If you have a lipoma you’d like removed, book a consultation or surgery date now.
We offer rapid access for consultation and short waitlist for surgery.
If you have a referral from your family physician, the consultation fee ($150 + HST) will be waived.
How do I treat lipoma?
What does lipoma removal entail?
What is the recovery time?
Is there a cost?
How do I book my surgery?
Lipoma Removal
What is a lipoma?
A lipoma is a benign tumour of the body that is composed of mainly fat cells. The reason why they occur in patients is still not known, however, they are by far and large benign. This means although they can become quite large, they are not dangerous to your health. It is extremely rare for a lipoma to become malignant.
What are the symptoms?
Most patients will feel a soft round mass that is mobile under their skin. It is usually asymptomatic, but some patients may say they can cause some discomfort when they grow or if they are large enough to compress surrounding structures.
For most my patients, no treatment is required and these are completely benign.
If these are large and bothersome, I often recommend having these removed by surgery. This means having the entire mass completely removed.
Other options such as non-operative interventions (cyrolipolysis or Sculptra) are often not as effective.
A small incision is made over the lipoma. This is typically about the length of the lipoma. Dissolvable sutures are used to close the incision. I often do not have any follow-up scheduled with my patients, but if you have any issues please do not hesitate to call my office.
The benefits of the surgery:
Surgery will remove the entire lipoma and there should be no mass after the swelling resolves over the next several weeks.
These are all sent off to be tested, so we will definitively diagnosis the mass.
For large lipomas, if they are causing discomfort, this should improve after the surgery.
What are the risks of surgery?
All surgeries will make a scar. If the lipoma is small, I often tell my patients they are trading a small bump for a small scar.
All surgeries may cause infection, nerve injury, bleeding, or persistent pain.
Infection ranges from 1-5%. Patients who have diabetes, use nicotine products, or have an autoimmune disease are at higher risks. If you use nicotine products please stop this 4 weeks before and after your surgery. A mild infection may have some increased pain or redness and can be treated with antibiotics. More severe infections may require the wound to be opened up again and long-term IV antibiotics.
Nerve injury to the nerve is always possible although rare and dependent on the area on the body it is being removed.
There is no significant bleeding from this procedure, but the wound can ooze blood. If this happens, please place firm pressure on the wound for 10 minutes and this should stop. If it does not, please call our office or present to your nearest emergency department for an assessment.
Persistent pain may continue after surgery either due to scar tissue or sensitive nerves after surgery. This often goes away, but can be quite distressing. I will continue to follow you closely until this improves.
Recurrence is always possible and the medical literature cites between 5-10% of these will come back, or a new one may occur in another location. Some patients are pre-disposed to lipomas. Lipomas may also be one large encapsulated mass which means the recurrence rate is lower. However, some lipomas have no capsule and if any fat cells are left behind, these may recur.
If the lipomas is very large, there may be excess loose skin. We will try to remove the excess skin at the initial surgery, but this may require a revision surgery to address. The cost of revision surgeries are typically not covered.
Most patients to take 4 weeks to fully recover. Location of the lipoma and size are significant factors. Lipomas located on the lower extremity or large lipomas will require more recovery. Some patients may take longer due to scar tissue pain. I ask patients a minimum of two weeks to let the sutures heal if they cannot take four weeks off work. This is to let the sutures heal the wound. The sutures are strong, but not invincible!
You will be provide with a post-operative instruction sheet to guide you on healing. The dressing can come off after 3-5 days and washed with soap and water. The sutures will start dissolving between 2-4 weeks. After four weeks, if the wound has completely healed there are no restrictions.
I ask all my patients to not place their surgical site in any still bodies of water until the wound has healed - this includes bathtubs, jacuzzis, beaches, and no dishes for the next month. (I can write a prescription if your spouse does not believe you!) This is to prevent any infections.
Lipomas are not covered by OHIP. The size and location of the lipoma will impact the cost of your surgery
If you have a referral from your family physician, the consultation fee is waived. Otherwise, there will be a consultation fee of $150 + HST.
If you have a lipoma you would like assessed, we are happy to book you in with rapid access for a consultation and a short waitlist for surgery.
If you would like the consultation fee ($150+HST) waived, please have your family physician send a referral.