June is Lipedema Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness and understanding about this chronic, often misunderstood medical condition. To help raise awareness, we’re here with our AdventHealth expert, Omar Beidas, MD, FACS.
Keep reading to learn more about lipedema with answers to frequently asked questions through Dr. Beidas’ insights in his own words.
What is lipedema, and how is it caused?
Dr. Beidas: “Lipedema is a chronic, progressive disease (meaning it is a lifelong condition that worsens over time) that is almost exclusively found in women. There is a strong genetic component as it typically is present within members of the same family. It is not fully understood but is an inflammatory condition triggered by inflammation, stress, and hormonal factors.”
Is lipedema commonly misdiagnosed, and why?
Dr. Beidas: “Lipedema is not well recognized in the United States and is therefore commonly undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Many clinicians in the U.S. confuse it with lymphedema, which is a different disease entirely.”
What is the typical prognosis for lipedema?
Dr. Beidas: “The condition is not life-threatening; however, we do not yet have a cure, and therefore, all treatment is palliative, which means to improve symptoms. Treatment generally starts with conservative measures such as dietary modification, lifestyle changes, compression therapy, physical therapy, pneumatic pumps, and lymphatic drainage. These measures aim to decrease symptoms and attempt to slow the progression or worsening of the disease. Finally, if all else fails, surgery is the final option.”
How is lipedema diagnosed?
Dr. Beidas: “Lipedema is diagnosed based on history and physical examination. This means that a simple review of your symptoms, history, and examination can allow us to diagnose you with this condition. We can often do this virtually since the physical examination is often not required to diagnose this condition.”
What is the Treatment like for lipedema?
Dr. Beidas: “Treatment is geared toward improving or decreasing symptoms. As stated previously, lipedema has no cure, and all treatment modalities aim to decrease inflammation and pain to improve quality of life. Surgery is performed when non-conservative measures fail to control the symptoms or to improve functional capacity. Surgery generally involves the liposuction of lipedema tissue, and some patients will require skin removal if there is loose skin after liposuction, which is quite common. Sometimes, this can require several stages performed months apart.”
What takeaways would you like to communicate to our readers for Lipedema Awareness Month?
Dr. Beidas: “Lipedema is a condition we still do not fully understand. Most women are very satisfied after surgery. However, it is extremely important to diligently try and be compliant with all conservative measures to avoid, delay, or altogether avoid surgery, if possible. Post-operatively, following your surgeon's instructions is extremely important to minimize the risk of complications and ensure a smooth recovery.”
Dr. Beidas leaves us with some closing thoughts and advice.
He says, “As always, make sure you are seeing a surgeon who is board-certified in plastic surgery, performs a lot of lipedema surgery, is very experienced, and has hospital privileges. Most states have restrictions on how much liposuction can be performed in an outpatient surgery center, and most lipedema patients require several rounds of liposuction, which is safest in a hospital setting. Also, ensure your surgeon is familiar with skin removal, which is often required for many patients after lipedema removal. And lastly, make sure you are aware that insurance can cover your surgery. However, it is best to get this submitted ahead of time instead of trying to file for reimbursement after the fact.”
Helping You Feel Whole
Thank you, Dr. Beidas, for your time and expertise. Visit us here to learn more about lipedema or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Beidas. You deserve to feel whole.
