A lipoma is a soft and painless lump that grows under your body over several years, often consisting of fat cells. They are often harmless and can occur anywhere within the body, but they don’t cause any symptoms. Most of the time, people will want to cosmetically remove lipomas because of the unsightly swelling, especially if the swelling is in a visible place or can be seen through clothes.
Once you decide that you want to get rid of a lipoma, you can do so by visiting a London lipoma removal clinic, and the dermatologists there will let you know about the steps of a successful lipoma removal.
The Scan
Most lipomas grow very slowly over the years, so if you have a lipoma that has grown a large amount in a short period of time, that is something to be concerned about. If your lipoma is painful, has grown quickly, or is otherwise a problem, then the dermatologist will scan it with an ultrasound in order to make sure that it isn’t cancerous.
Sarcoma is a cancer that can affect different types of tissue in the body, and that needs to be detected right away so a plan to combat the cancer can be developed. If it has been scanned and no cancer is detected, then your dermatologist will move toward the next step of getting the lipoma removed from your body.
Removing Your Lipoma
If your lipoma is under 10 cm in size, then it can often be removed in the office with a local anesthetic and then you can go home right after the procedure is completed. The outline of the swelling is marked on the skin and the incision is marked to where it can be done without being noticeable.
Then the area is injected with a local anesthetic and the area is numbed and cleaned with an antiseptic solution. Then the dermatologist makes the incision and the lipoma is separated from the other fatty tissues until it is removed. Once the growth is removed, the wound is closed and sutured, and then dressed. After that, you are free to go.
What Happens After The Lipoma Removal?
Probably the most interesting part of the lipoma removal is that you will be sporting a permanent scar where the growth used to be. Although your doctor will do their best to disguise the scar among the rest of your skin, it will be there and you can show it off to anyone to asks! You will be sent home with a dressing on your wound, and the dermatologist will give you directions about what to do with that dressing.
The wound is stitched up with absorbable stitches when it can be, so you just need to wait for the stitches to dissolve into the body. However, skin stitches might be used if the absorbable kind isn’t applicable, and you will need to come in after a period to get them professionally removed.
Also, make sure not to do any strenuous exercise or activities that will lead to either an infection of the wound or tearing of the stitches. If the lipoma was removed from your face, you also can’t put makeup on for at least three to four weeks until the wound fully heals.
Does The Lipoma Come Back?
If your dermatologist removes the lipoma well, then it shouldn’t come back, and even if it does come back you won’t need to worry about it because it will likely return after many years. But for the most part, it is going to be gone.
Should I Worry About Lipomas?
You should always get lipomas checked, especially ones that are growing and or look different from the rest of the bumps on your skin. But if they are benign then why worry about them? Aside from being noticeable, they won’t do you any harm. So if you don’t want to get them removed, then you don’t have to. Just leave them alone and that will be that!
However, if you do decide that you want to get your lipoma removed, then it is a quick and easy process that just has a long recovery time, but even then it shouldn’t impede you from too much until you recover.
Just make sure you visit a good dermatologist and then you will be able to get your lipoma removed without any trouble! Then you will be able to move on with your life and have a cool scar to show for it too!