Lipoma is a common benign skin tumor, which is composed of mature fat cells and varying amounts of non-fat components. It is a soft, round, or oval tumor. It can occur in any area with fat and is most common on the back, neck, shoulders, chest and abdominal walls, and proximal limbs (upper arms, thighs, buttocks). It can also occur deep in the limbs, usually in the subcutaneous fat layer.

What symptoms might someone with lipoma have?

Patients usually find one or more lumps under the skin, usually less than 5 cm in diameter. A single lipoma may be large and painless; but if there are multiple tumors, they may be smaller and accompanied by pain.

Regardless of whether they are single or multiple, their color is close to the color of normal skin. They are mostly spherical, feel like dough or rubber, and have good mobility.

What are the causes of lipoma?

The specific cause is currently unclear, but possible factors include:

• Dietary factors: Frequent heavy drinking and excessive consumption of spicy, greasy foods or high-cholesterol foods such as animal offal can cause too many new fat cells in the body. Excessive fat cells accumulate and harden, leading to lipoma.
• Stress and depression: Long-term work or life stress and depression can easily cause abnormal fat metabolism, cause fat accumulation, induce abnormal arrangement of fat cells, and lead to the formation of lipoma.
• Living habits: Bad living habits, such as staying up late, lack of exercise, sitting for long periods, etc., may lead to a decrease in the body’s ability to decompose fat and cause fat accumulation.
• Others: such as genetics, drug factors, etc.

What to do after getting lipoma?

If it is determined to be a lipoma after a doctor’s examination, most of the cases do not require treatment, just observation. However, you need to check yourself every 1 to 2 months. If the lump does not change, you can continue to observe it.

For larger lipomas or when the patient thinks that the lipoma affects the appearance, lipoma removal surgery can be performed.

If you find that the original lump suddenly grows or hardens, or the color of the local skin changes, or there is local pain, or the removed lipoma re-grows a lump at the original site, you need to go to the hospital to see a doctor.

What should lipoma patients pay attention to in their lives?

• Patients with lipoma should avoid drinking a lot of alcohol and eating too much spicy, greasy food (such as hot pot, pork belly, fried chicken, etc.) animal offal (chicken liver, pig liver, etc.), and other high-cholesterol foods.
• Maintain an optimistic attitude in life and don’t stay up late. Be active in physical exercise.
• Asymptomatic people generally do not need to pay special attention and can live a normal life as long as they follow the above recommendations.

Can lipoma be prevented?

The pathogenesis of lipoma is not fully understood, so there are no effective preventive measures. The risk of lipoma can be reduced by:

• Adjust your diet: Eat less greasy and high-cholesterol foods and more foods rich in vitamins and fiber, such as fruits and vegetables.
• Exercise: Appropriate exercise and exercise, especially for obese people.
• Quit smoking and drinking.
• Maintain an optimistic attitude, avoid excessive stress, and vent your emotions appropriately.