Lipedema is a chronic (long-term) disease that is often misunderstood or mistaken for obesity or lymphedema. Signs and symptoms of lipedema are caused by a buildup of fatty tissue that leads to symmetrical swelling, discomfort, and pain in the legs, and, sometimes, the arms. Lipedema occurs only in women.
Causes of lipedema
If you break down the word ‘lipedema’, it means ‘fat swelling’. The mechanism behind the buildup of fatty tissue is still unknown.
The first signs and symptoms of lipedema usually occur during phases of weight gain that are often connected to hormonal changes, such as puberty, pregnancy, use of birth control pills, and menopause. Patients often report similar signs and symptoms of lipedema in other female family members. Therefore, genetics may also play a role in the development of lipedema. Research into any genetic cause(s) for lipedema is still ongoing.
Signs and symptoms of lipedema
As mentioned above, lipedema only affects women. There are some typical signs that go ahead with lipedema:
- Enlargement of the legs (and less frequently the arms) due to the buildup of fatty tissue
- Both legs (or arms) are affected in the same way
- Shape disproportion with a narrow waist and larger hips and thighs
- Normal appearance of hands and wrist, also called ‘cuffing or braceleting‘
- Loss of ankle definition, whereas the calves seem to merge into the ankles
Common symptoms of lipedema are:
- Affected limbs feel tender, sensitive, or even painful
- Affected tissue often feels cooler, softer, and can appear dimpled like orange-peel
- Feeling of heavy legs that can limit the mobility
The signs and symptoms of lipedema differ from the ones for lymphedema. You can find more information about the differences here.
Who is affected by lipedema? Get to know Ricarda!
It was Ricarda’s mother who first noticed that her legs are larger than the rest of her body. She describes her life with lipedema like a rollercoaster. Watch her story and learn how Ricarda managed living with a chronic disease.
