Lipoma, which is popularly known as a lipoma, is one of the most common types of benign formations. Most often, lipoma occurs in the subcutaneous tissue and consists of adipose tissue. It can also be located in organs that have a fatty layer. As a rule, lipoma is most often diagnosed in women over 35 years of age. The formation can be localized on the head, back, face, arms.
Externally, a lipoma is a soft movable node that is in no way integrated with adjacent tissues. The lipoma is located in the so-called capsule, therefore, as it increases in size, it does not grow into the surrounding tissues, but puts pressure on them, pushing them apart. Lipomas grow quite slowly, their diameter is usually from one and a half to two centimeters, but in some cases giant formations develop more than ten centimeters in diameter. If in its composition, in addition to adipose tissue, there is also connective tissue, then the structure of the lipoma becomes more dense.
Why do lipomas occur?
To date, scientists have not been able to come to a consensus on why lipomas develop and why multiple lipomas are more common rather than single formations. Lipomatosis has nothing to do with the patient’s weight category or the amount of subcutaneous fat in his body, since formations can appear even in very slender people.
According to researchers, the appearance of wen is associated with a genetic predisposition. It can also be triggered by metabolic disorders in the body, hormonal imbalance, or thyroid disease. Some scientists are convinced that wen occurs due to malfunctions of the gallbladder and liver, as well as due to slagging in the body.
Causes
There is no reliable answer to the cause. Scientists believe that it occurs due to disruptions in the complex biochemical chain of fat breakdown in the body.
Adipose tissue cells grow rapidly under the influence of unknown factors. Such reproduction can occur spasmodically. And then patients suddenly see a new lump again, perhaps even on the face or back, which was not there before. Experts say that a lipoma can appear as a result of a malfunction of the autonomic nervous system or disruption of the digestive system. It is necessary to say about the influence of unfavorable environmental factors. Lipoma sometimes appears in childhood or adolescence if there is a hereditary predisposition.
When should lipomas be removed?
Most often, patients are interested in the question of whether lipomas should be removed immediately and whether it is possible to do without surgery.
It should be remembered that a lipoma is a benign formation that does not grow into the surrounding tissue. However, the problem is different: these formations tend to increase in size over time. At the same time, the lipoma “pushes apart” the tissues and organs located nearby in order to “win” a place for itself. Due to the pressure in them, metabolism can be disrupted, which is fraught with unpleasant consequences and pain.
In some cases, lipoma removal cannot be delayed. You should immediately consult a doctor if the wen has changed in appearance or you begin to feel physical discomfort. Redness of the skin over the lipoma, itching or peeling should also alert you.
Doctors recommend removing lipomas if they grow near a cluster of blood vessels or nerve cells. It is also better to “play it safe” and cut out a formation that is located in the so-called “high trauma zone” - in other words, in an area that is often exposed to external influences.
Diagnosis of lipoma and its types
Before making a decision to remove a lipoma, a diagnosis of the neoplasm is carried out, which makes it possible to determine the optimal tactics of surgical intervention.
The doctor usually begins diagnosing a lipoma with a visual examination and palpation of the formation, which makes it possible to determine the shape, structure and approximate size of the formation. An ultrasound examination is also carried out, thanks to which it becomes clear what effect the lipoma has on surrounding tissues. If the formation is located in a potentially dangerous area, the doctor may prescribe a CT or MRI. A biopsy of the formation is also often performed to find out what tissue is part of it.
Lipomas are classified depending on where they are located and what tissues they contain. A serious problem is ring-shaped lipoma, which is a large subcutaneous tumor. It wraps around the neck like a collar, causing problems with breathing and swallowing. There are fibrous lipomas, which include connective tissue; angiolipomas containing adipose tissue and blood vessels; myolipomas, which contain muscle fibers; myelolipomas, consisting of adipose tissue and elements of red bone marrow; adenolipomas, including components of the sweat gland structure; very painful perineural lipomas. For each type of tumor, there are optimal removal tactics. Tumors can be removed by conventional surgery, using the endoscopic method, laser removal, or using the so-called “radio knife”. The final decision regarding how to remove the lipoma is made by the doctor, based on the general clinical picture of the disease, as well as the patient’s condition.
Surgical removal of lipoma
Surgical removal of lipoma is one of the most popular methods of getting rid of lipomas. If the formation is small in diameter, surgical excision is performed under local anesthesia; if the lipoma is large, then general anesthesia is recommended.
No preliminary preparation is required before surgical removal of a lipoma. The patient, as a rule, also does not need a preoperative course of medications. Surgery is performed after an ultrasound has been performed.
After administering anesthesia, the doctor makes a small incision into the lipoma - the so-called excision. After this, he cuts out the fatty tissue and the capsule that contains it. It is the removal of the capsule that ensures that the disease does not recur. After this, the tissues are sutured in layers. In this case, self-absorbable threads can be used. An antiseptic bandage is applied to the scar. If the formation was of significant diameter, thin drainages can be used.
