Lipedema or just fat legs? (Photo)

Question

I started having fat legs that didn’t match the rest of my body during puberty. Even when I diet the legs still have fat on them it just becomes a smaller version of this same body. I hate my legs so much it is causing me emotional distress. Is it lipedema or just fat legs?

Thomas Wright, MD · Answer

You may have lipedema or the fatty tissue accumulation could be part of normal hormone-dependent changes. You cannot diagnose lipedema just from photos and a proper diagnosis can only be made through a careful history and physical exam while ruling out other causes. I have published a paper on young women who have lipedema and developed an eating disorder as she tried to diet and exercise the fatty tissue off. So I caution you against trying extreme diet measures to try to "fix" your legs. Liposuction or Lipedema Reduction Surgery, LRS, [ if you have lipedema] can help restore symmetry and proportion to your body. LRS can also reduce pain, and swelling and improve mobility in women with lipedema. Wishing you the best of health.

David Hansen, MD · Answer

I doubt that you have lipedema.  Lipo under local with the added benefit of bodytite and morpheus would change those thighs dramatically and is so easy to undergo. cost is roughly $10,000 and so worth it. You are back to work in just 2 days and up walking right away.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

There is no diagnostic criteria or test for the condition called lipidemia.
And that sense it doesn’t really matter since there is no treatment other than liposuction, which is the same for those who have an undesirable amount of subcutaneous fat in their lower extremities.
Most likely there’s a genetic component to this condition But we don’t really know why some individuals develop excessive subcutaneous fat in their extremities which worsen with age.
Liposuction is the treatment of choice.
The size of the thigh can be reduced but conditions like cellulite and skin laxity are not improved by this treatment, and can potentially be made worse.
 For debulking, getting a better contour, fitting better into clothing and improving self-esteem. Well done Liposuction can be helpful.
Delivering consistent quality, liposuction results is more difficult than most people realize.
Finding someone who is mastered this procedure, may take some looking around.
Almost all plastic surgeons will claim that they have sufficient skill and experience with the procedure but in reality the results tell a different story.
Outer thigh Liposuction is best done with patients laying on their side and this could be tricky when general anesthesia is used.
To find the right provider, I suggest patient schedule multiple in person, consultations with local providers or specialty centers that have a strong emphasis or focus exclusively on Liposuction surgery.
During each consultation, ask each provider to open up their portfolio and show you their entire collection of before, and after pictures of previous patients, who had similar body characteristics to your own.
 an experience provider should have no difficulty showing you the before and after pictures of at least 50 previous patients.
Being shown a handful of pre-selected images, representing only the best results of a providers career is insufficient to get a clear understanding of what average results look like in the hands of each provider, what your results are likely to look like or how many of these procedures they’ve actually done.
There’s no correct number of consultations needed to find the right provider.
The more consultations you scheduled the more more likely you are to find the right provider for your needs.
 Considering how much variation there is Liposuction skill, and how few providers have truly mastered this procedure I suggest starting with five consultations.
That may seem excessive to some people, but considering the procedure is permanent, irreversible, and can leave people disfigured if done poorly I don’t think it’s unreasonable.
You’ll be living with the results and reminded of the outcome every day for the rest of your life so please choose carefully.
 Best,
Mats hagstrom, MD
AIRSCULPT

Lipedema or just fat legs? (Photo)

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Lipedema or just fat legs? (Photo)

Answers (3)

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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.