Laser lipoma removal

Lipoma is a benign formation that is most often formed in the subcutaneous tissue, but sometimes it is located in the internal organs that have a fatty layer. In the people, such formations are called “wen”.

As a rule, lipomas are diagnosed in people over thirty years old, regardless of their gender. Outwardly, the subcutaneous formation resembles a soft movable knot, which is in no way connected to the adjacent tissues. In the event that connective tissue enters the tumor, its structure is denser.

The sizes of wen vary. The diameter of most of them is one and a half to two centimeters, but sometimes the tumors are truly gigantic, reaching ten centimeters in diameter.

It should be borne in mind that the appearance of lipomas is in no way connected with the weight of a person and with the content of adipose tissue in his body. Formations are found both in overweight people and in very thin people. Moreover, with weight loss, the size of the lipoma does not decrease.

Lipomas can be solitary, but the so-called lipomatosis, which is multiple formations, is more common. Wen are usually localized on the back, chest, shoulders, arms, neck and face, on the scalp and behind the ears. On the abdomen and on the legs, lipomas are less common.

Lipomas are classified depending on where the formation is located, whether blood vessels and connective tissue are included in its composition. So, there are ring-shaped lipomas, which, like a collar, cover the neck, causing problems with breathing and swallowing, dense and inactive fibrous lipomas, which include connective tissue, tuberous myolipomas containing adipose and muscle tissue, dense and located deeper under the skin angiolipomas, in which there are blood vessels, adenomolipomas, including components of the structure of the sweat glands.

Reasons for the formation of a lipoma

At present, researchers have not been able to come to an unambiguous conclusion about the reason for the formation of lipomas. Among the most likely causes of the appearance of wen are malfunctions of the thyroid gland, poor-quality nutrition that provokes the accumulation of toxins in adipose tissue, genetic predisposition, hormonal disruptions, problems in the liver and gallbladder.

As a rule, wen do not degenerate into malignant formations. However, the problem is that although lipomas do not grow into neighboring tissues, they compress them when they increase in size. This provokes a metabolic disorder and can cause pain. In addition, malignant tumors, such as liposarcomas, are often “disguised” as lipomas. Therefore, in some cases, lipomas are best removed.

So, the reason for contacting a doctor should be an increase in the size of the formation or its shape, as well as the appearance of any physical discomfort associated with a lipoma. The cause for alarm is reddening of the skin over the formation, itching or peeling.

According to doctors, it is necessary to remove wen, located next to the accumulation of blood vessels or nerve cells. In addition, it is necessary to cut out formations located on areas of the skin that are subject to frequent external influences.

Lipoma removal methods

To date, there are several methods for removing wen. The decision on which method to use for surgical intervention, in each case, is made by the doctor after diagnosing the formation. It includes visual inspection, palpation, ultrasound, CT or MRI, and biopsy. Tumors are removed by conventional surgical excision, endoscopy, radioknife, or laser removal. It is laser lipoma removal that is considered one of the most effective and innovative methods.

Pros and cons of laser hair removal

Laser lipoma removal is a method that is in high demand, despite the rather high cost of the procedure. The reason for this is that laser removal has an impressive list of undeniable advantages compared to other methods of dealing with wen. We list only the main ones.

1. Thanks to the ability to fine-tune the equipment as accurately as possible, unnecessary damage to the tissues located near the lipoma is excluded.
2. The laser itself coagulates the blood vessels, so the operation is virtually bloodless.
3. The possibility of developing postoperative complications is practically excluded, since the laser beam has a bactericidal effect, disinfecting the surgical field.
4. Non-contact method eliminates the possibility of infection of the wound with pathogenic organisms during surgery.
5. After the operation, there are no unaesthetic scars.
6. During the operation, the tumor is not completely destroyed, as a result of which a histological analysis can be performed.
7. The number of relapses during laser removal is negligible, since this method allows you to remove the lipoma along with the capsule.
8. After the intervention, the patient fully recovers in one to two weeks.

However, like any surgical intervention, laser lipoma removal also has some negative characteristics. In the event that the tumor is very large, the laser beam may accidentally affect nearby vessels and nerves. If the tumor is very tiny, then the laser simply destroys it, leaving no material for histological analysis.

Laser removal is not used if the wen is located very deep in the tissues. In this case, only traditional surgical excision will be effective.

Finally, the financial aspect is of considerable importance. Laser removal is an extremely expensive operation, so not everyone can afford it.

How is laser lipoma removal performed?

Excision of wen with a laser method is usually performed by a general surgeon. An oncologist or plastic surgeon can also perform the procedure. Before the manipulation, the patient must pass all the necessary tests, undergo an ultrasound scan. In some cases, a biopsy of the formation is performed to determine its structure. In the event that the lipoma is located on the scalp, the necessary area is shaved.

Laser removal of wen is performed under local anesthesia. Lidocaine injections are used as an anesthetic. The lipoma removal procedure itself lasts from half an hour to forty minutes, depending on where exactly the neoplasm is located and what size it is.

First, the doctor cuts the skin over the wen with a laser beam and spreads the edges of the incision to allow for wider access. Through this incision, the capsule of the wen is captured with a clamp. The surgeon pulls it up and, using a laser, peels the lipoma out of the surrounding tissue, and then finally cleans the location of the lipoma. In the event that the neoplasm is small, the wound is not sutured – it is simply covered with a sterile bandage. If the wen was large, a cosmetic suture is applied to the wound. One of the advantages of laser surgery is that the beam of the apparatus promotes tissue regeneration, as a result of which a postoperative scar does not form.

In most cases, the patient can return to normal life almost immediately after surgery. In particularly difficult cases, several days of bed rest may be necessary.

After removal of the wen, the tumor tissue is recommended to be sent for histological examination in order to finally exclude the presence of malignant cells.

How to behave after laser removal of lipoma

The question of how to behave after laser removal of a wen worries many patients. Let’s hasten to reassure them – getting rid of a lipoma with a laser is considered the most gentle method. No complicated additional manipulations after the procedure are required. In most cases, the patient returns home immediately after the removal of the wen.

If pain or discomfort is felt at the site of removal, the doctor may prescribe painkillers. During the first few days after the operation, a slight increase in temperature is possible, which does not require the use of any additional drugs.

Contraindications for laser removal of a wen

There are relatively few contraindications for laser removal of lipoma. First of all, such manipulations are not carried out for people who have been diagnosed with diabetes. It is undesirable to carry out laser removal for pregnant and lactating women. It is also worth rescheduling the procedure if the patient has recently suffered a cold or infectious disease.

Complications and consequences of the procedure

As a rule, the removal of wen with a laser does not cause complications. Only in very rare cases, at the site of removal of large formations, a cavity may appear in which blood and serous fluid accumulate. Drainage is used to solve this problem.

To exclude negative consequences, the wound should not be wetted for a week. For a month, visits to the sauna and pool, as well as sunbathing, should be excluded.