Lipoma Causes and Treatment

At the Mole Institute, we understand that discovering an unusual lump under your skin can be concerning. One common type of lump is a lipoma – a benign growth of fatty tissue that forms just beneath the skin. Lipomas typically feel soft or “rubbery” and move slightly when pressed, and most are painless. They can appear anywhere on the body but are most often found on the torso, shoulders, neck, or arms. While lipomas are generally harmless and rarely require treatment, many patients consider removal for comfort or cosmetic reasons. In this post, we’ll explain what lipomas are, explore their causes, and discuss how our team of experienced physicians can treat them.

What Is a Lipoma?

A lipoma is essentially a lump of fatty tissue under the skin. These growths are benign soft-tissue tumors, meaning they are not cancerous and tend to grow slowly. Lipomas are usually small (often under 5 cm) and are encapsulated, which means they don’t spread into surrounding tissues. They often present as round or oval bumps that you can easily move with gentle pressure. Most lipomas don’t cause any symptoms; however, if a lipoma presses on nearby nerves or joints, it might cause discomfort or limit movement.

Lipomas are quite common, especially in adults during middle age, though they can develop at any age. It’s also not unusual for a person to have more than one lipoma over time, but having a single isolated lipoma is most typical. Distinguishing a lipoma from other lumps (like cysts or more serious tumors) is something a physician can do. They will confirm the diagnosis with a physical exam and, if needed, imaging or a biopsy.

What Causes Lipomas?

The exact cause of lipomas is not fully understood. Many lipomas arise without a clear trigger. However, medical experts believe there is often a genetic component. Lipomas tend to run in families, indicating that heredity plays a role. If you have family members who have lipomas, you may be more likely to develop one in your lifetime. There are also some rare conditions that can lead to multiple lipomas. For example, familial multiple lipomatosis is an inherited condition where a person develops numerous lipomas. Other uncommon syndromes associated with multiple lipomas include Dercum’s disease (adiposis dolorosa) and Madelung’s disease. While Dercum’s disease causes painful lipomas, Madelung’s disease causes symmetrical fat deposits. These conditions are not common, but they illustrate that biological factors can influence lipoma formation.

In some cases, injury or trauma to an area of the body has been noted before a lipoma develops there. While it’s not proven that trauma causes lipomas, a significant impact might trigger a lump to grow in some individuals. Apart from genetics and injury, doctors and researchers have looked at other possible risk factors. Some studies have found associations with obesity and certain metabolic conditions. For instance, people who are overweight, have high cholesterol, or diabetes may have a slightly higher chance of developing lipomas. It’s important to note that these are correlations and not confirmed direct causes. In most patients, we simply consider lipomas to be an isolated benign growth without an obvious cause.

Medical vs. Cosmetic Reasons for Lipoma Removal

Because lipomas are benign, treatment is usually optional. Many people choose to leave a lipoma alone if it’s small and not bothersome. However, there are several situations where you and your physician might decide that removal is a good idea. You may consider having a lipoma removed in the following cases:

Pain or Discomfort: The lipoma is causing pain or tenderness, which can happen if it presses on a nerve or grows near a joint or muscle, making movements uncomfortable.
Rapid Growth or Large Size: The lump is growing in size or already fairly large. A fast-growing lump should be evaluated to ensure it’s indeed a benign lipoma and not a more serious issue. Even if it is a lipoma, a large growth can be cumbersome, and you might prefer to have it taken out while it’s easier to remove.
Interference with Function: The lipoma interferes with normal function or clothing. For example, a lipoma in a spot where it rubs against your clothes or restricts movement (such as under a bra strap or on the waistline) can be irritating day to day.
Cosmetic Concerns: The lump is visible and cosmetically bothersome to you. Many patients seek removal simply to restore a smoother appearance and feel more confident in their own skin.
Uncertainty of Diagnosis: In some cases, if there’s any uncertainty that the lump is a lipoma, a physician might recommend removal or biopsy to confirm what it is. Lipomas can sometimes be mistaken for other types of tumors or cysts, so removing and examining the tissue can provide peace of mind that nothing more serious is going on.

