Dave

IS LIPOSUCTION AN OPTION?

This is such a frequently asked question that I thought it belonged in its's own 'sticky' thread. This way, it will be easier to find by new people because a sticky topic always stays at the top of the list!

This might be a good format for frequently asked questions in the future.

If anyone wants to put some information about liposuction in here, that would be very helpful. Let's try to get the whole dialog in to one thread! If you have posted about this before, you could just paste your old post into this new thread.

Every post in this thread will be subject to editorial review/modification by the moderators because this is a special 'high-info' thread. So, please keep it on-topic within reason Smile

So, what do you all think?


Oregon Steve

Dave, a number of years ago I contemplated Liposuction.

Having cut open and attempted to burn some of the tumors I brought home. I knew that by the consistency of the tumors removed, 'liposuction' would be a ultimate failure.

Per phone conversation with the surgeon he agreed with me.


chuckiewojo

Lipo is a definite alternative. One must think about removing all of the fat surrounding the lipoma as well as the lipoma itself....It wouldn't work if the lipoma is deep and couldn't be completely taking out via the liposuction process....My doc just didn't take out enough fat to begin with........


Dave

hi chuckiewojo -

so, what was your experience with liposuction?


chuckiewojo

Hi Dave: My experience occurred last year. It was used in conjunction with general excision of tumors. I definitely did not see the results I was looking for. I wanted much more fat to be removed, but the doctor was reluctant to do so. I want him to remove much more, say around 5% or so... or else I'll have to find another plastic surgeon. I also had another post on here, being a first time tonight. I welcome anyone's thoughts, good or bad. Emails are welcome too, either this screen name or chuckiewojo@aol.com....


medstudent1

Hey chuck

wat was the size of your lipoma?.. liposuction has a better cosmetic outcome, it is safe if the lipoma is less than 1 cm. I'm still debatin though!!..


Dave

If the lipoma is less than 1cm, what is the benefit of liposuction? A lipoma that size could be removed from a <1cm incision and it would allow the surgeon to visualize the area and ensure that it's all out.


cmassey655

I am new to this forum but have had lipomas for a long time. I have had several excised and now have more that I am trying to decide what to do about. I was told by my surgeon that liposuction was not recommended because it broke the lipomas up and spread them. Excision before liposuction was not suggested. Has anyone had that done with good results? Will insurance cover the liposuction if it is already covering the surgery to excise the lipoma? I am waiting until the fall to get my lipomas removed so that I can wear long sleeves so I have time to make a decision and to find a good surgeon. I prefer a cosmetic surgeon myself. Anyone have suggestions? Thanks!


clark

Dave, liposuction is definitely NOT the answer for lipomas... Ive had this procedure done 3 times over the past 10 years. The surgeon can Never get the entire lipoma out with the cannula no matter what they tell you!! I am living proof of that. About one year after sugery the broken fragments begin to grow and you have more lipomas growing in the same spot. This condition is very frustrating because the scar after removal is often times worse looking than the bump created by the lipoma.....From the reasearch ive done over the years I feel that our only hope is a chemical injection that would disolve the lipoma..A doctor in Long Island NY is currently doing a clinical study on collegenase. After visiting with a nurse in his office last week, she didnt think that the study would be completed until October of this year. Hope this information helps you. Clark


lumpyman

They wouldn't take me b/c I have the added bonus of having a blood condition on top of lumpy situation. I hope it works.

Lipo is not a good idea I concure. Lipos have to be removed as a whole, otherwise they do multiply as stated.

