A lipoma is a benign tumour mainly made off fat tissues. Lipomas can be found anywhere in the body where there is presence of fat.
While lipoma can develop anywhere, their presence on face can be disturbing because of aesthetic concerns and proximity to the vital structures.

What is a lipoma?
It’s a soft, slow growing, benign tumour composed of fat cells. It’s features
include :

• Mobile movable and not fixed the underlying skin or tissue.
• Soft to touch and painless.
• Size can be variable. It will be between 1 to 3 cm in size though they can grow larger.

Causes and risk factors
The exact cause of lipomas are unknown but there are numerous contributing factors such as Genetic predisposition or family history of lipoma Minor injuries although it is not proven Multiple lipomatosis-a rare genetic condition. Age-typically found in age between 40 to 60 years old. An interesting feature to notice is lipomas are not caused by obesity or high cholesterol levels. It can be seen even in a thin person who has low cholesterol levels and can be present all over the body. So there is no association of obesity or high cholesterol levels with the presence of lipoma.

Lipoma on face : a unique concern
Lipoma on face are rare compared to the other parts of the body. They usually miss mistaken for other condition like cyst or lymph nodes or other types of tumors when they occur. Due to complex anatomy of the phase a diagnosis by a specialist is always recommended because of the proximity to vital structures.

Diagnosis
A healthcare provider can diagnose a simple lipoma just by examination. Additional test may also be required like ultrasound scan MRI or CT scan or when in doubt we can go with biopsy of the lesion.

Treatment options available.
Most of the lipomas are harmless but they raise aesthetic concerns. Lipoma can be removed only if they are growing or cause pain or discomfort affect the appearance of the face or interfere with a normal function or facial expression. The best option available for lipoma is removing it. Surgically expression is the most common treatment it will be performed under local Anesthesia for small and superficial lipoma. For lipomas that are larger in size and deep excision will be performed under general anaesthesia. Generally it leaves a small scar, which is either a thin line or no scar at all. There are other minimally invasive options like liposuction which is used for large humongous lipoma but less precise. The other option available is steroid injection which will shrink the size of lipoma but will not remove it.

Risk of surgery.
It can either lead to scarring or nerve damage, especially on the face if it is present in deeper tissues. It can occur again if it is not fully removed but it is a very rare tendency to recur.

Prevention
There is no proven way to prevent the lipoma. If there is any family history of lipoma, you can have regular self examination of the skin to help in early identification.

Case report :
A 40-year-old male patient reported for a scar on forehead to our OPD. The man only one wanted scar revision done whereas during diagnosis we found out just above the scar he had a lump growing. When asked about it he said he has concerns over both the issues, but doesn’t know what to be done for the swelling. he was advised that it is a lipoma that can be removed. Later he had added that it is causing him problem during combing hair and he’s trying to hide it using the front few hair of his. The patient after consultation said he wants the lipoma to be removed. After explaining the complete course of treatment and about the procedure he said yes for removal of lipoma. Patient on the same day was taken to the OR and under local Anesthesia the swelling was excised by giving a small incision on the skin. The underneath fat cells that had formed the cyst was cleared off in Toto. Suturing was done precisely so that it doesn’t leave behind any type of scar. Along with that the previous scar was also revised. Patient was very happy for the perfect forehead contour that he had after removal of the cyst. On the same day he was discharged to home with few medications. Later patient said the course of treatment was very smooth with no pain and was very happy and comfortable.

After care:
After care for lipoma excision is not much. Your doctor or surgeon will provide you with antibiotics and pain killers for stipulated time period. Taking care of the wound site involves cleansing the wound site and application of antibactreial ointments like mupirocin 2-3 times daily. Suture removal has to be done after 7 days for no scars to be present on the site. A good recommended scar cream to be applied for a period of 1-3 months for better results.

Went to see a doctor.
You will need to seek medical attention if you notice:

• Rapidly growing lump.
• If it has pain or tenderness
• If the skin changes over the lump
• Facial symmetry due to the swelling.

Conclusion
Lipoma on face are usually harmless but the problem comes on when they are aesthetically unappealing and if it leads to functional impairment. Diagnosis is usually straightforward and treatment is mainly through surgical removal. If you have a lump on your face consult healthcare provider at RICHARDSON FACE HOSPITAL today