12 signs of lipoedema include: larger lower body, heavy legs, resistance to diet/exercise, cellulite, sore skin, bruising and much more.
This the final post I’ll share from the excellent series “The 12 signs of Lipoedema” by @fc.lipoedeme. And it’s the one that’s the most familiar to me.
So many people with lipoedema present to me saying they’ve got “really bad cellulite”. Sometimes I’m pretty positive their condition is not one of the 3 classifications of cellulite (adipose, aqueous or fibrotic), although it presents very similarly to fibrotic cellulite.
It’s knowing these other 12 signs of lipoedema that makes a diagnosis much easier – though only your registered medical professional can help you with that diagnosis.
To summarise, the 12 signs of lipoedema are:
Upper body is smaller than lower body
Legs feel heavy and swollen
Diet and exercise doesn’t help much
There’s an “orange peel” texture that looks like cellulite
The skin is sensitive to touch and uncomfortable when pressure is applied
Unexplained bruising is common
The swelling stops at the ankle with a cuff-like appearance
Fat accumulates on the knees – usually on the inside first
Then fat pads accumulate under the knees
Extra fat deposits on the outer thighs in a saddle-bag appearance
Legs lose definition and look like columns
Upper arms can increase in size and as the skin tone decreases, it can cause a “bat wing” effect
AND, JUST TO BE SUPER-THOROUGH, THERE’S ONE MORE SIGN THAT’S SOMETIMES FORGOTTEN, AND ITS THAT THERE’S OFTEN REDUCED HAIR GROWTH IN THE AFFECTED LIMB.
Note. You don’t have to have each of these signs to be diagnosed with lipoedema and not everyone will have all of these signs. Although lipoedema is a progressive disease, there are ways to manage the condition to prevent some of these signs from happening.
Find out more info from @lipoedemaaustralia. Or go straight to @fc.lipoedeme to see the rest of her series from the “12 signs of Lipoedema”.