Good luck


hulky

Weel, this is sure an interesting place. You all have MY lipomas. I'm glad I looked at the site.My Dr. referred me to a plastic surgeon. So far your remarks are not positive. I see him in a week or so. My lipos are huge. Most are one to two inches across and one or more inches high. My doc says insurance will only cover the biggies or he has to prove they are not just cosmetic. Me, I want to "harvest" all the crops. At least I don"t feel so alone. Iv'e had maybe 15 taken off. Sometimes the little buggers grow back. Looks like one of those things I'm just going to live with. I would like to wear short sleeve shirts, but I'm tired of going through the whole story and getting those looks. At least I don't feel so alone. Thanks for being here. Hulky


Ron

hello hulky, Let us know what the plastic surgeon has to say about the lyposuction. My doc has also referred me to a plastic surgeon for lyposuction. I have my doubts but figured what the hell ill go and see what the doc has to say.i sure dont want to go thru it just to have them all come back with a vengence


hulky

Hi Ron, yeah it's kind of spooky to have these things. I have had them since 1984. They just get bigger and multiply. I feel like the guy in "Altered States". My surgeon says it 's hereditery. Thanks dad. I'm almost ready to just say F*** it and wear short sleeves anyway. Now, would you believe, I've become a voice actor, my teacher wants me to do on camera stuff. Get a load of these TV land. I'll let you know what the plasticman says. Hulky


wonderwoman

They do come back. I had one removed with liposuction by a plastic surgeon. Now that I have this forum to live by I know now that the lipoma was too large to do liposuction on. It was an unpleasant procedure and the thing grew back. The doctor was sucking that stuff out and he could not see if he was getting it all and of course he wasnt and now i have it again and even more. Where he stuck the tube in my leg to do the suctioning there is now fatty deposits. Just great.

I would never do liposuction again. Hated it! This plastic surgeon was more concerned about the shape of my leg after removal than the procedure itself. Twisted Evil


hulky

Thanks Wonderwomen, I get the impression lipo is wrong. When I asked my doc about the fact my little buddys are attached to my subcuteaneous layer, he said they are in a sack. Well, if you suck thru the sack there is still a sack. I am going to see Dr. Ken Bermudez (plastic) to see what he says. Let me say I am willing to explore options. I am HOPING to find some...... way to deal with this ....CROP. Hulky


Lumpyfromliverpool

Does anyone know whether angio-lipoma are any more difficult to remove (whether by surgery or liposuction) than ordinary lipoma. I was only diagnosed today as having both kinds and am being referred to a plastic surgeon. I have hundreds of the bloody things. What are the scars like?


hulky

I wasn't aware there was a difference. My Doc just cuts out an area,sews that up and goes to another area. I am going to see a plasticman myself,yet I don't know what he can do about the massive (2") ones. Curious, I'm 56 and they seem to grow more often as I grow older as well.I don't know what science really know about these things. It's not life threatening so it must be a back burner issue. The scars as far as I'm concerned are not bad. My doc doesn't want to do wholesale "harvesting". He says insurance won't pay for that (cosmetic) and the scars. Hell I don't care about the scars. I might as well paint eyes and mouths on my lipos and take them to dinner. What the hell are a few scars? Hulky


Lumpyfromliverpool

Funny about the age thing. I've definitely been getting lots more in the last couple of years. The difference is that there are blood vessels involved in angio-lipoma, and they always hurt, where only some lipoma hurt. Lucky for me we still have the NHS system here so paying for treatment isn't an issue. I got the impression that it's pretty well routine for plastic surgeons to deal with cutting them out. That may be just a local practice, or maybe all the UK. I already have more surgical scars than I want so I'm pretty protective about the stretches of skin in between!


hulky

Yes then I have angio as well. The main village is on the inner elbow joint. Doc says they are easy to deal with , but they do hurt. Didn't mean to be sarcastic about scars, it's just for me I would trade in my lipos for scars at this point. What I need is some study by a major University on surgical removal of lipomas. As long as the Docs were competent, I'd be there in a flash. Hulky


Levisjen

Hi,

I had lipo about 6 years ago and had 12 lipomas removed through 5 incisions. You can't even see the scars from my incisions. I have also had some cut out and the scars from that are kind of ugly. This was the first time the plastic surgeon had done this on lipomas and I was satisfied... I was able to wear shorts without feeling like a freak....my largest lipoma at the time was about 3-4 inches across and about 2 inches high. These did not grow back,but I did get a trillion more in different places. After researching lipomas i realize this will happen no matter what and it gets worse the older you get. I am 31 now and am getting alot more faster than ever. I plan on getting lipo again within the next couple of months. I notice these this grow rapidly when I am pregnant..my baby is 4.5 mo old and I got tons of these while I was pregnant and the ones I already had grew alot. Jen


hulky

I'm interested as to the amount of lipomas that were sucked out by the plastic Doc. Were they little ones, did it leave any residue that kind of thing. I'm going to see a plastic Dr. and I would like to know what is possible. Did you say the very big ones were sucked out? Hulky


