Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 4: Recognizing Symptoms
• Method 2 of 4: Making a diagnosis
• Method 3 of 4: Risk Factors
• Method 4 of 4: Treating a lipoma
• Warnings

Lipoma, or wen, is a benign tumor. Tumors of this type usually appear on the trunk, neck, armpits, shoulders, thighs, and internal organs. Fortunately, lipoma is usually not life-threatening and can be treated if it causes discomfort. However, it is best to be prepared in advance and understand what a lipoma looks like and how it can be removed if it grows.

Attention:the information in this article is for informational purposes only. Before using any methods, consult your doctor.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Recognizing Symptoms

1. 1 Note the small bump under the skin. Typically, lipomas appear as rounded bumps that can range in size from a small pea to about 3 centimeters in diameter. If you find a similar lump under your skin, it could be a lipoma.
   • Sometimes the size of a lipoma can exceed 3 centimeters. Also, you may not be able to find it.
   • These bumps are formed as a result of abnormal and rapid growth of fat cells in the appropriate place.
   • If the lump is larger, harder, and less mobile, it could be a cyst. In addition, the cyst can be painful to grope, infection, or fluid.

   Advice: in rare cases, a lipoma can grow more than 3 centimeters. Lipomas larger than 5 centimeters are called giant.

   
   
2. 2 Feel the bump to see how soft it is. Fatty tumors are usually quite soft to the touch, and when pressed with fingers, they move. Such tumors are loosely connected to the surrounding tissues, and when pressed, they move slightly under the skin, although they generally remain in the same place.
   • This symptom will help you determine if you are dealing with a lipoma, another tumor, or a cyst. Compared to lipomas, cysts and other types of tumors are harder and more defined.
   • If the lipoma has penetrated deeply into the surrounding tissue, which is rare, it may feel harder and retain its overall shape.
3. 3 Pay attention to possible painful sensations. Although fatty tumors are usually painless because they lack nerve endings, they can sometimes be painful if they grow in certain areas of the body. For example, if a lipoma appears near a nerve, as it grows, it may press on it, causing pain.
   • In case of pain in the lipoma area, consult your doctor.
4. 4 If you develop a similar lump or it changes, talk to your doctor. See your doctor if you find that the new growth changes its size or shape. To ensure proper treatment, you need to get a qualified diagnosis, and not try to establish one yourself.
   • The doctor will be able to distinguish lipoma from other types of tumors and cysts.

Method 2 of 4: Making a diagnosis

1. 1 Mark when you first spotted the bump. You need to know how long the tubercle has existed and whether it has changed over time. After you first locate the bump, write down the date and its location and general shape.
   • This will help the doctor assess the severity of the tumor and determine if it should be removed because it is growing.

   Advice: note that lipoma may not change over the years and may not cause any problems. Most people remove lipomas just because they don't like their appearance.

   
   
2. 2 Watch for a bump growing. After you first spot a bump, measure it with a measuring tape, and then check to see if it grows. If you notice that the tumor has grown within 1–2 months, visit your doctor even if you have already contacted him about this before.
   • It can be difficult to tell if a tumor is growing as lipomas grow very slowly.
   • At first, the fatty tumor may be a pea-sized size, and then increase. However, lipomas usually do not grow larger than 3 centimeters, so if the lump grows larger, it may be a different type of tumor.
3. 3 Show the bump to your doctor. If you find unusual or new bumps on your body, be sure to see your doctor. Make an appointment with your doctor and show him the education you are concerned about. He will examine and feel them, and also ask you about the symptoms.
   • Often, a doctor can diagnose lipoma based on the results of an external examination and palpation. However, you may be assigned additional tests and tests to find out the nature of education.
   • The doctor may order X-rays, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), biopsy.

Method 3 of 4: Risk Factors

1. 1 Remember that age affects the likelihood of lipoma formation. Fatty tumors are most often formed at the age of 40-60 years. If you are over 40 years old, watch out for similar bumps on your body.
   • However, keep in mind that lipoma can appear at any age. It's just that the risk of developing fatty tumors is increased after 40 years.
2. 2 Determine if you have a medical condition that makes you more likely to form lipomas. Certain health problems can increase the risk of lipomas. These include the following diseases:
   • Banyan-Riley-Ruwalkaba syndrome;
   • multiple lipomatosis (Madelung's disease);
   • Dercum disease (neurolipomatosis);
   • Cowden's disease;
   • Gardner's syndrome.
3. 3 Find out if there have been any cases of lipoma in your family. Ask your parents and grandparents if they or their relatives have had any fake. There is a link between family history and your own health, as lipomas can be genetically related.
   • For example, if your grandmother had a lipoma, there is a high probability that you will have it as well, since you inherited her genes.
   • However, keep in mind that sporadic lipomas are more common than those caused by a genetic predisposition. This means that you may develop lipoma even if your family members did not have them.

   A warning: knowing that your family members have lipomas will not help you avoid the formation of a fatty tumor. However, in this case, it will be easier for you to determine that you most likely have a lipoma.

   
   
4. 4 Keep an eye on areas where you get re-injured from contact sports. The likelihood of developing lipoma is increased in athletes who receive blows in the same areas of the body. For example, for a volleyball player, these may be those places on the hands with which he often hits the ball.
   • If you injure the same spot over and over again, consider protecting it and thereby preventing lipoma from forming.

Method 4 of 4: Treating a lipoma

1. 1 Talk to your doctor about steroid injections. This is the least invasive way to get rid of a lipoma. A mixture of steroids (triamcinolone acetonide and 1% lidocaine) is injected into the middle of the tumor. The injection is done by a doctor on an outpatient basis.
   • If the swelling persists within a month, the injection may be repeated until the lipoma is cleared.
2. 2 If the swelling is large or painful, it can be removed with surgery. Surgery is the most effective way to get rid of a lipoma. Usually it is done only if the tumor has grown to about 3 centimeters or is painful. If the tumor is just under the skin, it is enough to make a small incision, remove the lipoma, and then rinse and suture the wound.
   • If the tumor is in any organ, which happens much less often, it will require surgery under general anesthesia to remove it.
   • Lipoma usually does not grow back after removal, although it rarely does.
3. 3 Consider the possibility of liposuction. This method consists in the removal of fatty tissue by suction. A small incision is made in the tumor and a tube is inserted through which the fatty tissue is removed. Typically, liposuction is an outpatient procedure that is done in an appropriate clinic or hospital.
   • As a rule, people who use this method want to get rid of the tumor for aesthetic reasons. Liposuction is also used when the tumor is softer than usual.

   A warning: Please note that a small scar remains after liposuction, but it is almost invisible after complete healing.

4. 4 Use home remedies to treat lipoma. There are various herbs and dietary supplements that have been reported to reduce lipoma. The following home remedies may be helpful (although they have not been sufficiently supported by rigorous scientific research):
   • medium starlet - get a starlet solution at the pharmacy and take it one teaspoon (5 milliliters) three times a day after meals;
   • neem - add this Indian herb to your food or take daily supplements containing it;
   • flax seed oil - apply oil directly to the affected area three times a day;
   • green tea - drink a glass of green tea daily;
   • Turmeric - Take a daily supplement containing turmeric or apply a mixture of equal parts turmeric and vegetable oil to the tumor.
   • lemon juice - add freshly squeezed lemon juice to a variety of drinks throughout the day.

Warnings

• If you find any lump, see your doctor, even if you think it is a relatively harmless lipoma (fatty tumor).