Found a Lipoma After Tumescent Lipo. Did This Cause It or Uncover It?

Question

Following a tumescent liposuction procedure a large (and painful!) lipoma was discovered on my abdomen. The doctor said that it was probably just a lumpy imperfection that body contouring would correct. This lump is painful. Will the massaging machine rupture it or cause more pain?

Vivek Bansal, MD · Answer

Removing fat does not cause more fat to appear.  The lipo likely exposed your lipoma.  It is easy to remove.  The massaging machine will likely change it very little. Thank you for your question and good luck with everything.

Ron Shelton, MD · Answer

It is possible that a lipoma can hurt, these are often angolipomas, and benign. It is possible that lipomas can be unmasked by the surgery reducing the mass around the lipoma.  Tender lumps under the skin after liposuction could be localized inflamed residual nodules of fat as opposed to an actual lipoma, but both might be treated similarly by a secondary focal liposuction technique.  The differential diagnosis also includes a small hematoma which may resolve or may need to be drained and sometimes treated with antibiotics, as a possible diagnosis is an abscess. Your surgeon knows more about your condition  by examining you and is better suited to diagnose and recommend treatment than  any physician who is answering your questions without seeing you, so make sure you followup with your surgeon. Certainly you could consider having a second opinion if the symptoms don't improve soon, and more urgently if the symptoms increase.

Peter E. Johnson, MD · Answer

Liposuction will not cause a lipoma to form, and though it is possible that the lipoma was unnoticed until after your liposuction, it is important to determine if the tender lump is a fluid collection, bleeding or hematoma, or scar formed in the area treated. Massage will have little effect and if painful you may wish to stop. See your surgeon to have the lump checked out fully.
	Best of luck,
	peterejohnsonmd

Karol A. Gutowski, MD, FACS · Answer

It is possible that liposuction uncovered a previously undetected lipoma. There are also case reports of lipomas following trauma, but it is hard to prove a cause and effect.

	
	If 3 months after your procedure you are still having problems, your doctor may want to confirm what this lump is (lipoma, seroma, scar tissue, hernia) and treat it accordingly. A massaging machine is unlikely to improve this problem if it is a lipoma.

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

It is diffiuclt to say what you are feeling. You are right, sometimes you do not always feel lipomas underneath the skin and perhaps liposuction "unroofed" it.  It would have to be evaluated in person

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Found a Lipoma After Tumescent Lipo. Did This Cause It or Uncover It?

Answers (6)

Answer: Lipoma after liposuction

Answer: Lipoma after liposuction

Answer: Liposuction lump or lipoma?

Answer: Liposuction lump or lipoma?

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Everything you need to know about Tumescent Liposuction

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.