Levisjen

Hey Hulky,

I had 12 lipoma's(2 to 4inches across) sucked out though 5 tiny incisions. The scars are now invisible. I don't know if there was any residue left,but I did not get lipomas back in the same place..but did get new ones in diff places...this seem to be unavoidable....let me know how you dr visit goes! I will being going again in a couple of months. Jen


wonderwoman

Levisjen, How long ago did you have them sucked out? And how long did it take for new ones to form?
Im curious~Sandra


Levisjen

Hi Sandra,

I had lipo about 6 yrs ago...I never got lipomas in the same spots.
In the last 2 yrs I have gotten most of the (probably about 20) lipomas that I have...from research..this is probably my age...the older you get the more you get...yippeee!


Frincess51

The general consensus is that liposuction is not a good option for removal because as you stated, you ended up with a trillion more! What liposuction does is break up the tumors resulting in spreading "seeds". It is impossible to remove all of the lipoma if it is broken up and spread around. Even with regular surgery, if the entire tumor (and any neighbors that are hiding near it) is not removed it will grow back. Lipo may be a good "temporary" option, but will always result in a massive regrowth unless all of the "bits" are removed. I am not so sure that age has a whole lot to do with it, but is related more to the progression of the disease, IMHO.
Carole


Levisjen

from everything I have read..you will get them anyway.


hulky

I sense these lipoma are around to stay. Like I said I'd like to see...Oh like a lipoma festival where I could try all the Young Docs who want some one to practice on. I know by now they like my body and want to be apart of my life. Hulky


Frincess51

I am not suggesting that you won't get them. If you have the tendency, there is nothing that will prevent them. I am only telling you what others have experienced. Liposuction breaks up the tumors and spreads them, often causing the growth of more tumors than before because bits of the tumors are left behind and regrow over time.
I am not suggesting that your decision to have lipo was wrong either. My only reason for posting to this topic was to give others as much information as possible so that they could make an informed decision regarding their own care.


Oregon Steve

Lumpyfromliverpool , Hulky , Levisjen and Wonderwoman.

I am joining your conversation late so forgive me for taking the liberty to address some of your above questions. If you since have read/researched or found out some of the below information, then I apologize for the redundency.

1st. Angiolipoma's can be more difficult to remove and sometimes surgeon's are even reluctant to remove them at all. This is specifically due to the cause that vascular disruption can occur and may require extensive microscopic reattachment.

2. Concerning insurance coverage.........lipomas removed for cosmetic reasons are seldom covered. Most people get around that by having them removed for pain relief. Practioners are required to treat any pain (thus in most cases these removals are covered).

3. Liposuction was first considered to be means of minimal invasion for multiple tumor removal. However, this procedure was a preliminary recommendation before research found that lipomas are the direct cause of mutated genetic sequence.

Most of the researchers, informed surgeons and other scientific researchers have abandoned Liposuction as a effective tool (procedure) because it clearly exaserbated the problem of leaving numerous mutated genetic material behind.

Plastic surgeons continue to promote it for economical reasons (which they benefit from).

Not everyone who has 0-20 tumors is prone to a lipoma disorder. On the contrary some may have these tumors removed entirely and be free of them for the rest of their lives. Liposuction, will almost always result in recurrance.

I have 300 + tumors and have only had two recurrances, clearly because the tumors were not removed as a whole entity. Due to a genetic mutation I will produce them for the remainder of my life or until science finds the triggering mechanism which starts the genetic mutation.

Jen, your response of recurrance actually sounds identical to other liposuction victims. Although the recurring tumors did not appear in the exact same spots, no doubt they were left over altered cells which began growing from the point of settlement upon implosion from the cannula. In other words, your statement backs up medical findings against the use of liposuction rather than supportive for it.

