age groups and those who lead a sedentary lifestyle.

Causes of Multiple Lipomas

Experts denote genetic correlation to the condition of multiple lipomas.

• If you are having such fatty tumours, it is very likely your parents also have them. The inherited condition is also called multiple lipomatosis.

• Though there is no evidence of the origin of lipomas, researchers are still struggling to find the exact cause of it.

• Most of the cases of multiple lipomas are seen in the middle aged population.

• Some people even present with single fatty growth and develop multiple lipomas consequently in their life.

• There may be hormonal influence seen in the growth of multiple lipomas. Women in reproductive age exhibit growth in number and size of these tumours.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of multiple lipomas starts with your doctor taking your family and medical history.

• A physician will usually diagnose a lipoma clinically by seeing it. To confirm the diagnosis, you may be prescribed ultrasound of the lump or a biopsy (where a needle is inserted to take a sample of the tissue).

• If you want to remove the lipoma due to aesthetic reasons, you may need to undergo certain tests like MRI and CT scan.

• Some lump may look like a lipoma but are actually cysts which are liquid containing inflammations and firm to touch. They are usually situated closer to the skin.

• If your lipoma is painful and fixated in the tissue, it may be a cancerous condition called liposarcoma. Your physician will run certain tests to reach the right diagnosis.

Management and Treatment Strategies

• Watchful waiting

This is the term used by physicians to wait and watch the condition and act as soon as there is any abnormality seen. Smaller lipomas of size less than 2 inches should not surgically be touched by a scalpel. If the lipoma doesn’t cause any harm to the surrounding tissues and nerves, it should be kept under the “watchful waiting” category. For this to happen, you must follow up to the same physician for any change in shape or dimension.

• Surgical removal

Usually, it is not recommended to remove a lipoma. Only under certain conditions, multiple lipomas can be removed.

• If there is an abrupt increase in the size of the lump.
• It became painful due to nerve compression.
• Interferes with day-to-day lifestyle.
• Doesn’t look good (cosmetic purposes).

For these cases, you can definitely go for surgical removal of the lump.

A large lipoma may compress the surrounding tissues and nerves and cause certain complications. So, a large lipoma greater than 2 inches in dimension is always advisable to get it removed.

Removal of multiple lipomas should be done in a sterilised operation theatre by an experienced medical professional.

Surgical removal of lipoma is usually done under local anaesthesia. If the tumour is situated internally, far away inside the body, your surgeon may suggest a general anaesthesia, to protect your vital organs.

• Liposuction

For liposuction, your surgeon will insert a needle to extract out the fat cells from your lipoma by suction mechanism. Some experts say, there is an increased chance of recurrence of the tumour for liposuction than for surgical removal. This is because some fat cells may remain back in your body which eventually regains the capacity to multiply. Thus, the lipoma regrows in the same location.

• Steroid injections

Some physicians try to shrink the tumour by injecting steroid medications. This method needs more research and further studies to get approved. This procedure doesn’t assure complete dissolution of multiple lipomas.

• Laser lipolysis and endoscopic removal

Newer methods of lipoma treatment which is minimally invasive, means which involve negligible blood contact. Here, a laser is used to shrink the lipoma.

This procedure is in its initial stage of trial in India, where surgical removal remains a gold standard. There may be certain complications after laser lipolysis like scarring, rash and re-growth of tumour cells.

Though multiple lipomas cannot be prevented but after the surgical removal of the lump, you have to take proper care not to cause infection of the surgical site and promote proper healing without scarring.

When To Visit A Doctor for Multiple Lipomas?

You must get a complete body check up at specific intervals done, which will bring out any of the unusual findings in your body. If still you are anxious about the growth of soft, rubbery lump inside your skin, you may visit the doctor:

• Painful tumour.
• Your arm or your thigh (where you have your lipoma) feels numb.
• Abrupt increase in size of the tumour.
• A swelling that attracts everyone’s attention.
• If it bothers you in your daily life.

You may get multiple lipomas due to some unknown reasons, but you can definitely correct it out as per your convenience. So, cheer up folks. We at Mykare Health are here to help you out with the treatment of multiple lipomas.

There are several treatment options available for fatty tumours, starting from traditional healing to surgical removal. You must wisely choose how you want to get your multiple lipomas treated.