When most people think of lipedema, they think about how it reshapes the body through unwanted fat accumulation despite weight loss efforts. But many forget that lipedema goes beyond aesthetic concerns—it can also cause chronic pain and make regular daily activities feel impossible.
Fortunately, using liposuction as a form of lipedema surgery in OKC can help you redefine your contours, reduce pain, and take control of your health. Though no procedure can fully eliminate lipedema, our experts want to help you restore function and live life to its fullest potential.
Keep reading to learn how lipedema affects every area of your health and why liposuction at Cosmetic Surgery Affiliates can serve as a powerful solution. If you’re ready to speak with one of our triple board-certified surgeons, visit our website or give us a call to schedule your initial consultation.
What is lipedema?
Lipedema causes unwanted fat deposits to build up uncontrollably throughout the body, most commonly in the following areas:
- Butt
- Thighs
- Calves
- Ankles
- Arms
- Hips
Many patients with lipedema describe feeling dimpled bumps of fat develop underneath the skin. These stubborn fat deposits typically do not respond to healthy eating habits, regular exercise, or other weight loss efforts.
Lipedema impacts each patient differently. To identify the severity of a patient’s lipedema, experts developed a classification system based on where they experience symptoms, including:
- Type 1 – Belly button and hips.
- Type 2 – Between pelvis and knees.
- Type 3 – Between pelvis and ankles.
- Type 4 – Between shoulders and wrists.
- Type 5 – Between knees and ankles.
How does lipedema affect physical well-being?
Beyond lipedema’s impact on shape and size, this invasive condition can also hinder mobility and cause chronic pain.
Lipedema fat primarily accumulates in the butt, thighs, and calves, which can make the legs feel heavy. This can make movement more difficult and cause fatigue.
Many of our patients also report experiencing mild to severe pain with physical activity.
Some only experience this pain while placing pressure on affected areas, while others experience chronic pain even while at rest.
Patients with lipedema also experience swelling, and their skin may bruise easily. Though often confused with lymphedema, a condition characterized by intense swelling, lipedema can lead to secondary lymphedema when left untreated and cause a blockage in the lymphatic pathway.
What causes lipedema?
Experts have not discovered an official cause of lipedema because of how it varies from patient to patient.
Lipedema primarily occurs in women, with researchers estimating that it affects 11% of women worldwide. Many believe there may be a connection between lipedema and female hormones, since the condition often worsens during pregnancy, puberty, and menopause.
Researchers also believe lipedema could be genetic, with 20 to 60% of patients saying the condition runs in their family.
Liposuction for Lipedema
Aside from taking medications, exercising regularly, and wearing compression stockings, liposuction for lipedema surgery in OKC can help you increase mobility and cherish physical activity once again.
How does liposuction work?
As a minimally invasive cosmetic procedure that targets areas of unwanted fat, liposuction uses a cannula and vacuum suction to contour the body. By permanently removing fat cells, liposuction works best for deposits that don’t respond to traditional weight loss efforts.
At Cosmetic Surgery Affiliates, we can use liposuction to treat the following areas:
- Hips
- Waist
- Buttocks
- Face
- Neck
- Thighs
- Arms
Our experts primarily recommend liposuction to patients who are in overall good health and want to target specific areas of fat. Though liposuction cannot serve as a weight loss substitute, we recommend the procedure to patients who are close to their goal weight and need an extra push to create their dream body.
What happens during a liposuction procedure?
During a regular liposuction procedure, your surgeon first administers general anesthesia or IV sedation. You decide which anesthetic best suits your health and wellness needs during your initial consultation.
To begin your procedure, your surgeon first makes a few incisions in and around your treatment area. These incisions allow them to insert a small tube, or cannula, underneath the skin to break up and liquify portions of unwanted fat.
Your surgeon then suctions out the melted fat before inserting drainage tubes, closing your incisions, applying bandages, and placing a compression garment over your treatment area. This garment helps reduce swelling to streamline the healing process.
How does liposuction for lipedema differ from traditional liposuction procedures?
When used as a form of lipedema surgery in OKC, liposuction often requires more energy and additional treatment sessions.
Liposuction for lipedema differs from regular liposuction procedures because the fat is often harder to remove. The skin may also need additional tightening to lessen dimpling and cellulite.