Please understand that if you choose to continue with liposuction. It is your decision and we will still be here to support you in your efforts to be rid of these painful, annoying protrusions. (this is what all of us on this forum desire).

Before you ask .......I will answer: NO, I would not consider liposuction as you have already stated you end up with a 'trilliion' and I happen to think that 300+ is plenty.


Lumpyfromliverpool

Thanks everyone. I feel as though I'm much better prepared for when I get to the plastic surgeon, than I was before. I must admit I wasn't very keen anyway on the idea of someone hoovering about under my skin, and I couldn't imagine how angios could be removed so crudely. I don't think I'll be fighting for liposuction!


hulky

THANKS Steve and all of you for being here to discuss this problem. I think I can feel the pain increasing as we speak. Also I feel more equipt to ask plastic doc questions. Pray for genetic science. Hulky
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wonderwoman

Thanks STEVE

My thoughts, if you don't mind, about plastic surgeons is this Mr. Hulky and everyone...Plastic surgeons are more into making it look good on the outside and not on the inside where lipomas survive. I think that way because the of the plastic doc that I once had for lipo wanted to do it in steps so that he could make sure of the contour of my leg would be okay with the other. I just wanted the dam thing out, the shape was already out of wack.
Sandra


hulky

OK Kids, I went to see the Plastic Doc today. He is very impressive. He's very young, yet he has commitment to him. I like that he is not in favor of lipo-suction. His plan would be to do mine in sections. Divide the surgery in parts of one arm, and over time do both arms. His concern is that the insurance co. may balk. He says , however, nobody can say that these things are not or will not become malignant. So the fact that they grow and are painful should be cause enough to grant the claim. He took pictures of both arms. He says he's never seen so many. At least I'm in the top percentile of something. A curios thing he said was that there MAYBE mounting evidence that removing lipomas can cause their return. Similar to healing processes generally, the process may OVER produce the healing factors and stimulate regrowth. He was quick to say this was not a result of proper experiments, just observation by some Docs involved. Anyway that's my little story for today.Talk to ya, HULKY


Spot

Hi all, I am new to this forum. I am in my early 20's and have about 10 lipomas. None of which are too noticeable to others except one. It is on my neck and about 1inch in diameter. I was wondering should I just leave it be, or get it removed now as it may get bigger. My fear is that the scar might look worse than the lump itself.


Frincess51

Spot,
The smaller the lump, the easier it is to get out and the smaller the incision will be and the scar will be smaller. Waiting simply allows the lipoma to grow, making removal more difficult, incision has to be larger and the scar will be larger. If you want it out, do it while it's small. Good luck.
Carole


nana

About these lumpies. From what I gather, most of you can see yours. Mine you can't. Feel, oh yea....I just discovered one on my elbow yesterday. Feels like a piece of rope, and it can move (roll) when touched. Its really eerie.


Denise

The "ropey" thing seems fairly common with Dercum's. Many of us, like me, have mostly diffuse abnormal fat, which can fee firmer than ordinary fat, and/or can have nodules, ropes, or clumps of nodules within the fat. Common places for feeling that are in the arms, abdomen, around the ribs, and inner thigh. Often places like the buttocks, front of thighs, and back have more of the more uniform firm fat. Some with Dercum's have more discrete lumps that are visible.

I really hope that you don't have Dercum's, but I'm glad you are checking with your doctor about it. Please keep us posted.


nana

Already been to the GP, said "fatty tumors" and walked away, Internist said the same thing....Am waiting to find a REAL DR. to discuss this with me. If I ever find one. I don't have time to go to every Dr. just to filter one out...That's why I have been logging in to the forum to get more info before I make a fool of myself in front of a Dr. They all look at my like I'm nuts. But I am not giving up. The pain in my jaw "fatty tumor" hurts but I have a strong pain tolerance...I will go out of state if I have to. If anyone has any feedback on who I could go to sure would be appreciated...

