If you have a lipoma, you are not alone: They are the most common soft tissue tumor found in adults, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. (1) It’s possible to have more than one lipoma, and they are slightly more likely to occur in men than in women. (1) What’s crucial (and reassuring) to know is that lipomas are not cancerous. Unless a lipoma is growing or bothering you in some way, there is no need to take further action once you get it checked out. Your doctor will make sure to monitor the lipoma. Lipomas can form anywhere on the body, but you’re most likely to find them on your torso, shoulders, neck, and arms. They tend to grow slowly and generally don’t get any bigger than 2 inches across, although some may grow larger than that. Here are some possible risk factors:
Lack of Exercise As with many things, being physically active may protect you. Some doctors believe that lipomas occur more often in inactive people. (1)Genetics Lipomas often run in families, so genes may play a role.Age Though lipomas can develop in anyone, they are most likely to appear in middle-aged adults between age 40 and 60.Certain Medical Conditions A person may develop one or more lipomas if they have Gardner syndrome (an inherited condition that causes benign and malignant tumors to form), adiposis dolorosa, familial multiple lipomatosis, or Madelung disease (seen mostly in men who are heavy drinkers).
X-raysComputerized tomography scansMagnetic resonance imaging scansUltrasoundsBiopsies
In most cases, a biopsy isn’t necessary. But your doctor may want to take a small sample of the lump to be examined under a microscope. The goal of these screening methods is to rule out liposarcoma, a rare cancer of the fatty tissue. Unlike lipomas, liposarcomas are often painful, grow quickly, and cannot be moved around with a finger.
Prognosis of Lipoma
The outlook for lipomas is often very good. Unless the lipomas hurt or continue to grow or change, you won’t need any treatment other than making sure your doctor takes a look during your regular physical exam. People with lipomas are not more likely to develop liposarcoma. Atypical lipomas may turn into liposarcoma, but it is rare. (1) Atypical lipomas tend to be larger and located in an extremity (like the arms), rather than, say, the torso. (6) If the lipoma is bothering you, is uncomfortable, or is growing, your doctor may suggest having the lipoma removed. The only treatment that will completely remove the lipoma is surgery. If you do choose to have the lipoma removed, it makes sense to do it while it is still small, since the larger it gets, the more complicated it is to remove. (4) A local anesthetic is typically used to numb the area before surgery, though larger lipomas may call for general anesthesia. Liposuction may also be used. In this procedure, the lump will be withdrawn through a needle and into a large syringe. According to the Cleveland Clinic, liposuction is associated with a higher rate of recurrence. (2)
Medication Options
Steroid injections are sometimes used to shrink the lipoma, but they probably won’t eliminate it completely. (7)
Alternative and Complementary Therapies
There are no known clinically proven and effective alternative remedies for getting rid of lipomas.
Prevention of Lipoma
According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, there is no known way to prevent lipomas from forming. (8) There may be complications from their removal. And while it’s extremely rare, lipomas can sometimes be associated with certain disorders such as multiple hereditary lipomatosis, Gardner syndrome, adiposis dolorosa, and Madelung disease.
John Hopkins MedicineMayo ClinicCleveland ClinicOrthoInfo (from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
