What is Lipoma?

Lipomas sit beneath the skin, adding an unsightly and unwanted lump to our bodies. But what are they? And how do they affect us?

Lipoma is the term for the growth of fat cells in a thin capsule just beneath the skin. They form in unsightly blemishes and can be located nearly anywhere on the body, but are commonly found along the torso, neck, upper arms or upper thighs, or in the armpits.

The clump of fat cells that happen with lipoma are not cancerous – nor do they have the potential of becoming cancerous –and are the most common kind of the growth of soft tissue. Though scientists have yet to exactly determine what causes them, the tendency to get them is something that can be inherited. Lipoma usually appears with middle age.

In worst-case scenarios, lipoma growths can feel painful or tender to the touch, get infected or inflamed and even emit a bad-smelling liquid discharge. Depending on their location, they can also create a problem with movement and increase in size over time.

Medical details aside, we know that one thing matters above all else about lipoma: the lumps they add to our body – looking in worst cases like a small ball or welt has grown under our skin – and how these unwanted skin distortions can make you feel embarrassed.

Luckily, they can be treated!

Here at Fairview, we can easily remove the localized fat deposits by excising them while the patient is under a local aesthetic. This procedure will take one to one and a half weeks to fully heal – and leave you feeling much happier with your body, and its appearance.

You don’t have to suffer the effects – physical and emotional – from lipoma. Contact us today to book a consultation with one of the Toronto cosmetic specialists here at Fairview to learn how to get rid of lipoma and improve your body.