What Type of Doctor Should I Consult About Lipoma Removal?

Question

2 Lipomas: One on Face Corner of Ear and Jaw and Other is on Head Close to Neck.  The one on face is for more than 15 years and 2nd on head is for about 5 to 6 years

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

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

Best, 
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Edwin C. Pound, III, MD · Answer

Lipomas are simply small masses of fatty tissue. They are not cancerous and removal is strictly a cosmetic issue. They can occur anywhere on the body. They can be very small or very large. Smaller lipomas are usually removed by making a small incision and simply removing them. Very large lipomas may be removed using liposuction in order to avoid a large scar. The primary risk of removing a lipoma is that they have a possiblity of returning if the entire lipoma is not removed. Any surgeon can remove a lipoma, however, a plastic surgeon may give you the best chance for a thin, well-hidden scar.

Kelly Gallego, MD, FACS · Answer

Many different types of doctors remove lipomas. Typically, any lipoma of the face should be removed by a plastic surgeon. Plastic surgeons tend to have the most training in regards to wound closure, and are the most meticulous when it comes to ensuring that the scar looks as good as possible. Lipomas of the trunk or limbs could also be removed by a general surgeon, a hand surgeon, or an orthopedic surgeon.

Timothy Mountcastle, MD · Answer

i would get a ct scan prior to removing these lesions to make sure the parotid gland is not involved and to determine the depths.

	 

	after that i would see an ENT surgeon or a plastic Surgeon depending on what the ct scan shows would determine what needs to be done

Elan B. Singer, MD · Answer

The location of your lipomas suggest either a plastic surgeon or an ENT surgeon should be consulted.  These are usually easily removed under local anesthesia.  Good luck!

Samir Shureih, MD · Answer

The position of the "lipoma" warrants a complete exam, to make sure it is a lipoma, in that region it could be many things.

	See you plastic surgeon for exam and work up

Scott L. Replogle, MD (retired) · Answer

In general the answer to your question is a surgeon who is experienced with removal of lipomas by multiple techniques including extraction through a 1/2 cm incision under local anesthesia. This assumes the lesion is definitely a lipoma and this is not as easily determined in the face and neck. A full incision, excision of the lesion, and biopsy may be required if there is any question of something other than a lipoma. This requires some experience and surgical judgment.

What Type of Doctor Should I Consult About Lipoma Removal?

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