It isn't easy to know how to lose weight with lipedema. Unfortunately, lipedema fat and regular fat are very different from each other. Therefore, losing lipedema fat through dieting and exercising is virtually impossible. Most doctors believe that you should maintain an ongoing healthy lifestyle to manage the condition. However, surgery is the most effective way to lose that extra lipedema fat. Liposuction removes the excess fat from the affected areas of the body permanently. That results in significant weight loss for lipedema sufferers, and a more proportionate physique.

Are Obesity and Lipedema the Same Thing?

Although some believe obesity and lipedema are the same, this is untrue. Even doctors often misdiagnose lipedema sufferers as being obese. However, several key differences between the two conditions exist.

Lipedema is a progressive fat disorder, while obesity is due to consuming more calories than you burn. The two types of fat are also different. Obesity responds to exercise and diet. Lipedema does not. The distribution of fat is different too. With obesity, fat distributes across the body, but with lipedema, it only occurs in specific areas, particularly the lower limbs.

Obesity and lipedema can coexist, though, and obesity can exacerbate lipedema symptoms. It's hard to address obesity when you also have lipedema due to mobility issues and pain. Therefore, lipedema sufferers often become obese over time due to difficulty exercising.

Also Read - Understanding Types of Fat and Lipedema Treatment

Can Healthy Eating Help?

There is a common misconception that healthy eating will eliminate lipedema fat. Unfortunately, that isn't the case. Dieting does not eliminate lipedema. It may make the disproportionate appearance of the upper and lower body more noticeable. However, although healthy eating won't get rid of the lipedema fat, it can help to slow the condition's progression. A healthy diet also improves overall well-being, helping to prevent the development of any other coexisting disorders. Experts often recommend anti-inflammatory diets for patients as they reduce the pain and swelling associated with the disease.

Will Exercising Get Rid of Lipedema Fat?

Like dieting, exercising cannot get rid of existing lipedema fat. It does, however, help to maintain good overall health and prevent other conditions from developing. Exercising regularly also boosts lymphatic flow, reducing inflammation and swelling. Regular exercise, especially in the early stages of lipedema, can also help prevent mobility loss. Some types of exercise may be difficult for sufferers, especially those in the later stages of progression.

Swimming and water exercises are good choices as they boost lymph flow without added pressure on the joints. Pilates and yoga also help, as does moderate walking.

Will Therapeutic Treatments Work?

Most doctors suggest that lipedema sufferers try conservative therapeutic treatments as a first course of action. They usually recommend CDT – Complete Decongestive Therapy – alongside a healthy diet and regular exercise. CDT involves skin care, manual lymphatic drainage, wearing compression garments, and using pneumatic compression pumps. These therapeutic treatments don't cure lipedema, and they don't get rid of any of the lipedema fat. They don't address the cause, only the symptoms. They can, however, relieve some of the symptoms temporarily.

Is Surgery the Answer?

Surgery is the best way to treat lipedema, whether you are at an early or late stage of the condition. Surgery removes the diseased fat, helping to relieve pain and restore mobility. It also helps to restore a more proportionate appearance to the body. As a result, surgery not only improves physical well-being but mental health too. Usually, lipedema sufferers who undergo surgery feel more confident and have higher self-esteem afterward.

The type of surgery that lipedema sufferers require is liposuction. Liposuction is most commonly associated with cosmetic procedures, but it can serve a medical purpose too. As liposuction removes the diseased fat cells, it helps address the cause of the disease. Patients also find that the relief they experience after surgery is long-lasting.

Surgeons perform liposuction for lipedema in the same way as other liposuction procedures. They make incisions in the area they are treating and pass a cannula into them. They use the cannula to break the fat up, then suction it out. As a result, the patient benefits from less heavy, painful legs that are more proportionate to their upper body.

Liposuction is not a weight loss procedure for patients with or without lipedema. It does, however, help to create a more proportionate body shape and reduce pain. It can also improve mobility so that patients can enjoy an active lifestyle. As a result, they delay the progression of the condition.

If you want have surgery to address lipedema, you must seek out a skilled and experienced specialist.

Dr. Su at ArtLipo is leading the way in liposuction procedures and specializes in treating lipedema patients. Liposuction may not be the answer to how to lose weight with lipedema, but it improves your quality of life.