At Cosmetic Surgery Affiliates, our surgeons have perfected their surgical methods for treating lipedema. By using energy-based tools like VASER and Renuvion, our surgeons target exercise-resistant areas of fat while improving skin laxity at the same time.
You may also need more than 1 procedure if you choose liposuction as a form of lipedema surgery in OKC. Our experts may recommend 3 or more sessions, depending on the severity of your fat buildup and skin dimpling.
How to Know if Liposuction is Right for You
The team at Cosmetic Surgery Affiliates understands that choosing to undergo surgery can feel like a confusing and overwhelming experience. Scheduling a comprehensive consultation with one of our expert surgeons can provide clarity and help you determine how liposuction can best address your lipedema concerns.
At your consultation, your surgeon listens carefully as you recount how lipedema impacts your mobility and quality of life. They then ask you to describe your wellness needs and the way you want your body to look after surgery.
Be sure to tell your surgeon about your medical history, medications you take, and any previous weight loss attempts. Your surgeon may also use this information to determine if any underlying health conditions contribute to your health concerns.
From there, you and your surgeon work together and create your personalized procedure plan. This plan outlines the areas you want to treat and the specific liposuction techniques that best suit your aesthetic goals.
Before your procedure, we recommend consulting your primary care physician to determine if liposuction for lipedema surgery in OKC can safely and effectively address your needs.
Answering Your Frequently Asked Questions
Still searching for answers before committing to a liposuction procedure plan? Here are a few more details to inform your treatment decision.
Are lipedema and obesity the same?
Lipedema and obesity are not the same condition. Though many patients with lipedema have a BMI, or body mass index, over 35, lipedema fat often resists weight loss efforts like healthy eating and exercise. Additionally, lipedema primarily affects women and is rarely seen in men.
Can CSA cure lipedema?
Our surgeons cannot cure lipedema, nor can any other surgeon or procedure. Currently, there is no cure for lipedema, as researchers have not discovered its cause.
Aside from liposuction as a form of lipedema surgery in OKC, we recommend the following to manage your symptoms and improve your confidence:
- Regular exercise – Swimming, biking, and walking can reduce swelling.
- Anti-inflammatory diet – Eliminate processed foods and focus on whole foods instead.
- Compression stockings – Increases blood circulation in the lower legs and ankles.
- Lymphatic drainage massage – Relieves swelling and fluid retention via the lymphatic system.
- Medications and supplements – Includes amphetamines, metformin, selenium, and more.
Because liposuction cannot fully cure lipedema, you may continue to accumulate unwanted fat after your liposuction surgery plan. Your surgeon can help guide you through these challenges and schedule additional procedures to help you maintain your results as best as possible.
Can liposuction eliminate cellulite?
Though liposuction alone cannot eliminate cellulite, our surgeons frequently pair the procedure with Renuvion skin tightening to target both unwanted fat and skin texture.
Renuvion uses J-Plasma technology to tighten the fibro-septal network deep beneath the skin’s surface. This technology works to smooth cellulite texture on the outer layer of skin. We can also use Renuvion to minimize hyperpigmentation, fine lines, and mild wrinkles.
As a minimally invasive treatment, Renuvion creates fewer and finer scars than traditional excess skin removal procedures. Renuvion also boosts collagen production, strengthening your skin from within and reducing scarring.
At Cosmetic Surgery Affiliates, we frequently use Renuvion in the following areas:
- Abdomen
- Arms
- Thighs
- Neck
- Face
Much like after liposuction, lipedema may cause your skin texture to worsen, even after your Renuvion treatments. If your lipedema flares up again after surgery, you and your surgeon can discuss how additional Renuvion procedures can serve your aesthetic goals.
Chronic Lipedema Pain Ends at Cosmetic Surgery Affiliates
You deserve to run, walk, and enjoy your favorite activities free from pain related to lipedema. Our surgeons want to help you restore mobility, and with treatment options like liposuction as a form of lipedema surgery in OKC, moving without restriction has never been easier.
Visit our website to discover effective lipedema solutions.
Want to learn more about liposuction or our advice for losing excess skin after weight loss? Head over to our blog for additional details.