Depending on the complexity of the operation, the location of the lipoma and its size, the length of hospital stay ranges from one to three days. In order to relieve discomfort, painkillers are used.
Sutures are removed approximately seven to ten days after surgery. After surgical excision of the lipoma, a scar remains. Special creams and ointments will help make it less noticeable, the use of which must be agreed with your doctor.
Symptoms
Wen is characterized as a fairly soft volumetric formation under the skin. Often there are several of them throughout the body. The size of each wen can range from tiny to huge (as big as a child’s head). But the most common are lipomas with a diameter of 1.5 to 5 centimeters.
A particularly severe case is when a seal forms in which liquid accumulates. The result is a huge swelling with a pedicle that stops blood circulation; as a result, the tumor leads to tissue death and causes disruption of the function of one or another organ.
Therefore, it is very important to remove lipomas on the head, as well as lipomas on the stomach or other places, even if they do not yet cause significant discomfort.
Contraindications for surgery
Surgical removal of a lipoma, like any other surgical intervention, has a wide range of contraindications.
- Thus, surgical removal of wen is not performed on women in an “interesting” position, or during breastfeeding. Doctors recommend refusing surgery during “critical days.”
- Herpes, recent colds or infectious diseases are also reasons to undergo surgery.
- It is highly undesirable to perform surgical removal of a wen if the patient has been diagnosed with diabetes.
- Surgical removal is also fraught with complications due to secondary immunodeficiency - in other words, reduced body resistance.
How long will the wound take to heal?
Usually, removal does not require special care for the wound, but only treating the seam with an antiseptic. Small wounds can heal within 1-1.5 weeks.
Excision of large wen requires the installation of drainage to remove fluid accumulations from the wound. Such sutures may swell and become inflamed, which is normal in the postoperative period and everything goes away after a few days. The sutures are removed after 7-10 days, and the wound must continue to be cared for, treated until complete healing.
Other lipoma removal methods
In addition to surgical excision of the lipoma, there are other methods for removing the tumor. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Laser removal
Laser surgery is one of the most innovative methods for removing fatty tissue. Most often, this option is used to remove formations on the face and neck, since the procedure leaves virtually no scars. Moreover, since the fatty tissue is removed along with the capsule, the likelihood of relapse is reduced to almost zero.
During this operation, the laser simultaneously performs two functions: a scalpel and a coagulator, cutting tissue and at the same time preventing the development of bleeding. Therefore, laser removal is bloodless, due to which healing occurs quickly and swelling and suppuration do not develop. Since laser removal is a non-contact method, it is completely sterile. The duration of the laser removal operation is about thirty minutes, manipulations are carried out using local anesthesia.
Contraindications to laser removal of a wen are a history of cancer, diabetes, pregnancy and inflammatory processes.
Radio wave method
The radio wave method or the so-called “radio knife” is excellent for getting rid of lipomas of small diameter. Its essence is the impact on formation of intense electromagnetic radiation. High-frequency waves perform the duties of a scalpel, cutting tissue. Under the influence of the “radio knife”, heat begins to be generated in the cells, as a result of which they self-destruct. In this case, under the influence of radio waves, the wound is disinfected and coagulated.
The undeniable advantage of removing lipomas using a “radio knife” is that such an intervention is bloodless. In addition, thanks to the use of local anesthesia, the manipulation is painless. Radio wave removal of a tumor eliminates the possibility of complications: in particular, wound infection, swelling, and suppuration.
Postoperative rehabilitation requires minimal time - within a week or two the wound heals completely, leaving no scars. There is also no need for a hospital stay.
Puncture-aspiration method
The puncture-aspiration method of lipoma removal is also effective. During this procedure, a needle is inserted into the tumor, after which the entire contents of the tumor are drawn out with a special syringe-pump. However, this method has one significant drawback - since the capsule remains in the same place, a relapse may develop. Also, an even larger wen may appear if, after “sucking out” the tumor, at least a tiny fragment of the formation remains under the skin.
And since such liposuction is performed blindly, without visual control, it is impossible to guarantee complete removal of the tumor.
Endoscopic surgery
One of the innovative methods, characterized by low trauma and excellent cosmetic effect, is endoscopic removal of lipoma. In this case, the incision is made not on the tumor itself, but at some distance from it: as a rule, in the folds of the skin, in areas hidden from prying eyes. After this, an endoscope and instruments are inserted into the incision, with the help of which the wen is removed.
In what cases can a wen go away on its own?
Wen appears in people of different ages and genders.
Skin formations are not life-threatening, but at the same time they can provoke the development of serious disorders in the functioning of the body. In some cases, removing growths is not a necessary measure. Sometimes they are simply watched. Many patients are interested in whether the wen can disappear and dissolve on its own.
To answer the question, it is necessary to understand the characteristics of wen, their structure and the influence of external factors.
