Do I Have to Get Lipomas Surgically Removed?

Hello!  Lipomas are benign fatty tumors.  They are best served being surgically excised, but do not necessarily need to be removed if that is what they truly are.  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.  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!

Lipoma removal is usually performed with surgical removal. Surgical
removal of lipoma may create unsightly scar for the patient, especially
on ethnic skin. Some physicians are now using ThermiRF, a Radiofrequency
(RF) energy device to heat lipoma. These physicians report lipoma
removal or reduction using ThermiRF. ThermiRF lipoma removal treatment
is considered “off label”. This may be an alternative. Consult with your doctor to see if ThermiRF can help you.

Lipomas are benign fatty tumors and usually to not require removal. Many people have them removed for aesthetic reasons. Others have them removed because of fear that the lipoma may in fact be something more serious. There are other tumors that can masquerade as lipomas, so if you are concerned you should have your surgeon evaluate it under a direct exam.

Lipomas are diagnosed based on clinical examination or diagnostic studies. You should always seek the advice of an experienced surgeon who will identify whether the lump is clinically suspicious for malignancy or whether it appears, by history and exam, to be consistent with a benign lipoma.
If it is a lipoma, it rarely will improve with time. Delay in treatment only makes it more difficult as the lesion increases in size and becomes more intimately involved with adjacent structures.
Most experienced plastic surgeons will remove lipomas with small, well hidden, and discretely placed scars.

Since lipomas are noncancerous, they do not require any treatment.
However, if a lipoma becomes bothersome, infected, or continues to grow, you may chose to have it removed. Your doctor would simply excise the lipoma by making an incision to the area.