Jeffrey C. Poole, MD

Lipomas are benign local overgrowths of fatty tissue, and are quite common. They often are more common among family members, and you may develop more with time.

There are a few different surgical techniques to remove lipomas. They generally involve a relatively small surgical incision directly over the lipoma, often much smaller than the lipoma itself. The tumor (not cancer! tumor just means "growth") can then be dissected from the surrounding tissue and teased out of the small incision.

How much you are limited will depend on how large the lipomas are and your normally level of activity. Most patients I treat can go about their normal daily activity immediately after surgery, but under the arms I would restrict things such as tennis, swimming, etc for 2 weeks until sutures are out.

It is best to talk with your physician about your recovering time and expectations, as they will vary. The best advice is going to come from your surgeon who has actually evaluated your particular problem.