Why Some Lipomas Need Removal While Others Can Wait

Noticing you have something growing under your skin is usually somewhat alarming. If you have a lipoma, though, that growth is harmless. It’s just a collection of fatty tissue and doesn’t pose any threat to your overall health.

Still, you might not want to live with this lump. And you don’t have to. 

At our office in Chevy Chase, Maryland, Ali Hendi, MD, and Kristina Lim, DO, offer lipoma removal to people throughout the greater Washington, DC, area, northern Virginia, and the eastern shore of Maryland. 

Should you consider lipoma removal for yourself? Let’s explore what you need to know to decide. 

Lipomas aren’t dangerous

A lipoma is different from other types of growths that can appear on your body. These round or oval-shaped lumps are made of fatty tissue, containing nothing cancerous or otherwise concerning. 

Signs you have a lipoma include:

• A symmetrical shape
• Painlessness 
• Being able to move the lump under your skin
• The growth feels squishy or rubbery, not hard

If you develop this kind of growth, you don’t necessarily need to take any action. Lipomas generally don’t require treatment. You might not want to live with this growth, though, and that’s where we come in. 

When to remove a lipoma

Most lipomas are smaller than two inches in diameter and often develop in places where they don’t really get in the way, like your chest or back. Some lipomas get bigger, though. They can grow up to six inches in diameter. 

In other instances, the lipoma develops somewhere that either rubs or bothers you cosmetically. You can get these growths on your armpit or forehead, for example.

If the lipoma bugs you because it rubs as you move or it’s in a visible spot, talk with us about it. We specialize in lipoma removal and offer this treatment here at our office.

During lipoma removal, Dr. Hendi or Dr. Lim makes an incision where the growth is located and removes the fatty tissue. Most lipomas don’t come back after this kind of treatment. 

Recovery from lipoma removal is pretty fast and straightforward, and you go home the same day. You might have some discomfort around the removal site for a few days, but it can usually be managed with ibuprofen or acetaminophen. 

Most people get back to their usual activities within a few days. You can safely exercise within a week. 

To see if lipoma removal is right for you, we’re available to discuss your options. Call our office in Chevy Chase, Maryland, at 301-812-4591 or schedule an appointment online today.