Lipoma - Should I Get a Biopsy?

Lipomas are benign fatty tumors that occur under the skin and less commonly within the muscle. They are associated with mild discomfort and a lump underneath the skin. It is always best to talk to an expert plastic surgeon to determine whether the lipoma is possibly a cyst or a tumor or hernia. We would have to remove the lipoma to be sure that it is not something else and we usually do this by sending it to a pathologist for evaluation. If a lipoma is painful, then an exam is needed to make sure it is not compressing on a nerve or whether the diagnosis is different. Aftercare for a lipoma includes gentle compression and Plato’s Scar Serum twice daily on the wound.

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Lipomas are typically diagnosed on history and physical exam by your doctor. Ultrasound is not useful. The only definitive way to make the diagnosis is to remove the mass and send it to pathology where they examine the specimen. You stated you won't feel comfortable without further testing. If it's something you will worry about I suggest having it removed. It is possible for lipomas to increase in size, and if it's already bothering you, you might as well have it removed. Good luck!

Lipomas are very common and it is rare that they are anything more than benign.  That being said, it's probably better to be safe than sorry and a pathologic diagnosis is often recommended.

Usually a good physician can clinically determine the nature of the growth. However , a small punch biopsy, not necessarily a total excision, can give the definitive answer.

 

Thanks for the question.

As my colleague, Dr. Rand indicated, most lipoma diagnoses are made by clinical examination and confirmed through tissue analysis by a pathologist. I do not necessarily see the need for another opinion or biopsy.

Best of luck,

Glenn Vallecillos, MD, FACS

Usually you can tell if it is a lipoma by exam but it should be removed and sent to pathology for microscopic analysis.