When should I have lipedema surgery?
Undergoing lipedema surgery is an important decision that often raises many questions.
In this article, we guide you in understanding when is the most appropriate time to consider surgery.
What is the minimum age for lipedema surgery?
Are you young and affected by lipedema, but unsure whether you meet the minimum age requirement for surgery? Don't panic, we'll help you figure it out.
In the vast majority of cases, and although they may appear after pregnancy or during menopause, the symptoms of lipedema develop during puberty.
These symptoms can have a significant impact on your physical health. They can cause chronic pain, which can sometimes be debilitating, as soon as they appear.
The mental impact of lipedema should not be underestimated either. At a pivotal time such as adolescence, its effects can be devastating! They can lead to a loss of self-esteem, serious complexes, eating disorders, and even depression.
Surgery provides lasting and significant improvement in your symptoms. It is also more effective if performed at an early stage of lipedema development, when the volume to be removed is relatively small. This is why it is important to get a diagnosis as early as possible. The operation can therefore be considered at any age!
If you are a teenager affected by this condition, it is perfectly normal to want to relieve your symptoms through surgery. Better still, it is particularly recommended to slow down the progression of the condition. The results will be even more long-lasting. There is therefore no minimum age requirement for lipedema surgery.
Lipoedema surgery before or after pregnancy?
This is one of the recurring questions asked during a preoperative consultation: should surgery be performed before or after pregnancy?
Here are some answers:
Since pregnancy (and any hormonal event) is likely to aggravate the condition and cause the areas affected by lipedema (fat cells) to "grow," the first response that comes to mind would be to say, "Do it before!"
Fat may appear and accumulate during pregnancy, settling mainly in the limbs: this means thatW.A.L. liposuctionmay take longer and be more extensive after one or more pregnancies.
There is a clear risk of deterioration in the patient's condition, and it is possible that lipedema may worsen and progress to a more advanced stage during pregnancy (link to lipedema classification).
However, this is a doctor's response and not a mother's and/or couple's response. If you have a strong desire to become pregnant, then it is better to prioritize your pregnancy over lipedema surgery.
What is the maximum age for lipedema surgery?
Lipedema affects people of all ages and causes suffering at any age.
The diagnosis can be made at any age, including at an "advanced" age, as lipedema is increasingly being diagnosed by patients and doctors.
But what should you do if you discover you have lipedema at age 60? Or even after age 65?
Unfortunately, in this age group, lipedema tends to already be at an advanced stage (stage 3 or 4), and sometimes lipo-lymphedema has even developed.
It is perfectly normal and legitimate to want to live life to the fullest at any age with healthy legs, arms, or thighs, without physical or psychological suffering.
If you are in good health and your body can withstand surgery, then don't hesitate to have the operation.
In short...
The benefits of the operation are not to be overlooked: it is never too late to free yourself from pain and your complexes.
Of course, before any operation, a complete assessment of metabolic and cardiac conditions must be carried out, and the plastic surgeon must consult with his colleagues (including the anesthetist).
If you have lipedema but are wondering about the ideal time to have WAL liposuction surgery, you should know that there are benefits at any age.