How do you Get Lipedema?

The exact cause of lipedema is not completely known but there are several factors that point as to why it develops in some women. Marcia Byrd, M.D. has talked with thousands of women over her career career as a lipedema specialist. She has found that many of these women have the same similarities in their development of this disease.

• Lipedema runs in families so it may be inherited
• The condition occurs almost exclusively in women
• Lipedema usually begins or gets worse around the time of puberty, pregnancy,  following gynecologic surgery, and around the time of menopause. The times when women experience changes in hormones.
• Lipedema is not caused by obesity but most lipedema women are overweight or obese. They can lose weight in their upper bodies. Lipedema fat can not be lost by dieting.
• Vein insufficiency and other venous issues can cause lipedema symptoms to worsen over time.

Lipedema Causes Fat Accumulation Under the Skin

This chronic condition causes an abnormal accumulation of painful fat in specific areas of the body. Lipedema is frequently accompanied by obesity and psychological distress. Women are often misdiagnosed as simply overweight because they eat too much.  The only advice they get from their doctor is to go on a diet.

If you have been diagnosed with lipedema, it’s important to understand IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT!

To read more about causes of lipedema visit the Lipedema Foundation website.