Contents:
- What is lipedema?
- What are the signs and symptoms of lipedema?
- What causes lipedema?
- Choice of treatment for lipedema
- Manual lymphatic drainage
- Compression
- Skin and nail care
- Liposuction
If you feel that your weight is still normal, but when you look in the mirror, there are some bulging parts of your body, you should consider seeing a doctor. It could be, this is a symptom of lipedema. Lipedema generally occurs in women. At the doctor, this condition is dealt with by wrapping the body using a special tool to drain excess fluid in the body.
What is lipedema?
Lipedema is a disorder that causes most body fat deposits to gather at only one or two specific points, resulting in disproportionately large areas of the body.
This condition is usually caused by the buildup of fat cells in the tissue under the skin. As a result, fluids also gather in these fat cells. The skin of people who have this condition is usually very soft when held and easily bruised. In some cases, cellulite susceptible to appear in enlarged body parts.
Keep in mind, lipedema is different from obesity or distended stomach.
What are the signs and symptoms of lipedema?
Lipedema often occurs in the buttocks, thighs, sometimes arms, or on the legs. It can also hit both sides of the foot, but generally the swelling only occurs to the area of the ankle. Both legs or arms usually enlarge at the same time and at the same speed level.
The skin in the affected area of the body will look pale, feel soft, and painful when touched, but does not boil when pressed because of accumulation of fat under the skin.Swollen parts of the body are also easily bruised.
Someone with this condition can have fluid retention (lymphedema) on their feet. This type of swelling can arise to sink overnight, while lipedema fat swelling occurs constantly.
What causes lipedema?
The cause of lipedema has not yet been found. But heredity is often touted to be the cause. Many women who have lipedema are born in families that have a history of the same condition.
The ups and downs of female hormones at puberty, during pregnancy, after uterine surgery, and around the time menopause it is also estimated that it has an important role in triggering this condition
Choice of treatment for lipedema
Until now there has not been found the right treatment for this rare condition. Even strict diet or even sports can't remove fat. Diet for reducing weight and exercise may reduce the upper parts of your body, but it will not change the amount of fat found under the skin which causes this swelling.
But it's still important to go through these two things as part of a healthy lifestyle to help reduce weight from nonlipedema fat and reduce inflammation. Some medical therapies can help you reduce symptoms, such as:
Manual lymphatic drainage
Manual lymphatic drainage is a series of gentle massage with rhythmic movements to stimulate the flow of lymph around the area of the vessel so that it is diverted into the venous system. This helps reduce pain and prevent fibrosis.
Compression
Use of bandages, stockings, pants, or tight spandex shorts to increase tissue pressure in the legs. In addition, this can reduce the possibility of fluid enlarging again.
Skin and nail care
Comprehensive skin and nail care helps reduce the risk of injuries and infections associated with swelling.
Liposuction
Operation liposuction can remove fat under the skin. But experts warn that removing fat on the feet has a greater risk of death than removing fat in the abdomen.