Physician-Performed Lipoma Treatments

If you decide to treat a lipoma, rest assured the procedures are safe and typically done on an outpatient basis. At the Mole Institute, our team of experienced physicians performs lipoma removals with a focus on comfort and minimal scarring. Treatment options performed by physicians include:

Surgical Excision (Removal):

Surgical excision is the most common and effective treatment for a lipoma. In a simple outpatient procedure, a physician will numb the area with a local anesthetic so you won’t feel any pain. They then make a small incision in the skin and carefully remove the fatty lump. They then proceed to gently free it from surrounding tissue and squeeze it out through the opening . The incision is made as small as possible to reduce scarring, yet large enough to ensure the entire lipoma is removed. After the lipoma is out, the physician will close the incision with a few stitches. The procedure is relatively quick, and usually you can go home the same day.

In most cases, patients resume normal light activities by the next day, with only minor soreness at the site. The scar from lipoma excision is usually small and tends to fade over time. Typically the scar’s length is about one-half to two-thirds of the diameter of the lipoma that was removed. Complete surgical removal also means that the lipoma is very unlikely to return. Once it’s fully excised, recurrence at that exact spot is rare. However, it is still possible to develop a new lipoma elsewhere on the body in the future.

Liposuction:

In some cases, especially if a lipoma is larger or very soft, a physician may use a liposuction technique to remove the fatty tissue. Liposuction involves making a tiny cut in the skin and inserting a thin, hollow tube. The physician uses suction to pull out the fatty cells through the tube, effectively shrinking or debulking the lipoma. This method can result in an even smaller skin incision. However, liposuction may not always remove all of the lipoma’s cells. If any remnants of the fat tumor are left behind, there’s a chance the lipoma could re-grow in that spot. For this reason, liposuction is sometimes used in conjunction with surgical excision or reserved for particular cases. Your physician will recommend the approach that best balances a good cosmetic outcome with a low risk of the lipoma coming back.

Steroid Injections:

A less common treatment approach is an injection of a corticosteroid medication directly into the lipoma. Steroid injections can shrink a lipoma by causing the fat cells to break down, but this method usually does not eliminate the lipoma completely. The reduction in size might relieve some concerns, but over time the remaining fatty tissue could continue to grow. Because the results are often not permanent or predictable, and injections can sometimes cause dimpling of the skin or loss of fat in surrounding tissue, this option is not widely used for lipomas. Many clinics, including the Mole Institute, do not typically recommend steroid injections as a stand-alone lipoma treatment, since surgical removal is a more definitive solution.

It’s worth noting that after a lipoma is removed (whether by excision or other methods), the tissue is sometimes sent to a lab for analysis as a precaution. Your physician might do this to confirm that the lump was indeed a benign lipoma and not a rare tumor such as a liposarcoma (a cancerous fatty tumor). This is simply a standard step to provide you with complete peace of mind. In the vast majority of cases, the pathology report comes back confirming a benign lipoma.

Schedule a Consultation

Understanding lipomas and your treatment options can help put your mind at ease. Whether your reason for seeking treatment is to alleviate discomfort or to address cosmetic concerns, the Mole Institute is here to help. Our team of experienced physicians has removed countless lipomas, focusing on patient safety and satisfaction at every step. We take pride in using techniques that minimize scarring and maximize comfort during recovery. If you have a lipoma that you’re considering having removed, or if you’re unsure about a new lump, we encourage you to reach out for an evaluation.

At the Mole Institute, we’ll assess your situation and recommend the best course of action. Removal of a lipoma is typically a straightforward procedure, often one that can be done in-office on the same day as your consultation. You’ll be in caring, capable hands from start to finish. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and take the next step toward peace of mind and personalized care for your needs. We’re here to answer your questions and ensure you feel confident about your treatment choices.