30, active woman, with stubborn leg & butt fat, is this lipedema? (Photos)

Question

I am a 30-year-old active woman. I cycle, walk, and lift weights. I have great muscle tone and definition on my upper body. But my lower body is riddled with cellulite and gets larger by the day. I also have and keep getting more spider veins. I don’t think this is normal body fat. Does it look like lipedema?

Thomas Wright, MD · Answer

Thank you for sharing your photos. Based on your photos and description you may have early-stage lipedema. Lipedema is a subcutaneous adipose disease of the arms and legs that causes pain and swelling and is relatively resistant to diet and weight loss.  However, it's also possible that you may have cellulite and a shape resistant to lifestyle changes.  To get a proper diagnosis of lipedema you should consult with a specialist who has lots of experience diagnosing and treating lipedema.  If lipedema is diagnosed you should start with nonsurgical treatments and consider surgery if needed.  Surgery is an option for those whose symptoms are not controlled with nonsurgical treatments or for those who want to prevent the possible progression of lipedema. 
If lipedema is diagnosed and you choose to have surgery, I recommend you choose a surgeon with lots of experience treating lipedema and proven outcomes. Lipedema Reduction Surgery is not the same as cosmetic liposuction and extra precaution are recommended.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

Based on the information given, there is no evidence that you have lipedema. Cellulite is a different condition, and while it’s difficult to treat, there are treatments that can improve cellulite. Aveli is probably the best treatment option for addressing cellulite.
Improving women who have flabby size is inherently difficult. Removing a substantial amount of subcutaneous fat will not improve cellulite and can cause skin laxity making thighs look worse. Treating individual problem areas like excess fat in the outer thigh such as saddlebags can work well by a sufficiently talented provider.Liposuction is not an easy, straightforward procedure and lower extremity. Liposuction is technically difficult and does not have great patient satisfaction, especially when done by providers who lack skill and experience.
If you decide to move forward with surgical intervention then my best advice is to be far more selective regarding provider selection then you may think necessary. Totally done. Liposuction can easily make things worse and this is unfortunately not uncommon.
Having mastered, Liposuction is a skill only found in the small percentage of plastic surgeons. Having mastered the procedure includes not only knowing how to do the procedure well, but also includes the ability to make accurate assessments delivering predictable outcomes. This means there should be no guessing games and a sufficiently talented provider should know exactly what results will look like based on each individual patient’s candidacy for the procedure. an experienced plastic surgeon should have no difficulty showing you the before and after pictures of at least 50 previous patients with similar body characteristics. 
To find the right provider, I suggest having multiple in person, consultations with local board-certified plastic surgeons, who seem to have a lot of body, contouring experience or whatever treatment you’re looking for. During each consultation, ask each provider to open up your portfolio and show you their entire collection of before, and after pictures of previous patients who have similar body characteristics to your own. 
The more consultations, you have it more likely you are to find the best provider.
Delivering consistent quality, liposuction results difficult than most people realize and considering the complexity, and how challenging it is to get quality outcomes and lower extremities. Patient should be careful before signing up for permanent irreversible procedures that can make things worse.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom, MD

30, active woman, with stubborn leg & butt fat, is this lipedema? (Photos)

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30, active woman, with stubborn leg & butt fat, is this lipedema? (Photos)

Answers (2)

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Everything you need to know about Lipedema Surgery

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