Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

Fat edema (sometimes called painful fat accumulation syndrome) is a condition in which fat builds up in the lower body. This disease usually occurs only in women, but there are some rare cases in men. People with fat edema find it impossible to lose weight in the lower body even though it is possible to lose fat in the upper body. Legs can easily bruise and hurt to the touch.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Diagnosis

1. 

   See your doctor. The only way to diagnose fatty edema is to see a doctor. If you are not trained in this area, your doctor may refer you to a specialist to help you check your condition and determine if it is fat edema or a similar type of fat disorder.
   • The symptoms of fat edema make some people ashamed to talk to their doctor. Remember that there is nothing to be ashamed of and that if it is fatty edema, the earlier it is caught, the easier it is to treat.

2. 

   
   
   Understand the stages of fatty edema. Like many disorders and many other illnesses, lipoatrophy is often easier to treat if detected at an early stage. There are 4 stages of fatty edema:
   • At stage 1, the skin will remain smooth and swollen during the day, but the swelling should go away when you rest. During this stage, lipoatrophy responds well to treatment.
   • In stage 2, the skin may have an indentation and a fat lump may appear. You may have eczema (dermatitis) or a skin infection called ringitis. The swelling may still appear, but not completely, even after you rest and raise your legs. At this stage, the body still responds well to treatment.
   • At stage 3, the connective tissue may harden. At this stage, the signs of swelling do not decrease even when you rest or raise your legs. The skin can also sag. The disorder at this stage is still treatable, but the body will be less responsive to many treatments.
   • In stage 4, you will experience stage 3 symptoms but get worse. At this stage, some experts call lipo lymphedema. Like stage 3, you should still try treatment, but your body may not respond to some treatments.

3. 

   
   
   Know what the doctor is going to check. The best way to diagnose fatty edema is to examine the outside of the affected site. Your doctor may be able to feel for lumps that are characteristic of this disorder. In addition, your doctor will ask if you have pain and describe when / if signs of swelling increase or decrease.
   • There are currently no blood tests to help doctors determine fatty edema.
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Part 2 of 3: Understanding the symptoms

1. 

   
   
   Watch for signs of swelling in your legs. This is the most common and obvious symptom of fat edema. Signs of swelling are usually in both legs, and may include the hips and buttocks. The swelling may increase gradually or there is a difference between the upper body and lower body.
   • For example, some people with fat edema have very slender upper hips but large lower hips causing imbalance.

2. 

   Note that normal feet will remain the same “normal” size. The swelling may not appear on the feet and stop right at the ankles, making the legs like a pillar.
   • Note that symptoms are not always the same. The entire leg may not be swollen or swollen just from the ankle up to the hip. Some people have only a small fat pouch just above each ankle.

3. 

   Realize that the biceps can also be affected. Although most people experience symptoms in the lower body, symptoms can also appear in the biceps. Fat in the biceps is the same as in the legs, meaning that fat can be deposited equally in both arms.
   • From the outside, you can see fat accumulating in a long segment and suddenly stopping at your elbow or wrist.

4. 

   Check to see if the skin is cold to the touch. People with lipoatrophy indicate that the affected area feels cold to the touch. The skin can also be soft and flaky like a dough.
   • Besides, you may feel pain to the touch and the affected area is easy to bruise.
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Part 3 of 3: Understand the cause

1. 

   Note that the cause is not known. Despite a few suspicious factors, doctors are still not sure what exactly causes fat edema. Unfortunately, the unknown cause makes this disease difficult to treat.
   • Giving your doctor as much health and genetic information as possible will help your doctor identify the underlying cause and come up with treatment.

2. 

   Learn about potential genetic links. In many cases, genetic factors can contribute to this disorder. The reason is that people with fatty edema sometimes have family members who are also dealing with this disorder.
   • For example, if you have fatty edema, it cannot be ruled out that your parent is also suffering from the disorder.

3. 

   Consider hormonal changes. Some doctors believe that fat edema is related to hormones. The reason is that the disorder occurs mostly only in women and is often during hormonal changes such as puberty, pregnancy or premenopause.
   • Although it may seem insignificant, identifying the cause can help your doctor in determining the right treatment plan.
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Advice

• Note that if you have lipo-edema, you may be more prone to venous insufficiency, knee pain and obesity. Ask your doctor what you can do to prevent these side effects.

Warning

• Be clear that fat edema is not the same as being obese. If you have fatty edema, remember that you have done nothing wrong. It is not your fault.