Llámanos
+34 96 341 06 00
Llámanos
+34 96 341 06 00
Lipedema Advanced Care, with Dr. Alexo Carballeira as Medical Director, and a multidisciplinary team at the Hospital Fontana, for Lipedema treatment and research.
Calle Alicante 31, Valencia
+34 963 410 600
pacientes@lipedemaac.com
Lipedema is a progressive disease of fatty tissue that almost exclusively affects
women (between 12% and 16%) and is characterized by an accumulation of
pathological fat in the extremities, mainly in the lower limbs (from ankle to hip). ,
but it also occurs in the upper limbs (arms), without affecting the feet or hands.
It is common to wonder what Lipedema is, since it is a little-known disease in
Spain and in the rest of the world, and it was not until 2018 when the World
Health Organization (WHO) recognized it as a disease. The word Lipedema is used
in Spanish, as well as in English, but in some European countries this disease is
called Lipoedema, Lipodem or Lipöedema.
Affected people usually present decompensated silhouettes in which the lower
extremities are thicker than the rest of the body, without existing, in many cases,
difference between ankle, knee and thigh. It is not about obesity or cellulite,
although it is common to confuse it, since it does not respond so much to
conventional diets or exercise.
The origin of this disease is not clear, it has been proven that there is a genetic component, as well as a hormonal component.
Hypersensitivity, pain in soft tissues both at rest and when walking or touching them, among other symptoms.
There is no universally accepted classification of Lipedema. The most common divides it into three grades based on the structure of the tissue and the texture of the skin.
Frequently asked questions about Lipedema, its symptoms, causes and main treatments currently available.
From 12 to 18% of women worldwide suffer from this disease.
90% of patients would undergo surgery if they had not.
15 to 17% of women with lymphedema also have lipedema.
Affected are women. It is a disease that affects almost exclusively women.
Although it is sometimes confused, it is not a problem related to obesity, since it
does not respond to healthy habits or diets. Lipedema has the peculiarity that fat
accumulates abnormally, usually in the lower limbs from the hip to the ankles.
Lipedema is different from Lymphedema and a good diagnosis is important to
allow the most appropriate treatment. In hands and feet lymphedema they do
present swelling and it is usually unilateral, that is, there is always lymphatic
involvement and it usually affects only one limb.
The skin surface is smooth, but the subcutaneous fatty tissue is thickened. The fatty structure has fine nodules
The surface of the skin is irregular, with bumps and depressions. The fatty structure with coarse nodules.
Harder and rougher tissue, formation of broad lobular-shaped pockets in the skin.
The BMI is a useful tool that is commonly used by health professionals to
determine the prevalence of underweight, overweight, and obesity in adults.
It is considered that there is excess weight and obesity when the BMI is
respectively higher than 25 and 30.
Normally, a BMI is considered “healthy” when it is between 18.5 and 25, “at risk” when it is 25-29, and “high risk” when it is above 30.