Thanks NANA


Denise

Printing out one or two of the articles in the "useful links" section in the yellow bar above to take to your doctor is probably the best way to go. I suggest one or both of these:
Dercum´s disease - a frequently overlooked disease picture
eMedicine article on Dercum's (Adiposis Dolorosa)

Offer them to the doctor, and ask if Dercum's could be what you have. Some doctors are happy to read the information, others won't touch it. If they are too closed-minded to even read the info I don't think you want them for a doctor anyway. But the articles are almost essential since I'd estimate that fewer than 1% of US doctors know anything about Dercum's, including its name. But good doctors are willing to learn!


SpysLikeUs

I am considering tumescent liposuction with my derm surg. I'm 20 lbs down on my way to my ideal weight which will take another 10 lbs down to go, and as luck would have it my weight is disappearing from everywhere accept my waist! It turns out that I have clusters of 10-20mm Lipomas around the bottom of my rib cage. So I asked my derm surg could he combine both the lipo and excision work, and he said no. fat under the skin and Lipomas have different consistencies,
and Lipomas are encapsulated so they have to be removed intact, not chewed or sucked out a bit at a time. Bummer...


janay

OK I am new on this site and am really confused. My family has a history of Lipomas and no really thinks anything about them. My dad had 1 of several removed from his shoulder. Not a big deal. I on the other hand am a 36 year old married mom with 2 children and have had 1 particular lipoma on my stomach for as long as I can remember. Everytime I ask my doctor(s) they tell me not to worry. However, this is right where the rib cage meets at the chest. It was about the size of a golf ball growing up and is now about the size of a tennis ball. The worst part is, for the past couple of months it has been hurting me really bad. So I went to a general surgeon and am scheduled to have it removed on Firday June 14th. As well as two small ones. One in my right forearm and the other one on my spine. These two just appeared about a year ago. So my confusion is this:

What is the best way to have them removed?
Because the one is causing pain should I be concerned?

The doc that I went to told me a story about a patient that had a softball lipoma removed and said that she was complaining of another one that was bothering her on her rump. So they removed it and unfortunately it was cancer. But it was very rare cancer that got into the muscles. It spread to her thigh and they removed the thigh muscle and she went through two years of treatment before she passed away beacuse the way the cancer spread was undetectable.

So, now you can see why I am confused.

If there is anyone that can help me, please post or email me directly at janaysjewels@comcast.net

I still haven't told my husband that I am having this removed or the reasons behind. ( I am scred and don't want to worry him)

God Bless,
Janay


gina-k-free

Hello Janay and welcome to the forum! Very Happy

Hopefully we can help you to feel better, and not scare you at the same time!

Please forgive me of this one transgression: Shame on that doctor!!!

Okay, I'm done. It is extremely rare that lipomas are cancerous. It is called liposarcoma. If you do your own research you will find the percentage of patients who develop or have liposarcoma is very very very small. I hope this helps to ease your mind.

Something else to think about...all of us here on this forum. How many of us have reported liposarcoma? So far as I know, NONE. So maybe that will help to put your mind at ease.

Do you think the big lipoma is pushing or pressing on some nerves, causing your pain? That is true for a lot of lipoma sufferers. Come on, it's the size of a tennis ball? That's pretty big! I am glad to read that you have scheduled it's removal. You will feel so much better when you get the big one removed...

Quote:
What is the best way to have them removed?

Surgically. The entire lipoma is removed and hopefully will not regrow. With liposuction there is the chance that some cells would be left behind just to regrow.

Quote:
Because the one is causing pain should I be concerned?

Only because it is painful. That is a key sign that it is time to have it removed. Some members prefer to not wait, removing the lipoma while they are small and not painful. Other members wait for them to become a real bother before having them removed. But lets face it, when they are painful they begin to interfere with our daily living. That is the sure signal it is time for that lipoma to move on!

Please talk to your husband about this. You should be able to share all of your thoughts with him. Keeping this from him will only distance the two of you. Take it from someone who has tried it your way.... Crying or Very sad

Please let me know how you are doing. My thoughts are with you. Very Happy

Gina


LUMPSTER

I have just found this site and really glad I have. It's, in a way, nice to know I am not alone. You are all so helpful. Unfortunately you all have the same problem.
The collegenase injection treatment sounds like the way to go for me. I have at least 150 big and small ones all over. I had one removed years ago and the scar isn't bad but you can imagine what 150 + would be like. No thanks. But i do agree that having them removed when they are just starting will probably work just fine. But again the injection thing would be very nice if it works. Well, I will continue to research as all of you are and hopefully we can cure this condition. Good luck everyone!


