Difference to a lipedema | Lymphedema

Difference to a lipedema

At the beginning of the disease, lymphedema and lipedema are very similar. In both, there is an increase in volume in certain areas of the body. Lymphedema can occur all over the body, while lipedema occurs in the legs in almost all cases.

Lymphedema affects both men and women, but lipedema affects almost only women. The affected men have hormonal disorders in most cases. While in lymphedema the cause is usually mechanical, in lipedema a hormonal cause is suspected.

This suspicion exists because lipedema usually occurs after hormonal changes such as the menopause.Lipedema is a pathological, structural change in the subcutaneous fatty tissue, which then tends to accumulate more fluid. In lymphedema, the edema is soft and can be pushed away in the first stage. The lipedema cannot be pushed away at the beginning. Lymphedema can occur asymmetrically on only one leg or arm, whereas lipedema is always symmetrical. A genetic predisposition is also observed in lipedema.

May I go to the sauna with lymphedema

Affected areas of the body should be protected from temperature fluctuations and especially from overheating, as this increases the formation of lymph fluid and hinders its removal. A visit to the sauna is therefore not recommended. The resulting temperatures in a sauna would increase lymphedema.