Is it worth it to remove a lipoma, how dangerous it is and why this neoplasm arises - the most common questions that people ask when they find a knotty seal under their skin.
In order to answer these questions, it is necessary to consider all aspects of the disease: etiology, symptoms, prevention, directly removing lipomas, reviews of people who have already removed wen by various methods.
What is a lipoma?
A lipoma or wen is a benign mass under the skin. They can be relatively small (from half a centimeter) and reach the size of a chicken egg. Fat loss is painless, a person with lipomatosis does not have any symptoms of the disease, with the exception of mediocre dense formations under the skin.
Lipoma consists of adipose tissue, people of any age can face lipomatosis, but most often pathology occurs at the age of 30-60.
Etiology of lipomatosis
The causes of lipomatosis are not yet reliably known. Scientists put forward at least two theories of the appearance of lipomatosis, both of them are quite viable.
- According to the first theory, a person mechanically injures acne on the skin, which provokes a strong inflammatory process. That is, the duct of the sebaceous gland is blocked, the formation of a boil occurs, which, in turn, develops into a wen. This theory perfectly explains the reasons for the formation of a single lipoma, but does not explain the etiology of lipomatosis - multiple lipomas.
- The second theory of the appearance of lipomas is a violation of the biochemical process of fat metabolism, as a result of which the amount of adipose tissue increases. And the reasons for the violation of fat metabolism itself can be based on psychological and physiological stresses (infectious diseases, hypothermia, climate change, etc.). In this case, it is important to deal with the root cause of the disease, because even if lipoma is removed efficiently, reviews warn about the risk of relapse.
There is evidence that a significant role in the etiology of lipomatosis is given to the genetic factor, but this theory has no scientific evidence. Also, many scientists claim the relationship of lipomatosis and endocrine diseases, pancreatic pathologies. There is evidence of a hypothetical relationship between the formation of wen and alcoholism.
Types of Lipomas
Types of Lipomas |
Classic | Combined |
- | Fibrolipoma | Myolipoma | Angiolipoma | Myelolipoma | Maxolipoma |
Fat tissue | Connective tissue | Muscle fibers | Vessels | Hematopoietic cells | Mucous tissue |
The lipoma composition can be determined histologically, when part of the cells from the neoplasm is taken for examination under a microscope.
A tumor can have both clear boundaries and vague when the adipose smoothly passes into normal adipose tissue. For a dermatologist, the diagnosis of a wen, as a rule, does not present any problems.
Is lipoma dangerous?
Lipoma is a benign formation, but it can cause aesthetic discomfort, especially if the lipoma is large or lipoma needs to be removed on the neck, reviews indicate that most people tend to get rid of the tumor.
Of paramount importance is the location of the lipoma. If it is near the joint, it can affect the degree of mobility. If you are close to a nerve ending, pain or numbness may occur.
Patients are often worried about the logical question: can a benign formation turn into a malignant one? Theoretically, this is possible, but in practice is extremely rare. In addition, there is always a risk of incorrect diagnosis when a malignant tumor is mistaken for a benign one.
Therefore, it is worth removing a lipoma for reasons of physical and emotional comfort, as well as preventing the conversion of a tumor to a malignant one.
Removal by folk methods
Traditional medicine offers a large number of methods for home removal of lipoma. Reviews can promise a quick effect, but no scientific justification for effectiveness exists. Doctors warn that no ointments, compresses, diets and massages can help in the fight against lipomas.
Surgical removal of lipomas
The classic method of getting rid of lipomas is surgery. It is carried out under local anesthesia, so the maximum discomfort that the patient will experience in the surgeon's office is the pain of an injection with an anesthetic.
The surgeon makes a small incision on the skin, gently squeezes the wen and sutures the wound. If the lipoma was large, fluid may accumulate in the cavity. In this case, it is advisable to install drainage. Surgical removal of a lipoma, which can be obtained from any doctor, has a significant drawback: the formation of scars. If the resection is performed on the back or scalp, this problem is not significant, but to get rid of wen in the face, it is better to choose another way.
Testimonials from patients who have already undergone the procedure indicate that after surgery, swelling or swelling may occur at the site of removal. As a rule, the rehabilitation period ends in 7-10 days. A person can return to everyday life immediately after surgery.
Laser method
Removing a lipoma adipose with a laser is the most effective, safe and painless. The advantages of the method include:
- lack of blood;
- minimal risk of infection;
- lack of pain;
- lack of scars;
- the duration of the procedure is 1 minute.
The laser beam helps to hatch the wen from surrounding tissues and at the same time “seals” the capillaries. If the lipoma was large, the surgeon will need to suture the wound.
The removed lipoma is sent for a mandatory histological examination. But if the size of the formation is very small, the fat will be completely destroyed by the laser beam.
According to statistics, an increasing number of people use laser removal of lipomas. Reviews indicate painlessness and the absence of a rehabilitation period.
Radio wave method
Removing a wen with radio waves has the same advantages as a laser: a person has the ability to get rid of a lipoma without pain, scars and bleeding. However, it is impossible to remove the formation of more than 3 cm by this method.
The principle of the method is the separation of lipoma from surrounding tissues with an invisible radio wave knife. In this case, the influence of frequencies promotes rapid tissue regeneration. The doctor takes out the whole fat capsule and sends it for histological examination. At the place of removal, a small damage resembling a scratch remains, which completely heals in a few days.
It is important to know that the presence of a pacemaker makes radio wave removal of lipomas impossible. Patient reviews indicate a high speed of the procedure and the ability to return to everyday life immediately after the procedure.
Cryodestruction
Cryodestruction is a method of removing neoplasms using low temperatures (liquid nitrogen). This method has a significant difference from the others - during it the doctor does not remove the lipoma, but leaves it in the tissues. Lipoma independently decreases in size and disappears after some time.
How to choose a way?
A variety of methods for removing lipomas pose a problem of choice in patients. Taking into account the symptoms of lipomatosis, each person understands the need for such a procedure as removal of lipoma. Reviews and recommendations indicate the positive and negative sides of each method, so making your own choice is difficult.
The best and easiest way to make the right choice is to consult a dermatologist. He will examine the education, evaluate its location, size, concomitant diseases of a person and propose a method of treatment that will be most suitable in his case.
However, the choice of a doctor is an essential part of the success of the event. In this case, you can and should rely on the recommendations of people. For example, if lipoma removal is required in Moscow, reviews will be of great help in choosing.
Thus, lipomatosis is an unpleasant but not dangerous disease. Modern methods allow you to quickly and effectively deal with formations. A dermatologist will not only help get rid of lipoma, but will also establish the cause of the problem, and therefore, tell you how to avoid the formation of adipose tissue in the future.