Want to know the cause of lipedema? ReSculpt Clinic can help you!

The cause of lipoedema has not been fully unraveled.

The cause of lipoedema is not entirely clear. Weight loss has little effect on the condition. Hereditary factors may play a role.

ReSculpt Clinic all aspects of lipoedema into account when treating this condition. For optimal results, it is important to identify all factors and treat lipoedema using a multidisciplinary approach.

The development of lipoedema and the clinical picture are complicated and involve multiple factors. There is still much uncertainty about the exact cause of this condition. Resculpt Clinic can help you with a tailor-made treatment.

What is lipedema?

Lipedema is a chronic condition in which there is a disorder in the production and growth of fat cells in specific areas of the body. Hereditary factors often play a role in lipedema. Thick legs are therefore not always just thick legs; they could be lipoedema legs.

It is a condition in which the increase in fatty tissue is unevenly distributed. This causes fat deposits to form in areas such as the legs and arms. The hands, ankles, and feet do not become thicker.

This uneven distribution of fat cells can cause symptoms. These include painful, tired, and heavy legs, but also easy bruising.

Information

Lipedema - Hormonal changes

What is special about lipedema is that it occurs almost exclusively in women and girls. About 10% of women are affected by this condition. Often this happens, during a period when the hormone levels change, such as puberty, pregnancy or during menopause.

Cause

No Clear Cause of Lipedema

The cause of lipoedema is not yet fully understood. There are many different factors that can contribute to the development of this condition. Part of the cause of lipoedema lies in heredity, but hormones and receptors can also cause you to develop lipoedema.

The exact cause of lipoedema is unknown, but genetic factors play a role in its development. If you develop lipoedema, there is nothing you can do about it. And the difficult thing is that the fat deposits do not go away, even with a healthy diet and exercise.

ReSculpt Clinic expert help in tackling the causes of lipoedema through a broad approach. This approach focuses on your health. You can follow a special lipoedema diet (or rather, nutrition plan) and medical treatments are also available.

For more information, see the general page about lipoedema.

Complaints

Lipedema complaints

The complaints experienced by patients with lipoedema vary greatly. Localised fat deposits develop on the thighs, lower legs, hips, upper legs, inner knees and arms. In addition, these fat deposits on the hips and thighs can cause pain or make the legs tire quickly.

The limbs often increase in size. This can result in a difference of 2 to 3 clothing sizes between your upper and lower body. Lipedema develops on both sides of the body to a fairly equal degree, i.e. symmetrically.

As a result of the localised fat deposits on the hips, lying on your side can be difficult, painful or sensitive.

Lipedema can cause the upper legs to feel tired and sensitive. Loss of strength in the arms and legs is also one of the symptoms associated with lipedema. Standing and sitting can become difficult, tiring, and painful over time.

Other lipedema symptoms

In addition to the tissue being sensitive, bruises can develop more quickly. The skin often has a bumpy texture. Another characteristic symptom of lipoedema is that there is no swelling of the feet or thickening of the ankles. The hands and wrists are also not affected by Fat deposits.

People with lipoedema can also develop weight problems. There are a number of causes that are directly related to lipoedema. It can also be the result of poor diet and lack of exercise.

If you burn fewer calories due to difficulty moving as a result of lipoedema and maintain the same intake, you will gain weight. If you don't know that the growth of your legs is related to lipoedema, and you notice that losing weight has no effect on the size of your legs, you may lose the motivation to lose weight.

Lipedema legs - fat accumulation in the legs

People with lipoedema are much more likely to experience knee problems. This could be the result of a change in the position of the legs. Due to the increase in volume of fat accumulation between the legs (thighs), the legs have to be placed further apart. This results in a change in gait and a change in the load on the knee joint.

Another possible cause of the increased incidence of knee complaints is the low-grade inflammation in the lipoedema leg tissue, which causes damage to the knee joint.
Due to the increased Fat on the inside of the upper legs, the legs rub against each other. This is uncomfortable and can even cause skin problems.

In addition, mental health issues can also arise, which can worsen over time. Social isolation, insecurity, and psychosocial complaints are unfortunately common.

Would you like to know more about how to recognize lipoedema?

Can lipedema get worse?

Yes, lipoedema can certainly worsen. When and in whom and to what extent is not always easy to predict. Factors such as prolonged immobility due to illness, pregnancy, and menopause can be moments when lipoedema worsens.

In a more advanced stage, the fat cells become increasingly fuller and stiffer, more lymph fluid accumulates with protein precipitation and an increase in low-grade inflammation, causing the fat cells to grow faster again.

