Your Path to Effective Lipedema Management: Selecting the Right Specialist
Effective lipedema management can prove to be surprisingly difficult. The reason for this is the lack of knowledge and understanding of the condition. There is often a delay in getting treatment due to late diagnosis. Many women remain unaware that this condition exists, and even their doctors struggle to identify it. Yet, with early diagnosis, lipedema management is much easier. Therefore, the most important thing to do if you suspect you have lipedema is to consult with a specialist.
How Can I Manage Lipedema?
Unfortunately, there is currently no cure available for lipedema. Nevertheless, there are treatments that can help.
Patients can choose between conservative and surgical treatments.
Many doctors recommend that patients try a conservative approach first. That includes making lifestyle changes, wearing compression garments and having regular manual lymphatic drainage massages. These treatments can help to relieve the symptoms, but only on a temporary basis. As conservative options only address the symptoms and not the cause of lipedema, they have no lasting impact. The disease continues to progress and worsen over time.
The other option is surgery, which is liposuction of the affected areas. Lipedema liposuction is similar to the better-known cosmetic liposuction procedure. However, the technique the surgeon uses is more careful to avoid causing damage to the lymphatic system.
Lipedema liposuction removes the diseased fat, thus addressing the cause of the problem. It brings numerous benefits including reduced pain and improved mobility. As an added bonus, it also improves the patient’s appearance by restoring a more proportionate body shape. All of this combines to improve the quality of life exponentially. These positive results are also long-lasting, with many patients experiencing relief for as long as 10 years.
Also Read – Advice from Lipedema Surgeons About Managing Your Condition
A Lack of Knowledge Impacts Effective Lipedema Management
The widespread lack of knowledge about lipedema is a significant barrier to effective lipedema management. Getting an early diagnosis results in faster treatment and better outcomes for patients. Unfortunately, though, getting a diagnosis can be particularly challenging. Most people are unaware of lipedema as a medical condition. Even doctors struggle to spot the signs and symptoms, particularly at stages one and two. Therefore, it is imperative to know the symptoms yourself.
Some signs that you may have lipedema include:
- Disproportionate distribution of fat, with the lower body being larger than the upper body, perhaps by several sizes.
- Column-like legs (and possibly arms)
- Tender limbs that bruise easily.
- A nodular texture to the skin in the affected areas
If you spot these signs, you should seek medical advice as soon as possible. Getting an accurate diagnosis at an early stage will enable you to seek out specialized care quickly. Early treatment will prevent the worsening of symptoms, since the condition is progressive and only gets worse without treatment.
Why Do I Need a Lipedema Specialist?
Many family doctors still lack knowledge and understanding of lipedema. Often, the disease must be quite advanced before they can spot the signs and symptoms. Many sufferers receive a misdiagnosis of obesity from their doctor. These incorrect diagnoses lead to a lot of wasted time during which the disease progresses.
A lipedema specialist has far greater knowledge and understanding of the condition overall. They have the crucial ability to spot symptoms earlier and can offer access to the most effective treatments. With that in mind, seeking a specialist’s advice as soon as you spot the symptoms makes sense.
What Factors Must I Consider When Choosing a Lipedema Specialist?
When choosing a specialist, it is imperative to select a medical professional with proven experience in diagnosing and treating lipedema. They should have an in-depth knowledge of the latest research and techniques. It’s important to choose a specialist who takes the time to understand your individual condition and provide customized treatment plans. They should also have extensive experience in managing the full spectrum of lipedema stages. The best specialists will happily provide proof of their positive patient outcomes in the form of photographs and testimonies.
Where Do I Find a Lipedema Specialist?
There many surgeons today who offer lipedema liposuction, but not all are equally experienced or skilled. That is why you should pay particular attention to your research when seeking out the right specialist for you. You must find a surgeon who not only has an in-depth understanding of liposuction but also understands lipedema. That is the best way to ensure the best possible outcome.
Dr. Su at ArtLipo is an excellent choice. He has extensive experience in the field of liposuction, specializing in this area of surgery for many years. He is also an expert in treating lipedema patients, producing impressive outcomes for patients at all stages of lipedema. You can see some of these excellent results in the gallery on the ArtLipo website.
To arrange a consultation with Dr Su, get in touch with the ArtLipo team in Tampa, Florida, today.
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.