posted 04-03-2002 06:39 PM            

And what you are finding could actually be Neurofibromas underneath the skin.

I have thousands of neurofibromas underneath my skin and dozens deep within my body.

posted 02-15-2003 06:41 PM            

I visited this message board today and was shocked by all of the misinformation about lipomas. I have about 90 lipomas (“fatty tumors”) myself, and have had about 40 removed over the last 25 years. I have studied this subject extensively, and would like to provide some facts based on both my personal experience and my review of the medical literature. I believe that all of the information here is consistent with what your doctor would tell you, and of course you should follow whatever advice your doctor gives you. I am not a doctor.

CAUSE: Lipomas are caused by a genetic abnormality that you were born with. In most cases it is a “translocation mutation” that affects chromosome segment 12q13-15 (the protein that controls normal growth in fat cells.) But don’t worry if you don’t understand that. All you need to know is that lipomas are NOT caused by obesity, diet, exercise, any metabolic factor, or anything that you can control.

PROGNOSIS: There are many types of lipomas. Most people posting to the message board seem to have the common, harmless type as I do. These form just below the skin. As I mentioned, I have 90 lipomas, and 25 years of experience with them, yet I have never had a lipoma in a problematic area such as an internal organ or pressing against a nerve. Even if you have tons of lipomas as I do, you still have a greater chance of being struck by lightening as having a lipoma that truly affects your health. Also, lipomas do not turn to cancer.

TREATMENT MYTHS: Medical technology is not yet advanced enough to cure genetic mutations. Until that happens, there is no way for you to prevent lipomas from occurring. Here is an analogy: A person who is born with blue eyes and fair, reddish colored skin has this imprinted in his genes. There is no known way to convert him into a dark skinned, brown-eyed person with black hair. Those of you who are eating shark fins, rubbing the lipoma with crème, changing your diet, etc. are buying “snake oil”. Do you honestly think that there is some hidden cure that medical science has overlooked in all of their research? It’s absurd.

TREATMENT TRUTHS: I won’t attempt to advise anyone who has the rare type that are located in an internal organ or next to a nerve.

Most of you seem to have the same harmless type that I do, with size ranging from a “bb” to a large grape, located on your arms, trunk, or legs). For myself, treatment has really been a cosmetic issue. After a few years, my lipomas that are closest to the skin become visible to others. At that point, they may be more unsightly than a scar would be (especially with the new procedure that I mention below). I therefore have them removed by a plastic surgeon on an outpatient basis in his office. He removes four or five at a time, which takes him about fifteen minutes all together. For small or deeper lipomas, I don’t bother because they can’t be seen.

Here is some good news: There is a new surgical procedure that leaves a less noticeable scar. (Again, this only applies to the common lipomas as I have described above. It won’t work for a baseball-sized lipoma on your back.) The new procedure uses “internal stitches” only. The incision is then covered with adhesive, followed by steri-strips (tape). The resulting scar does not have the characteristic dots that were left by conventional external stitches. The recovery from this procedure is much easier and less painful than the old procedure with sewing on top of your skin. Internal stitches dissolve, and so you do not have to go back into the office a second time to have stitches removed.

I hope this helps clear up any confusion or concern that you might have had about this. Good luck.