ReSculpt Clinic a solution for this chronic disease.

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NUTRITION PLAN

Is lipedema curable?

No, unfortunately lipoedema cannot be cured. Lipoedema is a difficult condition to treat, but in the early stages there are certain things you can do to influence the course of the disease.

The most important thing is to lead a healthy lifestyle. Getting enough exercise and eating healthily ensures that most people can keep their weight fairly stable. An increase in body weight not only causes normal fat tissue to grow, but also lipoedema fat tissue.

The problem is that when you lose weight, lipoedema Fat disappear, or hardly disappears at all. Sometimes it can be advisable to lose weight. Getting enough exercise and staying active also strengthens your muscles.

Lipedema diet

Resculpt Clinic has developed a special lipoedema diet that can help with this. This diet, or rather nutrition plan, is aimed at providing optimal support for your body when you suffer from lipoedema.

Read more information about the nutrition plan here

Edema therapy

Edema therapy with a skin therapist or physical therapist helps to drain lymph fluid containing proteins and inflammatory substances. This often reduces most pain symptoms and decreases the volume somewhat. As a result, your legs feel more comfortable and less heavy, and you can move more easily again.

Because it reduces low-grade inflammation and protein deposits in the tissue, it is very likely that it also slows down the progression of the disease. Edema therapy can consist of LPG endermology, manual lymphatic drainage, IPC (intermittent pneumatic compression therapy), and the fitting of compression garments (pantyhose, compression stockings)ReSculpt Clinic

ReSculpt Clinic with various edema therapists.

If you would like more information, please contact one of our medical specialists →

TREATMENT

Lip edema treatment at ReSculpt Clinic

One of the most effective treatments is the lipoedema treatment offered by ReSculpt Clinic tumescent liposuction. ReSculpt Clinic the specialist in the field of tumescent liposuction.

With tumescent liposuction, a large part of the (abnormal) fatty tissue is removed. This reduces the Fat and can greatly alleviate the symptoms. Pain (often severe) is reduced, as is volume.

This allows you to move better and more comfortably, making it easier to lose weight. Clothes will fit better again and you will feel better about yourself because your upper and lower body will be more in proportion. Knee problems are also often reduced.

The results are permanent and the lipoedema will never be as severe as it was before the treatment.

Lipedema test

Would you like to know if you have lipoedema? Or does lipoedema run in your family and are you experiencing symptoms? Take our lipoedema test!

For expert advice, please contact our specialists.

Skilled and experienced team

Resculpt Clinic gave me expert advice on my incipient lipedema. I liked being able to still do something myself about the cause of my lipedema with the specially developed lipedema diet / lipedema nutrition plan →

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions about the cause of lipedema

Because lipedema occurs almost exclusively in women and girls, female genes and/or female hormones and/or receptors probably play an important role in the onset of lipedema. Lipedema can begin from puberty, sometimes becoming evident only after pregnancy or menopause.

Lipedema cannot be cured, but it can be treated effectively. Edema therapy for lipedema is an important conservative treatment. Maintaining a stable weight, eating a healthy diet, and exercising regularly help to keep lipedema under control. Liposuction under local anesthesia can be used to remove the fatty tissue. Afterwards, it is important to maintain a stable weight to prevent the lipoedema from returning. What's gone is gone, so that's always a win.

Lipedema legs can be recognized by an increase in volume due to fat deposits. This can cause the limbs to feel heavy and tired. There is often a difference of two or three clothing sizes between the upper and lower body. In severe cases, the legs affected by lipoedema are very bumpy and the layer of fat often feels firmer than that of normal tissue (abdomen/flanks). Touch, pressure or impact is often sensitive or even painful. Lipoedema can run in the family on both the father's and mother's side.

The cause of thick upper legs could be lipedema. This is not the same as obesity, although the conditions may be related. Lipedema legs are often painful, feel tired and bruise easily.

Download the Lipedema brochure (EN)

Download the Lipedema brochure (english)

CLINIC

Lipoedema at ReSculpt Clinic

At Resculpt Clinic, we work with experienced specialists who strive for natural results. We create a customized treatment plan and ensure a safe, comfortable experience.

Benefits of lipoedema treatment at ReSculpt

Customization: Personal consultation with skin analysis.
Certified: Treatment by certified specialists.
Quality: High-quality products and the latest techniques

At ReSculpt Clinic , doctors ReSculpt Clinic in accordance with national guidelines and field standards. This also applies to the treatment of lipoedema. The national guideline for lipoedema can be found at the Dutch Association for Dermatology and Venereology.

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Lipoedema cause