What is lipedema and how is it treated?

Sometimes excess fat is not only a purely aesthetic problem. Fat deposits on hips, thighs, and upper arms that are sensitive to pressure, are painful and tend to “bruise”, are often symptomatic of lipedema (often also known as fat edema, saddle bag syndrome, or tree trunk legs). During the progression of the disease, there may be an increased accumulation of fat on the lower legs, lower arms, and on the neck.

Lipedema particularly occurs after puberty, after pregnancy, or during the menopause. There are good reasons to assume that the condition is inherited. In the final analysis though, hormonal imbalances are probably the direct cause. We are aware that for humans and animals, inappropriate nutrition can cause metabolic disorders and consequently hormonal imbalances. These imbalances can change the fat cells and fatty deposits directly or via other factors, e.g. leptins, and cause lipedema.

In the case of lipedema, water retention in the tissue may also occur. This retention can lead to feelings of tension and pressure pain in the areas affected. When the lipedema is treated, improvement of physical well-being plays an especially important role in addition to optimizing the body’s silhouette.

The lipedema should not be confused with the lymphedema: A lymphedema is not a fat accumulation disorder, but a disorder of lymph drainage. Contrary to the lipedema which always remains of the same thickness, the thickness of the limbs affected changes in the event of a lymphedema is dependent on the time of day and the force of gravity.

A preferably gentle liposuction on the body areas affected is a suitable direct therapy for lipedemas. Tissue-conserving suction and thin microcannulas should be used to prevent any further impact on the lymphatic vessels and to enable an exact forming of the body’s silhouette. For reasons of safety, liposuction should always be carried out under local anesthesia.

A low-level lipedema can be improved by a change of diet plan: Protein-rich foods are recommended and simultaneously consumption of refined carbohydrates such as sugar and white flour should be reduced. Therapy methods tailored to the patient’s individual needs can be best established during a medical examination.

In each case, it is advisable to analyze the patient’s hormonal status in order to be able to correct a hormonal imbalance by means of bioidentical hormones. Bioidentical hormones structurally resemble our human hormones. In most cases, it can be seen after a short time whether the treatment with bioidentical hormones is adequate, or if liposuction is a useful additional measure.

DDr. Heinrich, MD

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