A lipoma tumor is a whole mass or lump that is composed of adipocytes or fat cells. This is a tumor that grows very slowly, benign or not cancerous, and very common. Usually, a lipoma tumor grows right under the subcutaneous tissue or even the skin. Amazingly, this tumor isnâ€™t painful or tender at all, but is rather unsightly because of the malformed shapes that it gives your body.
This kind of growth is said to have a genetic disposition and usually manifests itself to individuals who are in the mature population. A lipoma tumor is commonly left alone and not given any treatment at all, except for cases wherein it is actually painful and gives extreme discomfort. Here are more facts about the lipoma tumor that you may be very interested in:
1. Signs and symptoms
You can assess your body to see if you have a developing lipoma tumor already. It is usually a single lump or a cluster of lumps right under your skin. It is a very slow-growing tumor that you may just begin noticing after so many years have already passed. Common areas of lipoma tumor growth are your arms, legs, shoulders, neck, and abdominal area. Internal organs could also have a lipoma tumor on rare occasions. This kind of growth varies in size but is usually flattened, rounded lumps that are rubbery and soft to the touch. You could even move it around the area of affectation by applying a little pressure with your fingers. If left alone a lipoma tumor is painless. It may cause pain or pressure to surrounding tissue or nerves, depending on its location in your body.
Family history is the only strong cause of a lipoma tumor. Other causes are still being studied presently. If your sibling or parent has a lipoma tumor, then it is most likely that you will have this kind of growth, too. Familial multiple lipomatosis is a very rare inherited condition wherein there is an occurrence of more than one lipoma tumor. If a subcutaneous tissue is bruised or injured, a lipoma tumor could also grow underneath it.
3. Risk factors
A lipoma tumor can develop and manifest itself at any given age. It occurs rarely in children but is very common in people between the ages of 40 and 60 years of age. The usual risk factors that that affect the occurrence of a lipoma tumor are family history, adiposis dolorosa disease, age, gardner syndrome, and familial multiple lipomatosis. Adiposis dolorosa is also known as dercum disease. This brings about lots of very painful lipoma tumors, accompanied by neurological and psychological issues. Gardner syndrome is an inherited condition wherein pre-cancerous or non-cancerous growths develop in various organs and also under the skin. Familial multiple lipomatosis is very rare. It is when several Â benign or non-cancerous Â lipomas develop under your skin, in various areas of your body.
Usually, a lipoma tumor does not need any treatment at all. Most people just ignore it or accept it as a part of their body. A lipoma tumor is only removed from your body if it is already growing much faster than it should normally do or if it is too painful to tolerate already. Some people have their lipoma tumor surgically removed if it is already causing a significant decrease in self esteem and if it is already making every day living a very difficult challenge for you already. The moment you are diagnosed with lipoma tumor, your doctor may offer the surgical removal or excision of the growth, liposuction, and steroid injections to get rid of the growth. Administering steroid injections is a noon-invasive procedure wherein the lipoma tumor is just injected with steroids to shrink it.
If a lipoma tumor is not treated when it has to be, there may be some complications that may just occur. Its presence is usually not something to be alarmed about, but this still depends on where the lipoma tumor was able to establish growth. There may be instances when the growth may occur in areas where they compress the nerves. This results to pain and discomfort or to other medical conditions as well. When this happens, the lipoma tumor should be immediately treated. Physical deformity and pain are two of the most common complications that may happen.
If you notice or feel an abnormal growth in any part of your body, you should immediately seek the help of your doctor. This way, you could be very well-guided in understanding, managing, or treating your lipoma tumor.