Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon
Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon
Lipomas are subcutaneous soft tissue tumors that usually are slow-growing and are harmless. They have a soft, rubbery consistency. Lipomas tend to form on the trunk, shoulders, neck but can appear elsewhere on the body.
Lipomas can appear as solitary or multiple soft tissue or lumps. Most lipomas are less than 5 cm in diameter and have no symptoms, but they can cause pain when they compress nerves.
Lipomas are not removed unless there is a cosmetic concern, a compression of surrounding structures, or an uncertain diagnosis. Lipomas generally do not infiltrate into surrounding tissue so they can be removed by minor surgery under local anesthetic.
The operation is performed under local anaesthetic and therefore painless. The area will remain numb for a few hours afterwards. However, once the local anaesthetic has worn off, the wound may feel tender and sore for a few days. Take your normal painkillers regularly to keep yourself comfortable.
General advice
■ Driving – You may not drive for 24 hours if you have had a general anaesthetic. There are no driving restrictions if you have had a local anaesthetic.
■ Activities – Avoid contact sports or any activities that may pull on your stitches.
If your wound is stitched and covered with a protective dressing; the stitches may require removal in 5, 7 or 10 days time. The staff will advise you if the stitches need to be removed at an outpatients appointment. Keep your wound clean and dry until your stitches have been removed, or advised by staff.
■ Bleeding – Your wound may bleed a little after the operation. If this occurs, place a clean cotton handkerchief or cloth over the area and apply constant pressure for approximately 10-15 minutes.
■ Infection – Your wound may become infected. If your wound becomes swollen, very red, very tender or starts producing a cloudy discharge, see your GP who may prescribe you antibiotics.
■ Scarring – Any surgery will result in a scar. In most cases, the scar will appear pink to start with and then eventually virtually disappear. However, sometimes the scar may remain visible. It may 3 look a different colour from the surrounding skin or be raised above the surface of the skin. Rarely, the scar may feel numb or even be painful.
Lipomas are completely harmless and frequently require no treatment at all. Surgery is considered if the lump is. In rare cases, lipomas form around nerves or blood vessels, and require removal to relieve symptoms of pain or discomfort. Lipomas do not disappear by themselves and frequently get bigger. Therefore, surgery is the only way of getting rid of the lump altogether.
I just had the otoplasty procedure at MACS clinic in Watford. From the initial consultation through to the surgery itself, I felt totally looked after by the brilliant staff. Everyone was very friendly and helpful, the clinic is very nice and I felt at ease at all times. Mr Vadodaria was very thorough, reassuring and happy to answer any questions and the surgery itself was painless. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the clinic to anyone!
– Jessica Barber –
Fantastic service! Lovely and approachable staff. Surgeon was incredibly informative, took the time to answer all my questions. Would highly recommend!
– Rajpal Gore –
5 stars!!! Thank you, I’ve already recommended you to friends and family
– Carlos L R –
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