A lipoma is a benign lump under the skin composed of fatty tissue, nerve endings, and hair follicle roots. These things group together and form a lipoma in the subcutaneous layer, the innermost layer of the skin. Sometimes it can go deeper than that. Fortunately, lipomas are generally harmless, and it is extremely rare for them to become malignant. Although a lipoma can be found on any body part with a layer of fat, common areas include the neck, upper arms, thighs, forearms, armpits, back, stomach, and forehead.
Does a lump under your skin cause irritation? If yes, you might have a lipoma. A lipoma is a non-cancerous collection of fatty tissues. It is usually harmless but can become a cosmetic issue. If you are considering a lipoma removal surgery in Toronto, our surgeons are here for you. They are board-certified plastic surgeons with over 15,000 combined successful surgeries under their belts and boast solid and successful careers.
Although lipomas are generally harmless, patients may feel self-conscious about them—one of the biggest reasons patients want them removed. At TMSC, our board-certified surgeons perform lipoma removal procedures with care and expertise. We understand your desire to minimize scarring, so we are committed to ensuring your scar is as small as possible.
There are still no known reasons for the development of lipomas. They are not preventable, and there are no symptoms that can tell you whether you might develop a lipoma in the future or not. Although lipomas usually develop in adulthood, their causes are unclear to doctors. Hereditary conditions may lead to the development of lipomas.
These conditions include:
It is believed that physical trauma and the formation of lipomas are related. However, it's still an area of debate until now.
TMSC’s board-certified surgeons use local anesthesia for lipoma surgery in Toronto. The procedure involves direct surgical excision, which consists of a direct incision over the lipoma, a surgical extraction of the lipoma, and finally, the stitching of the skin. This allows patients to feel numb and feel relaxed during the process.
A lipoma is benign, and there's no need for removal unless it causes cosmetic issues. This means that it's visible on the skin and looks unpleasant. Typically, dermatologists or plastic surgeons perform lipoma removal under local anesthesia. This involves injecting a local anesthetic into the skin around the lipoma, numbing the area, and allowing the surgeon to remove it without causing pain. Local anesthesia doesn't induce sleep; you'll remain conscious throughout the procedure. During your initial consultation with our surgeon, they'll examine the lipoma and the surrounding area. If they determine that the lipoma is excessively large, they might arrange for you to be sedated during the procedure.
Our surgeons perform lipoma removal surgery if the lipoma is disturbing you. It usually happens if you feel pain in the area or for aesthetic reasons. Do not confuse lipoma, which is benign, with liposarcoma, a malignant tumour of the adipose tissue. The non-cancerous lipoma can occur anywhere on the body, e.g. thighs, chest, arms, armpits, neck, shoulders, and more. Studies have observed that men between the ages of 40 and 60 develop lipomas more than anyone else. When you come to TMSC for a lipoma removal surgery, our surgeon will numb the area and then surgically cut the lipoma. If there is fluid in the lipoma, the surgeons will squeeze the content out.
The most common way to remove a lipoma permanently is through surgery. That is where our board-certified plastic surgeons come in. They surgically remove the lipoma from the root. Typically, one of our surgeons performs the procedure under local anesthesia, but they might choose general anesthesia depending on the location and lipoma size. Their primary concern is the patient’s comfort and for them to not feel any pain through the procedure. They might make a small incision near the lipoma to remove the fat or use the incision and squeeze technique. Afterward, they will close the incision with a stitch or two. Once they remove everything and clean up the site, the surgeon puts bandages on the site. Unless the lipoma is too large, you will not need any drains put in.
When you come to TMSC for lipoma removal surgery, you’re giving yourself a favor by stopping it from getting any bigger. When our surgeon removes the lipoma, they confirm that there is nothing cancerous about the growth. Also, after the lipoma removal surgery, you will feel more confident about your appearance and more comfortable in your skin. You won’t have to put up with the unnecessary pain and discomfort.
Just like any surgery, lipoma removal surgery comes with a risk of infection or irritation. There will be a scar, albeit a tiny one, on the location of the lipoma. However, our surgeons perform all their surgeries in a way that minimizes scars. They also provide aftercare tips so the scar won’t be too unsightly and disappear quickly. Please note that sometimes a lipoma recurs after its removal.
There is minimal downtime after a lipoma removal surgery. There might be some discomfort, but it will not be for long. The discomfort lasts for a couple of days after the procedure, but it doesn’t stop performing your normal activities. Depending on the location of the lipoma, our surgeon might ask you to wait for a couple of weeks before going back to your routine.
Usually, the size of the incision is ½ to ⅔ as compared to the lipoma being operated on. Some lipomas need larger incisions if they are securely attached to neighbouring tissues. Because we understand and respect your desire for minimal scarring, our surgeons make sure the scar is as small as possible. That’s why we usually make the incision only large enough to remove the lipoma but ensure your results are optimal. We also use scar management gels after surgery.
Our surgeons are highly trained and experienced professionals who care deeply about their patients. Rest assured all of our procedures are carried out with the utmost care, precision, regard for aesthetics, and in a safe environment.
If the lipoma, or any other type of growth, is not cancerous, why should you want to remove it? The answer is simple. Although some growths are benign, they can affect your blood vessels, nerves and joints if they continuously grow. If the lipomas are deeper than the subcutaneous layer, they could cause various complications like bleeding and obstruction. As they keep on growing, the difficulties keep increasing. What’s worse is they appear on a spot where they could put pressure on an organ.
It is never a good idea to manage any type of skin growth at home, including lipomas. Otherwise, you risk yourself or injury, excessive bleeding, and scarring. Always seek the help of a board-certified plastic surgeon for any removal procedures. When you come to TMSC, our surgeon will advise you on whether to have your lipoma surgically removed or take another course of action.
Lipoma removal surgery has very few risks. It is an outpatient procedure, and you won’t have to stay overnight at the facility. Our surgeons ensure the safety of their patients at all times and have been very successful. But like other surgical procedures, you may experience some scarring and bruising and develop an infection, but very rare. Our surgeon will discuss all these details with you during your initial consultation.
While lipoma removal surgeries produce permanent results, recurrence or new growth near the previous one’s location is still possible. The larger the lipoma is, the higher the chances of recurrence.
The lipoma removal surgery is not painful at all. Our board-certified plastic surgeon will give you local anesthesia to numb the area before the surgery. You might feel a little pressure, but no pain. If your lipoma is extensive, the surgeon might advise general anesthesia.
