What should I do if my lipoma hurts?

Written by Liu Huan Huan
General Surgery
Updated on March 20, 2025
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Lipomas are relatively common in clinical settings and are benign tumors on the body surface, often found on the limbs and trunk. Generally, they don't cause obvious clinical symptoms except for the appearance of a lump under the skin. The lump is usually flat, and the skin surface remains intact, though this is not absolute. Some patients may experience pain in the lipoma, particularly when lipomas appear symmetrically on the limbs, causing localized pain. In such cases, surgical treatment is recommended, which can be performed under local anesthesia to remove the lipoma and alleviate the pain.

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Written by Liu Huan Huan
General Surgery
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How is a lipoma treated?

Lipomas are commonly seen in clinical practice and are a type of superficial tumor that are benign. They frequently occur on the limbs and trunk. Lipomas are located subcutaneously and are composed of fatty tissue. If the lipoma is small and the patient does not exhibit any significant clinical symptoms, conservative observation can be adopted as a treatment method. If the lipoma is relatively large, grows rapidly, or is accompanied by concealed pain, surgical treatment can be considered. Clinically, lipomas can be excised under local anesthesia; medication or massage are both ineffective.

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Written by Liu Huan Huan
General Surgery
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Symptoms of Lipoma

Lipomas are considered superficial tumors, often caused by proliferation of subcutaneous fat. When lipomas occur, patients may feel localized pain, but most patients do not have significant pain symptoms. Instead, a mass appears under the skin, which typically presents as lobulated, can be moved, and has a smooth surface. The consistency is either relatively firm or soft. These are typical clinical manifestations of lipomas. Clinically, an ultrasound examination is needed to assist in the diagnosis, and surgical removal is recommended after diagnosis.

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Written by Tang Da Wei
General Surgery
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Do lipomas need to be treated?

Whether a lipoma needs treatment depends on its location, size, shape, and presence of symptoms. If the lipoma is small and symptom-free, it generally does not require treatment. Lipomas are benign lesions formed by abnormal growth of subcutaneous fat and rarely become cancerous. However, if the lipoma is large, causing compressive symptoms, or noticeably growing fast over a short period, along with local pain, it should be considered for complete excision under local anesthesia. After removal, it is generally necessary to send the specimen for pathological examination, and depending on the situation, decide whether to place a drainage tube at the wound site.

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Written by Tang Da Wei
General Surgery
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Can lipomas disappear?

Lipomas generally do not disappear on their own. They form due to abnormal or excessive growth in the subcutaneous fat, presenting as localized lumps with an outer membrane encapsulating them. Lipomas are typically soft with high mobility and well-defined borders. Small lipomas usually do not require surgical treatment; close monitoring to check for changes in size is sufficient. However, if a lipoma is large, causes local compression symptoms, or pain, surgical removal may be considered.

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Written by Ma Xian Shi
General Surgery
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Do lipomas hurt?

Lipoma is a common clinical disease characterized by tumor-like normal adipose tissue, often occurring in the limbs and trunk. It has clearly defined margins, is lobulated, soft in texture, and may feel like a pseudocyst, with no pain symptoms. The growth is slow, and some can grow quite large. Deep-seated lipomas can potentially become malignant and should be surgically removed promptly. Another type is the painful lipoma, which often occurs in patients with a family history. These tumors are usually smaller and commonly distributed symmetrically. However, most lipoma patients do not experience pain symptoms; it is only the painful lipomas that are painful. These are also characterized by a family history, symmetrical distribution, and smaller size.