What are the Different Stages of Lipedema?

1. What are the Different Stages of Lipedema?

2. Different Stages of Lipedema? • Lipedema is a fat disorder that affects women and is often mistaken for simple obesity. Believed to be hormonal in nature, lipedema usually develops at puberty, but can develop or worsen later in life due to hormonal changes associated with pregnancy, menopause, or gynecological surgery. • Estimates of the incidence of lipedema range as high as 11% of the post-pubertal female population, which is approximately 17 million women in the United States alone. • Lipedema is a progressive disease with four stages. Not all patients have lipedema that worsens over time, but many do. It is important to be informed about it so that you can get the proper diagnosis and treatment.

3. Here are the Different Stages of Lipedema:

4. Stage 1 • the skin surface can be smooth with enlarging subcutaneous fat tissue • there can be swelling that comes and goes depending on various circumstances like nutrition intake and weather conditions • there can be cuffs at the ankles

5. Stage 2 • the skin surface is uneven with indentations • there can be the development of nodules in the subcutaneous fat tissue feeling like “beans in a bag” • there is a visible “dimpling” of the skin • there can be increasing tenderness and pain • there can be cuffs at the ankles

6. Stage 3 • the skin surface increasingly indents with deformations caused by fat growth • there can be large masses of skin and fat that create folds and overhangs especially at the hips, thighs, and knees • ankle cuffs are usually present • when lymphedema develops, there can be subcutaneous tissue thickening and a honeycomb appearance to the tissue due to fluid buildup in subcutaneous fat • pain and tenderness can worsen considerably during this stage with increasing immobility

7. Stage 4 • the progression of lipedema advances to include a significant compromise of the lymphatic system and resulting lymphedema referred to as LipoLymphedema • there can be debilitating “lobules” of skin and fat, typically on the medial thighs and knees, that significantly limit mobility • swelling can be persistent • typically there are profuse cuffs at the ankles

8. Those are the different stages of lipedema; it is important to know the different stages if you think you may have lipedema so that you can get proper diagnosis and treatment for it. • Getting the right diagnosis and treatment for lipedema can prevent or slow the progression, help retain mobility and even decrease pain.

9. Check These Out! • Lipedema is little-known and often misdiagnosed. There are as many as 17 million women in the USA and many more globally who have lipedema and don't know it yet. Let your voice be heard. • Learn about how you can engage in more meaningful discussions with your doctor, get the right treatment options that fit your needs and live your best life with lipedema, lymphedema, and chronic conditions. • For more info on lipedema stages Check out: https://lipedema-simplified.org