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Do you have the feeling that something is wrong with your legs? Do you simply not lose weight, especially on your thighs, despite exercise and a good diet? Perhaps you have also noticed other complaints such as pain and feelings of tightness. Then it could possibly be lipedema of the legs.
The lipedema experts at LIPOCURA® understand that this condition is often very challenging for affected women. Lipedema can cause limitations in quality of life, which is a huge emotional and physical burden. But you are not alone – we are here to offer you comprehensive support. We will inform you in detail about the causes, symptoms, stages and treatment options for lipedema of the legs. Our goal is not only to provide you with knowledge, but also to give you courage and show you how you can find your way to a better sense of well-being.
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Table of contents
Lipedema is a chronic fat distribution disorder that occurs mainly in women. It usually affects the legs, but can also affect other areas of the body such as the arms or buttocks. The exact cause of lipedema is not yet fully understood, but it is assumed that various factors play a favourable role. However, self-inflicted causes can definitely be ruled out! The disease lipedema is not caused by being overweight, but this can have a negative influence on the course of the disease.
Lipedema can occur in some cases in relatives, suggesting a genetic component. There are observations that affected women can have family clusters of lipedema cases, so that grandmother, mother and also daughter can be affected.
However, this does not necessarily mean that all family members will develop lipedema.
In particular, the influence of female hormones such as oestrogen and progesterone is considered a possible trigger factor for lipedema. It is suspected that these hormones influence the fatty tissue and can lead to increased fat storage. This also explains why lipedema mainly occurs in women. Particular hormonal changes in the body, such as puberty, pregnancy or menopause, can have an effect on lipedema as trigger factors.
Typical symptoms of lipedema on the legs are a disproportionate accumulation of fatty tissue, which is often symmetrically distributed. Thus, the legs are usually significantly thicker, while other parts of the body are proportionally slim. Apart from the aesthetic aspect, many sufferers complain of a number of complaints that can vary in severity depending on the person and the advanced stage. These include:
In the advanced stages, oedema – water retention – can also form.
Lipedema is divided into different stages to determine the severity of the disease.
Stage I
At this stage, the skin is still mostly smooth, but there is already an uneven distribution of fat tissue. Small accumulations of fat cells may be present, but they are usually not visible or palpable.
More about Lipedema stage 1.
Stage II
Stage II shows an uneven skin structure with palpable nodules and dents. Fatty tissue is increased and leads to visible changes on the legs. The skin can be sensitive and cause pain.
More about Lipedema stage 2.
Stage III
In this advanced stage of lipedema, distinct dimpling and a larger accumulation of fatty tissue are visible. The skin may also appear tight and taut. Affected women often complain of pain, heaviness and limited mobility.
More about Lipedema stage 3.
Stadium IV
With LIPOCURA® we also speak of a further, fourth stage. In this stage, in addition to fat accumulation, fluid accumulation also occurs - lipo-lymphoedema develops.
The treatment of lipedema on the legs is primarily aimed at alleviating the symptoms and improving the quality of life of those affected. In any case, conservative therapy should always be started once lipedema has been diagnosed.
Conservative measures can help reduce swelling and relieve pain. The best-known therapeutic measures are:
However, you should be aware that conservative therapy only helps to alleviate the symptoms, but cannot cure the disease. It is also not possible to reduce the fat cells in this way.
Liposuction (liposuction) can be considered as an adjunctive treatment. This is the only way so far to remove the excess fat tissue.
Our specialists in lipedema perform liposuction on the legs using the PAL method. The “power assisted liposuction” is carried out in combination with the tumescence technique – a special tumescent solution is injected into the treatment area, which flushes out the fatty tissue. This and the use of a vibrating cannula enable a particularly gentle removal of the diseased fat cells without damaging surrounding tissue or lymph vessels. In addition, every lipedema operation at LIPOCURA® is performed under general anaesthesia, as this allows us to remove more fat in fewer operations. In addition, it is possible to perform a skin tightening procedure in parallel to liposuction for lipedema in order to tighten excess tissue.
More to liposuction on the legs
At LIPOCURA® we follow a holistic approach, which means that we are there for you before, during and also after the lipedema operation and provide you with support. Would you like to learn more about lipedema of the legs or our treatment methods and would you like a personal consultation? We would be very happy to welcome you for a consultation in a trusting atmosphere – at a specialist centre near you!
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