How to Prevent Lipoedema Progression

You do not necessarily have to allow your lipoedema to progress. There are a few things that have an impact on the course of your lipoedema.

Early diagnosis

There is no specific test or tool to diagnose lipoedema. Many patients struggle without a correct diagnosis for a long time as the diagnosis is not straightforward. However, the awareness of the condition among healthcare professionals (HCPs) is increasing.

Learn more about how lipoedema is diagnosed

Holistic treatment

After diagnosing lipoedema, you and your HCP will develop a holistic treatment plan together, including physical therapies for your body and psychological therapies for your mind, if necessary.

The main elements of treating lipoedema are:

• Compression therapy
• Physiotherapy /movement: improving mobility and exercise
• Psychological support
• Weight management
• Surgical procedures under certain circumstances (e.g. liposuction)
• Self-management

The reason why lipoedema progresses is usually due to inadequate treatment or an increase in your weight. Weight management is, therefore, an integral part of lipoedema treatment.

The goal of weight management with lipoedema is to improve your overall well-being and fitness instead of losing weight with diets. Indeed, you should avoid any diets – most of them aim to lose weight in a short time and fail in the end. This can even result in a higher weight than before, called the "yo-yo effect."

Instead of dieting, balanced nutrition and regular exercise are a more efficient to achieve a stable and healthy weight.

Learn more about weight management with lipoedema