Lipoma

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A lipoma is a common, benign (non-cancerous) soft, fatty lump under your skin. It can occur anywhere on your body but common sites are your arms, back of your neck, trunk and thighs.

You may have a single lump (solitary) or several lumps (multiple). They're usually harmless.

Health professionals do not know what causes a lipoma but there may be a genetic link as they can run in families. Sometimes an injury such as a knock to your body can cause a lipoma to grow.

Lipomas affect males and females equally though solitary lipomas are more common in women and multiple lipomas are more common in men. Anyone can get a lipoma at any age but they're more common in adults.

Symptoms of lipoma

A lipoma is very slow growing, it often grows over several years. A lipoma commonly has the following signs:

it's a small, soft lump
it is not usually painful, unless it grows large enough to press on a nerve
when you press it, it feels soft and squishy and moves under your skin.

Diagnosing lipoma

Your GP can usually diagnose a lipoma by examining the lump.

Sometimes you may need to have further investigations such as an ultrasound, CT scan, MRI scan or a biopsy.

Treating lipoma

You do not usually need treatment for a lipoma. If it is causing you problems, for example pressing on a nerve or being unsightly, or it needs removing so it can be looked at under a microscope, it will be removed. This will be done through a minor operation or liposuction.

Getting help for lipoma

If you're worried about a lump under your skin, get your GP to have a look.

HealthInfo recommends the following pages

DermNet NZ – Lipoma and liposarcoma
This page answers questions like What is a lipoma? Who gets lipomas? and What are the signs and symptoms? It includes photos of lipomas.
Patient.info – Lipoma
An explanation of lipomas, how often they happen and how they're treated.
NHS – Lipoma
Information about lipomas, symptoms and treatment.

Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed August 2021.

Sources

Page reference: 136384

Review key: HILIP-136384