Witan

Hello Everyone,

Forgive this lengthy soliloquy, but I just found this forum and want to share my experience with lipomas. Hopefully, it will benefit all of you.

For several years I had noticed subcutaneous lipomas in my thighs and one in my lower back. All were small and I was told that they posed no problem. But the lipoma in my back began to grow and over a year's time, it grew so large, it was painful. It was 11 mm x 9 mm and 3.5 mm thick (4.5" x 3.5" x 1.5" thick). It was as big as a large bar of soap! I decided to have it removed.

I researched liposuction and excision and chose excision as one doctor stated that liposuction might not remove the entire lipoma, and if any piece, no matter how small, remained, it could regrow and the operation would have been for naught. His assessment made sense. The surgery was a one hour, out-patient procedure with local. Recovery was good. I only took pain medication for the first day much to the doctor's surprise. I don't like taking meds. The lipoma has not returned.

However, five years later, the lipomas in my thighs have slowly grown. I read about a Chinese doctor successfully treating various problems including benign tumours. I went to him for about 4 months. He uses acupuncture, chi gung, and herbs, but with a unique application. He uses the acupuncture needles as antennae and sends chi (energy) from his hands through the needles with the thought instruction for the lipomas to reduce and disappear. His successes have been pretty good. I met two of his other patients who had huge fibroid tumours that disappeared completely in about 7 and 10 months of treatment, and he's gained endorsement of a couple of medical doctors who have been quite impressed with his theories and more importantly his results.

From his treatements, Several of the lipomas in my thighs noticeably reduced, one reducing 50%, and two smaller ones disappeared! However, there were three drawbacks. One was that, at the time, I was self-employed and paying for the treatments out of pocket which were costly on my limited income. Secondly, his office was a 90 minute drive one way with traffic flowing well. Bad traffic made the commute last sometimes 2 hours one way. I didn't have the free time. And third, one of the herb patches applied on the skin over a lipoma slightly discoloured the skin, making it darker. It's still that way. In fairness to him, if his office were much closer, and my insurance would cover treatments, I would consider resuming his treatments.

The same doctor who removed the lipoma from my back gave me a quote of $3600 to surgically remove all the lipomas in my thighs. Because there are so many of them (26), he suggested general anathaesia. I think I will opt for this sometime within the next year and after that, I will have liposuction done on my thighs and lower back to remove all of the fat. To my knowledge, fat does not grow back in the areas where it has been removed by liposuction, so this would be an effort to prevent more lipomas from appearing.

Also, after I had the lipoma removed from my back, I applied liquid vitamin E (natural, not synthetic) to the incision as it healed. I told my doctor prior to surgery that I would do this. He laughed and said there was 'scientific evidence' to support that vitamins are beneficial, but that it couldn't hurt me. Well, when I returned to his office two weeks later to have the stitches removed, he was shocked. The incision had healed so quickly, that he was barely able to remove the stitches. He remarked that he had never seen such rapid healing of an incision and such a small scar. When asked what I did, I replied, "Oh, I topically applied vitamin E. You know, one of those vitamins that doesn't have any scientific evidence of benefit." He was chagrined but quite impressed.

I hope this is of help to all of you.

Regards,
Sterling


Levisjen

I had liposuction on 23 lipomas on friday(that takes care of about 1/2 of them). My plastic surgeon told me to look into mesotherapy too.
Anyway..I think that I get more the older I get ...my brother also has multiple lipomas and has never had any removed and he gets more and more the older he gets too. I had liposuction years ago to remove 12 lipomas and didn't grow many more lipomas until around age 30(I'm 32 now) I got a ton more. I understand your concern but feel that in my case that the liposuction isn't causing most of my lipomas. It is spendy though..$11,000.00...but worth it! I am still really bruised but so impressed! Have any of you tried mesotherapy? Jen