Lipoedema is a disease of the lymphatic system. Due to excessive fat and fluid accumulation in the hips, thighs and legs, the lower part of the body is overweight with the appearance of an irregular fat unit. Some patients may be affected in the arms. This condition, which is mostly genetic, is a disease seen especially in women. The person cannot lose these kilos with diet or exercise and this causes patients to seek healing by travelling door to door. Patients feel pain, weakness and fatigue, especially in the legs, legs, thighs and buttocks, irregular fat and fluid deposits in the thighs and buttocks, the person considers himself as excessive cellulite and goes to beauty salons and Medical Aesthetics clinics, which are not experts in the subject, and often with heat (radiofrequency, infrared, etc.) procedures, although the problem seems to be solved at first, it gets worse. Women who think that they have excessive cellulite should be examined by a plastic surgeon experienced in lipoedema.

Lipoedema Surgery

Lipoedema is a disease of the lymphatic system. Due to excessive fat and fluid accumulation in the hips, thighs and legs, the lower part of the body is overweight with an irregular fat unit appearance. Some patients may be affected in the arms. This condition, which is mostly genetic, is a disease seen especially in women. The person cannot lose these kilos with diet or exercise and this causes patients to seek healing by travelling door to door. Patients feel pain, weakness and fatigue, especially in the legs, legs, thighs and buttocks, irregular fat and fluid deposits in the thighs and buttocks, the person considers himself as excessive cellulite and goes to beauty salons and Medical Aesthetics clinics, which are not experts in the subject, and often with heat (radiofrequency, infrared, etc.) procedures, although the problem seems to be solved at first, it gets worse. Women who think that they have excessive cellulite should be examined by a plastic surgeon experienced in lipoedema.

The degree of lipoedema varies from patient to patient. This condition, which is very mild in some patients, can reach dimensions that prevent some patients from walking. This genetic disease is almost always seen in women and usually occurs during adolescence. The risk of occurrence in more than one female member of a family is quite high. This disease can also be caused by hormone disorders and some chronic diseases. Lipoedema can often be confused with lymphoedema. Excessive swelling in the legs can be lymphedema at progressive levels. While swelling in lipoedema ends at the ankle level, the foot is affected by swelling in lymphedema. The swelling and fluid accumulations from the thigh down to the feet are called secondary lymphedema. While pain is felt more in lipoedema, it is less in lymphedema. Lipoedema can often cause bleeding and bruising under the skin. Fatty and salty diet, smoking and alcohol use, fatigue cause patients to retain more fluid. Fluid accumulation, which increases at noon, may decrease, especially in the evening when sleeping. For these people, especially low-fat and low-salt diets that prevent fluid accumulation, avoiding alcohol and smoking will support the reduction of fluid accumulation in the body.

Lipoedema Surgery Process

Today, it is not possible to treat lipoedema with medication. However, if it is determined that the disease is caused by a hormonal disorder, it may be possible to treat this disorder with medication. Physical therapy methods, bandages and pressure garments applied in the treatment of lymphoedema are very little effective in lipoedema. However, if lipoedema is accompanied by lymphoedema, lymphoedema can be treated with these methods. Water exercises such as swimming and walking in water are useful as they reduce the pressure on the joints and facilitate movements. “Liposuction”, a technique specially applied to lipoedema where lymph vessels are protected, is used.

“Liposuction”, which is generally known as an aesthetic intervention, is also used in the treatment of lipoedema. However, “liposuction” to be applied for this purpose is different from “liposuction” for aesthetic purposes and should be applied in centres experienced in lipoedema and by experienced plastic surgeons. Because “liposuction” for the treatment of lipoedema requires the removal of large amounts of fat, and there are some extra preparations and the use of special “liposuction” cannulas to protect patients from possible complications. In addition, “liposuction” in unsuitable patients can damage the lymph vessels and cause lipoedema to turn into lipo-lymphoedema.

After Lipoedema Surgery

If a patient has lipoedema and lymphedema together, the treatment should be planned taking into account both conditions and it should be kept in mind that lymph drainage massages, bandages and pressure garments used for the treatment of lymphedema may cause pain in these patients. For this reason, massage and bandage applications should be started very lightly and gradually increased as much as the patient can tolerate. In these patients, success can be achieved by combining “liposuction” for lipoedema and supermicrosurgery for lymphedema.