Multiple lumps in forearm - should I consider lipoma removal?

You have multiple lipomas. People often forgo removal and they keep getting larger and new ones arrive, because they don't want bad scars. These can be removed, carefully with 3/8" incisions in line with the forearm nerves by a board-certified plastic surgeon. We are trained in extremity and nerve surgery and are aware of how to dissect out these lipomas without doing any damage to adjacent structures.
Taking them out is optional as they are benign, but I have found that most people are so happy when they are gone, because they don't like the way they look, they may be embarrassed and feel they should cover them up, or even have some local discomfort.
Plastic surgeons can remove them for you.
I often see patients who have from 1 to dozens of lipomas. We can remove all of them through tiny incisions by dissecting around them. Even though the incision is tiny, maybe 1/4 “-3/8" made with a #11 blade, as soon as you put a small retractor between the skin and the lipoma and open up that space with a blunt Stevens scissors, the incision opens up like a fish mouth. You can start then start bluntly dissecting around and freeing up the lipoma and extrude it by pinching it from below and grasping it with a small clamp from above. In the case of the bigger ones, probably two together, you have to work a little longer, patiently until they are freed enough from surrounding tissue by blunt dissection that you can pull them out with a small clamp, putting traction on them while continuing the dissection until they are free and come out. Sometimes, you have to take a piece of them out first, so they become small enough to come out the small incision, but an incision longer than 1/2" is never needed to take these relatively small extremity lipomas out.

From your description, the lumps you are noticing are most consistent with lipomas, which are benign (non-cancerous) growths of fatty tissue. They are typically soft, mobile under the skin, and tend to grow slowly over time. It is also possible to develop multiple lipomas in different areas of the body, as you’ve described on your forearm, back, and abdomen.

When to Consider Removal:

If the lipomas are causing pain or discomfort

If they are pressing on nerves or limiting movement

If there is rapid growth or change in consistency

If they become aesthetic concerns

If there is uncertainty about the diagnosis, especially if one feels different from the others

What to Do Next:

A clinical examination is usually enough to diagnose a lipoma, but sometimes imaging such as ultrasound or MRI may be recommended if the lesion is deep, firm, or atypical.

If removal is considered, it is typically done as a minor surgical procedure under local anesthesia. The excised tissue can then be sent for pathology to confirm the diagnosis.

In rare cases, if a lump grows unusually fast, becomes hard, or is fixed to deeper tissues, further evaluation is important to rule out other conditions such as liposarcoma.

Overall, most lipomas are harmless and only need removal if they are bothersome or show concerning features.

Thank you for your query. Lipomas can be removed easily through very small cuts only a few millimetres long. Please find an experienced board certified Plastic surgeon who can examine you and help you with all your concerns. All the best.

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

You need to be physically evaluated to make sure there isn't something else going on other than lipomas. You may also have the lumps removed if determined they are just lipomas.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.