Features of wen
The concept of “wen” is relative. It is used for all benign neoplasms that are located under the skin. The term is used to characterize lipoma, atheroma or hygroma.
If we take into account the characteristics of skin formations, a lipoma is a lipoma. This benign formation occurs as a result of the accumulation of fat cells. Such cells pile up creating a compaction, which soon turns into a tumor. The tissue of the growth is placed in a capsule; it creates a rounded, clear shape of the formation. Lipomas are soft to the touch and move easily.
The growth can appear on almost every area of the body where adipose tissue is present. It affects the limbs (especially in the area of the shoulders, legs and buttocks), neck, head, back and abdominal area. Also, formations can be found on the face, ears and groin.
Lipoma is characterized by unlimited growth. Sometimes the tumors reach enormous sizes. For example, lipomas in the abdominal cavity can grow up to 20 kilograms. However, this growth is slow, and it will take several years for the tumor to acquire such dimensions.
The tumors themselves are painless. If such a symptom occurs, this indicates a complication or the beginning of a pathological process. Despite the benign nature of the tumor, there is a risk of its degeneration. In addition, lipoma tissue can grow into neighboring organs, squeezing them and displacing them. Nerve fibers and blood vessels are also affected.
Can a lipoma resolve?
In medical practice, there are cases when such neoplasms disappear on their own. This phenomenon occurs quite rarely. Most often, small formations dissolve. This occurs under the influence of a healthy immune system, proper functioning of the body and a person’s young age.
Lipoma resolves if a person does not have any pathological disorders that can provoke the proliferation of fat cells.
This mainly happens in childhood, when metabolic processes are accelerated and all organs are functioning fully.
Large growths, as a rule, do not resolve. They are removed by surgery. If the growth has a small diameter, it is monitored and examined regularly.
Wen require special attention if:
- the growth hurts;
- growing rapidly;
- the skin in the affected area turns red;
- swelling has occurred;
- local symptoms of organ dysfunction are observed;
- body temperature rises.
Under such circumstances, you should not hope that the lipoma will resolve on its own. By ignoring obvious symptoms of disorders, you can cause serious harm to your own health.
How to speed up the resorption process
In order for the growths to disappear, a person needs to reconsider his usual way of life. It is as a result of disturbances in the functioning of the body that adipose tissue grows.
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Diseases are provoked by the following factors:
- hormonal disbalance;
- disruption in the endocrine system;
- metabolic problems;
- obesity.
By stopping these processes, presumably, it is possible to slow down the growth of the tumor, and even start the reverse process. To do this, you should streamline your food intake, make it complete and rich in vitamins. It is better to avoid fatty, smoked, too spicy and salty foods. You also need to eliminate excessive consumption of alcohol and tobacco products from your life.
It is impossible to guarantee that wen will disappear. Nevertheless, such a possibility exists. The main thing is not to try to facilitate this process. Do not pick, squeeze or puncture the lipoma. This will not give the desired result, but on the contrary, it will aggravate the existing condition.
The only sure guarantee of eliminating a benign neoplasm is its complete excision.
Only in this case will it be possible not only to get rid of the lipoma, but also to prevent its reappearance. A person can choose the most optimal operation option for himself, guided by the doctor’s recommendations.
Traditional and medical methods
To make the growth resolve faster, you can use traditional medicine recipes. All of them are based on the use of completely safe medicinal plants and food products.
A compress of lard will help the wen disappear. To do this, a small piece of this product is crushed to a paste. Next add a little crushed garlic. After mixing thoroughly, the mixture is applied to the affected area.
Another option in which various neoplasms go away is to prepare a tincture of burdock. To do this you will need the root of picked burdock. It should be crushed to form a viscous liquid and placed in a glass container.
Add a little strong alcohol to the porridge. The mixture is thoroughly mixed. The tightly sealed container is sent to a dark, dry place for 30 calendar days.
When the tincture is ready, take it three times a day, 30 minutes before meals, 1 large spoon.
In addition to folk remedies, there are standard methods for resolving wen. They are carried out using adapted drugs.
The disappearance of wen can occur if special absorbable agents are introduced into the body of the growth. This is a medication aimed at dissolving fat cells.
The effect is observed 1-2 months after the procedure. This treatment is most relevant for small-sized formations.
A large lipoma may not completely dissolve, but may reappear after some time.
The growths will probably resolve if you treat them with ointments purchased at the pharmacy. The most effective for this purpose are considered to be ichthyol ointment, Viaton, Vishnevsky ointment, Levomikol and Bodyagu. When using these drugs, you should complete a full course of treatment, which can last several months.
Resorption of lipomas is a rather rare phenomenon. Basically, they have to be eliminated using medical methods. Therefore, you should not hope that the tumors will disappear. When the first symptoms of the disease appear, you should immediately seek help. The sooner the doctor examines the patient, the greater the chance of effective treatment.
The article has been verified by the editors
Source: https://CoriumMed.ru/lipoma/mozhet-li-rassosatsa.html
