Patient education: Lipoma (The Basics)

What is a lipoma? — A lipoma is a type of benign tumor. "Benign" means that the tumor is not cancer. Lipomas grow in the fatty layer of tissue between the skin and the muscle. A lipoma:

●Usually forms on the trunk (chest, back, or belly) or arm

●Feels soft or rubbery

●Is usually painless

●Can be round or oval in shape

●Can be about 0.5 to 4 inches in size (1 to 10 cm)

Often, people have more than 1 lipoma.

Should I see a doctor or nurse? — Yes. If you think that you have a lipoma, see your doctor or nurse. They can check the lipoma and make sure that it is not something else.

Is there a test for lipoma? — Usually, your doctor or nurse can tell if you have a lipoma by learning about your symptoms and doing an exam. But in some cases, you might need to have tests to make sure that your growth is a lipoma. These can include:

●Ultrasound – This is a type of imaging test. Imaging tests create pictures of the inside of the body.

●Biopsy – For this test, a doctor takes a small piece of tissue from the area. Then, they look at the tissue under a microscope.

These tests might be done to confirm that you have a lipoma and not something else.

How is a lipoma treated? — Some lipomas do not need treatment. Since they are not cancer or infections, they do not harm a person's overall health. But some people choose to have their lipoma removed, especially if they do not like the way that it looks or if it is causing pain.

Lipomas are usually removed with surgery. In some cases, "liposuction" can be done instead. This involves using suction to remove fat cells from an area of the body.