If you’re looking for the best lipedema treatment after receiving your diagnosis, you may be feeling confused. Lipedema remains a poorly understood condition, even by many doctors in the medical profession. Therefore, the advice you receive from medical professional can be conflicting and unhelpful. Many patients even struggle to get a diagnosis in the first place. That can lead to their condition progressing and worsening over time, leading to worse treatment outcomes.
Getting treatment as quickly as possible is critical to achieving the best result. But which treatment should you choose? Fat freezing is a relatively new treatment that claims to get rid of excess fat in a non-invasive way. Liposuction is the best treatment available for lipedema, improving patients’ quality of life significantly. But it involves undergoing surgery – something that many patients fear. It isn’t surprising that so many women with lipedema are wondering if fat freezing is right for them. Here, we look at both options to help you make a well-informed decision.
What Does Fat Freezing Involve?
Fat freezing is a non-surgical, non-invasive medical procedure. Its purpose is to eliminate excess fat cells from below the skin. One of the best-known fat-freezing techniques is CoolSculpting. The technique involves placing the fat between two special panels or sucking it into a device. That cools down the fat until it reaches freezing temperatures. Treatment of each body part through the CoolSculpting or fat-freezing technique takes around an hour. It’s usually necessary to undergo multiple treatments for large body areas. Fat freezing involves no downtime or recovery period. Patients can return to normal activities and work immediately afterward. The results are not especially impressive, though. The procedure removes only around 20% of the excess fat. Also, it takes around six months to see the full effect – similar to liposuction.
Also Read – Your Top 5 Reasons to Have Surgical Lipedema Treatment
What Does Liposuction for Lipedema Involve?
Many people think that liposuction is purely a cosmetic procedure. That isn’t the case. In fact, it’s an effective medical option to treat lipedema sufferers. Because lipo removes the diseased fat cells permanently, it addresses the cause of lipedema. The surgeon performs lipo for lipedema in the same way as any other liposuction procedure. They give the patient a local anesthetic, so the patients feel no pain during the surgery. They then make tiny incisions in the areas they are treating. They pass a cannula into the incision, break up the fat, then suction it out.
Afterward, the patient must rest for a couple of days. There is a recovery period of around two weeks before they can return to typical activities. It’s normal to experience bruising, pain, and swelling after lipedema liposuction. The final outcome is impressive, though.
Liposuction removes far more fat than CoolSculpting. Although it takes around six months to see the full impact, patients begin to see results after about six weeks. Not only will they look slimmer and more proportionate, but they’ll also experience less pain in their lower limbs. They’ll also become more mobile. As a result, they enjoy a greatly improved quality of life. They also experience better self-confidence and self-esteem.
Do Experts Recommend Fat Freezing for Lipedema?
Fat freezing is not a recommended treatment for lipedema sufferers. At the present time, no research exists about using fat freezing to treat lipedema. However, patients who have tried this option report that they didn’t get good results. The reason for poor outcomes is that most lipedema fat isn’t the kind of fat that is suitable for CoolSculpting.
Furthermore, fat freezing is only really effective on small areas such as the double chin. Lipedema patients require the removal of large areas of fat from their entire lower body. Therefore, fat freezing isn’t a suitable solution.
It’s also important to note that cryolipolysis can also cause PAH (Paradoxical Adipose Hyperplasia). This condition can aggravate lipedema symptoms and make patients worse overall.
Do Experts Recommend Liposuction for Lipedema?
Liposuction is the treatment that most experts recommend for lipedema patients, because it produces long-lasting results. Many patients enjoy relief from symptoms for many years after treatment. Patients also benefit from improved mental health as well as physical health after lipo. Not only does liposuction improve the patient’s mobility and reduce their pain, but also gives them a more proportionate appearance. It addresses the cause of lipedema rather than only treating the symptoms. Therefore, it’s a far better choice than conservative options like MLD (manual lymphatic drainage) and compression garments. It’s also a tried and tested treatment, so it is a far safer and more effective option than fat freezing.
Where Can I Get a Consultation?
If you have a lipedema diagnosis, seeking out a specialist is vital. A specialist can help you get the right treatment for your needs. Dr. Su at ArtLipo is leading the way in liposuction for lipedema. Arrange your consultation today to find out whether you’re a good candidate for liposuction lipedema treatment.
Dr. Thomas Su, is the owner and cosmetic surgeon of Artistic Lipo. He has led our full-time clinic specializing in awake-only liposuction since 2007. Dr. Su began his medical career in internal medicine, practicing that until 2005, when he began to provide a full spectrum of non-invasive cosmetic procedures.
