Can I remove a lipoma myself?

A lipoma is a mostly benign accumulation of fatty tissue under the skin or even deeper in the tissue, which can be removed by surgery or possibly by lipolysis (fat dissolution) in case of complaints. During an operation at least the skin must be cut open. If the lipoma is ultimately deeper in the tissue than expected, an experienced doctor must take care not to damage other structures such as vessels and nerves or other organs.

As a patient, you cannot perform an operation on yourself. And other procedures, such as lipolysis, must also be performed by an experienced doctor. The risk that the treatment will otherwise fail or cause further damage is simply too great for self-application.

To which doctor?

The removal of a lipoma is a surgical procedure. Depending on where the lipoma is located on or in the body, it can be operated on by various doctors with surgical training. Lipomas that are located directly under the skin can be operated on by a dermatologist, for example.

If there are perhaps several large lipomas in the abdominal cavity, causing discomfort, a general surgeon could be consulted. If the lipoma is very close to a vessel, and the vessel may already be “overgrown” by the lipoma, it is possible to consult a vascular surgeon. The above mentioned doctors can perform this operation either in their practice, if it is equipped for it, or there is the possibility to have the operation performed directly in a clinic.

Treatment

In addition to the classic surgical removal of a lipoma, there are now also good alternatives that do not require surgery and also do not leave a scar or cause the skin to sink in after the tumor has been removed. Injection therapy and laser lipolysis are two methods that can be performed quickly and are among the most minimally invasive procedures. The treatment can be performed on an outpatient basis and takes about 15-20 minutes.A small, fine needle is inserted into the affected tissue in the subcutis.

The pain is very slight. During the treatment, patients only feel a slight burning and pressing sensation in the area of the injected fine needle. The drug is then injected slowly and should be evenly distributed so that it can take effect specifically on the lipoma.

The drug is the lecithin of soybeans and is used for many years. After the injection, swelling and reddening of the affected skin area often occurs. This reaction is expected to cause the fat cells to melt down, i.e. be broken down, in the coming weeks.

The released fat is transported via the bloodstream to the liver, where they are completely broken down. A complete healing of the injection therapy can take up to eight weeks. If one session is not sufficient, the procedure can be repeated.

Laser lipolysis can also be used to treat lipomas and complements the possibilities of conventional liposuction. Laser lipolysis can be performed on an outpatient basis and is therefore only performed under local anesthesia in some specialized medical practices and is painless for most patients. For the application, tiny skin incisions are first prepared, which allow the laser fiber to penetrate right down to the fat cells (adipocytes).

A fine laser beam of the diode laser is directed at the fat cells. The laser beam generates heat, which destroys the fat cells and dissolves the fat tissue. At the same time, the heat generated obliterates small blood vessels, so that the procedure is also relatively bloodless.

The surrounding tissue is stimulated to form new collagen fibers, which explains the skin tightening effect of the treatment. Last but not least, this method is therefore the method of choice for reducing fatty tissue in smaller skin areas. After the treatment, redness and swelling may occur.

Since the heat generated can damage smaller skin nerves, a numbness around the treated skin area may occur shortly after the procedure, but this will subside as the healing process progresses. Laser treatment not only offers the advantages of skin tightening, but also a low blood loss compared to classic liposuction, and a short healing time means only a short loss of working hours. It is gentle and low-risk.