Lipedema, lymphedema, lipohypertrophy, and obesity: how do we differentiate?

Resource type
Author/contributor
Title
Lipedema, lymphedema, lipohypertrophy, and obesity: how do we differentiate?
Abstract
Lymphological and fatty tissue disorders of the legs are increasingly tying up capacities in the health care system. This is related to the increase in obesity disease to almost endemic proportions in our society. Although the term lipedema was coined in the 1950s, it has only now become really well known. Women with lipedema suffer from symmetrical and disproportional fat deposition on both legs, accompanied by tenderness or strong pain especially on touch. Over 50 years, this condition has been underdiagnosed. Women with lipohypertrophy (same fat disproportion without pain) fear they suffer from lipedema and are misguided by false information, claiming treatment, as well as liposuction reimbursed by health care systems. Affected women suffer greatly from misinformation but also from overdiagnosis. The aim of this work is to make differential diagnosis easier for the health practitioner. On the basis of descriptions on visual inspection and palpation of the affected legs, the differential diagnosis is explained here, supported with many pictures. As a result, differentiation of the entities lipedema, lipohypertrophy, obesity, and lymphedema and their mixed forms is made easier for health practitioners in their daily work. Many studies are still needed to better understand the entity lipedema, and efforts are underway to change the name to avoid misunderstandings, as the condition “lipedema” does not seem to have water in the fatty tissue.
Publication
Phlebolymphology
Volume
31
Issue
1
Pages
20
Date
2024-07-02
ISSN
1286-0107
Citation
Mendoza, Erika. (2024). Lipedema, lymphedema, lipohypertrophy, and obesity: how do we differentiate? Phlebolymphology, 31(1), 20. https://www.phlebolymphology.org/lipedema-lymphedema-lipohypertrophy-and-obesity-how-do-we-differentiate/
Topic