A fatty skin tumor is called a lipoma. Although considered a tumor, these lumps of fatty tissue are not cancerous. They usually occur in middle age, however, they can occur in any age group and in women or men.
Appearance
A fatty tumor appears in one area of the skin and grows slowly. It doesn't spread to other areas of the body as a malignant cancer would. It is not normally painful.
When to Treat
Since a lipoma is not harmful nor painful, it doesn't always require treatment. However, if a lump grows large, causes irritation, pressure or pain, or is visibly unattractive, you may choose to have it removed.
Diagnosis
A physician can verify that the lump is merely a fatty skin tumor. In many cases he can tell simply by viewing and feeling the lump, since a liposarcoma moves differently under the skin than a lipoma. If the lump seems suspicious, a biopsy can verify the diagnosis. This is essential since a liposarcoma, which also grows in the skin, is cancerous and grows quickly.
Surgical Removal
If a fatty tumor is large or causes discomfort, surgery can eliminate it. In most cases, the surgery can be done as an outpatient procedure under local anesthetic. If the tumor's size or location requires general anesthesia, then the surgery would be done in a hospital. Lipomas that are removed surgically do not tend to reoccur.
Liposuction
An alternative to surgical removal is liposuction in which the fatty tissue is removed via a needle-and-syringe technique. Because the liposuction cannot remove all the fatty tissue as does surgery, the lipoma stands a greater chance of eventually growing back.
Steroid Injections
The physician can inject the area of the tumor with steroids. The tumor will remain but will diminish in size.
Considerations
A fatty tumor is not serious. However, do not self-diagnose and assume that any lump is harmless. When you first notice a growth, see your physician to verify the diagnosis and ensure that it is not cancerous.
Tags: fatty tissue, fatty tumor, fatty skin tumor, large causes, physician verify, since liposarcoma, skin tumor
