Lipoma Removal Surgery - Anesthesia

Hello!  Lipomas are best served being surgically excised.  This will significantly reduce the possibility that it will return.  Depending on the size and location, they may be removed under simple local anesthesia and possibly in the office.  I would discuss the options with a plastic surgeon who can examine you and discuss the options and procedure.  Almost routinely they are outpatient procedures.  Depending on the location and size, your surgeon may put you on some restrictions, but most likely you will be back to doing most things after a few days - discuss this with your surgeon.  There are other things that this soft tissue mass may be and it is wisest to have it examined prior to consideration for any surgical excision.Liposuction, although an option, is not a great modality due to the recurrence rate as well as not knowing what this mass actually is.  Steroids is not an honored treatment for lipomas.  Cost will vary upon the examination of the mass, location and complexity of the mass, and will increase if done at a surgery center and use of anesthesia.  Thank you for your question.  Hope that his helps!

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

I remove most lipomas under local anesthesia. They are easily removed without general anesthesia in almost every case.

Hi ColeHilton,

Lipomas are benign collections of fat, which can present as a lump or bump under the skin. Lipomas can occur pretty much anywhere in the body. Treatment is surgery for removal. Surgery for lipoma removal can be performed via local anesthesia, IV sedation, or general anesthesia. The decision regarding type of anesthesia is dependent on the size and location of the lipoma, in addition to mutual agreement between surgeon and patient. Ask your surgeon which type of anesthesia will be required for your lipoma removal. Best of luck.

Dr. Chaboki