Lipoma removal typically involves surgical excision (cutting it out), squeezing to excise the fatty tissue, or a combination of the two. Rarely, a provider will use liposuction to remove the fat.
Performed by a dermatologic or plastic surgeon, lipoma removal is done for aesthetic reasons or to eliminate pain.
It’s not a good idea to attempt a lipoma removal at home—for many, many reasons. Risk factors include:
Unlike malignant tumors called liposarcoma, lipomas are benign (non-cancerous) fatty tumors. The most common soft tissue tumor, they can appear anywhere, including your chest, arms, armpits, shoulders, neck, and thighs.Â
There’s no medical consensus yet on why they form, but they tend to develop slightly more often in men, especially between ages 40 and 60. Some types of lipomas (including conventional lipomas, spindle celllipomas, and pleomorphic lipomas) can run in families and may have an underlying genetic cause. But there’s no activity that predisposes people to developing them.
Lipomas have some common characteristics. They are typically:
Most don’t cause any problems and can be safely left alone, but a growing lipoma can affect nerves, joints, or blood vessels.
Deep-seated lipomas under the fascia (the connective tissue and collagen that provides the structure for organs and muscle) and intramuscular lipomas can create complications, such as obstruction or hemorrhage, as the fat cells grow and press on organs. Luckily, this happens very rarely—with less than 1% of all lipomas.
Before you book a removal appointment, visit a dermatologist or plastic surgeon for a lipoma diagnosis.
“Most lipomas can be identified through a physical exam alone,” says Dr. Castillo. “Additional radiological testing, like an ultrasound, CT scan, X-ray, or MRI [magnetic resonance imaging], might be performed to confirm the lipoma diagnosis, especially if the lipoma is deep within a patient's tissues.” Larger lipomas may require a biopsy.
Chicago plastic surgeon Dr. Anil R. Shah also advises that your doctor will need to rule out the possibility of a lipoma in a lymph node or a liposarcoma.
Doctors are divided on whether lipomas can turn into liposarcoma, but their appearance is the same, and neither are painful, so it’s smart to get properly diagnosed.Â
Some deep lipomas can be confused with liposarcoma. The Cleveland Clinic says, “Recognizing the difference between a lipoma and a liposarcoma (cancer) should be completed by an expert in sarcoma.”
Pros:
Cons:
Your lipoma removal cost will depend on the size and number of lipomas being removed, the type of anesthesia used, your provider’s level of experience, their practice location, and the type of facility where your procedure is performed.Â
Insurance and medicare coverage for lipoma removal varies. “Patients should check with their insurance company for coverage. Typically, lipomas causing symptoms like pain can be covered,” says Dr. Castillo.
If your surgery is being done for cosmetic reasons, your claim may be denied or only partially covered.Â
You can finance your treatment with CareCredit.
The lipoma removal photos in our gallery have been shared by the surgeon who performed the procedure, with the patient's consent.
Your surgeon’s office should provide you with instructions for preparing for your surgery. The University of Michigan advises that you:
A smaller, subcuteanous lipoma (just beneath the skin) can be removed under local anesthesia alone. For surgical removal of large lipomas, you'll be given either local anesthesia with IV sedation or general anesthesia.Â
One of the most common and effective lipoma treatment options is surgical excision: simply cutting it out. Your surgeon makes one or more small incisions and removes the fatty lump. If they’re concerned, they may then send it to a lab for testing or lipomabiopsy.Â
Some dermatologists favor a minimal incision and “squeeze” technique, which results in a less noticeable scar. Your doctor will create a tiny incision with a scalpel or punch, squeeze the lipoma out, and close it up with a stitch or two. Dr. Ellen Janetzke, a plastic surgeon in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, cautions that “this method would theoretically have a higher incidence of recurrence.”
In cases of a large lipoma removal, liposuction may be recommended to minimize the incision and the possibility of causing a deformity. Liposuction may also be the best course of action for lipomatosis, adiposis dolorosa, and Madelung’s Disease, rare conditions marked by multiple lipomas.
A 2017 study found a high patient satisfaction rate using liposuction for lipoma removal, with no recurrences in the 12-month follow-up period, but some doctors aren’t sold on this lipoma cure. They say it leaves open the possibility that some of the mass will be left behind, increasing the risk that the lipoma will grow back after surgery.Â
“Lipoma removal through liposuction is rarely successful long-term. The better option is direct excision through small incisions,” says Dr. Castillo. “Liposuction can’t reasonably be expected to remove the entire lipoma,” which he says means that the tumor will eventually recur. Â
Once the mass is removed, the surgical site is cleaned, and bandages are applied to help accelerate healing and leave the most minimal scar.Â
The University of Michigan recommends that a friend or family member accompany you for your procedure and take you home afterward, even if it’s done under local anesthetic.
Lipoma removal recovery time depends on the size of the lipoma and extent of your procedure. Most patients don’t need any time off work, but talk with your healthcare provider about whether you’ll need any actual downtime.Â
Lipoma removal results are typically permanent, but it’s possible for lipomas to grow back in the same area or elsewhere.Â
The risk of recurrence is higher with large lipomas. But because they grow slowly, it could be five years or more before you notice a new growth. At that point, you may want to return for another removal.
Lipoma removal is a low-risk, outpatient procedure with no serious side effects.
Since lipoma treatment is a minor plastic surgery, you may have some bruising, scarring, contour irregularity, bleeding, infection, or difficulties with the healing process.
You also may see a slight indentation under the skin where your lipoma was removed.
Burney R. and Cherry-Bukowiec J.R., What to Expect Before Surgery for a Lipoma or Epidermal Inclusion Cyst (2019)Wollner T., What Is That Lump? (2017)
McTighe S. and Ivan Chernev I., Intramuscular Lipoma: A Review of the Literature (2014)The Cleveland Clinic: Liposarcoma (2019)
Nanda S., Treatment of Lipoma by Injection Lipolysis (2011)
Peev I., Spasevska L., and Tudzarova-Gjorgova S., Liposuction Assisted Lipoma Removal – Option or Alternative? (2017)
Updated September 29, 2022