WATCH: BBC Lipoedema Feature

It's with pleasure we report that the BBC ran a feature on lipoedema this weekend. Mr Vasu Karri is the leading lipoedema specialist in the UK, having received advanced training from some of the leading specialists from around the world. A huge advocate for raising awareness of the condition, Mr Karri performs hundreds of lipoedema surgeries each year.

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Lipoedema is a debilitating condition affecting up to 10% of the female population and it is still greatly misunderstood by the medical community. The vast majority of lipoedema women have at some point been told by a medical professional that they are overweight and should ‘try to lose weight’.

Not only do women suffer from very large, painful lower limbs but as a consequence many also suffer eating disorders, depression and unemployment. Many patients also tell us they struggle with relationships due to low self-esteem and poor body confidence.

Lipoedema (US spelling ‘lipedema’) presents as excessive, painful-fat deposition on the lower limbs, including the legs, thighs and buttocks. In some patients the arms are also involved.

The feet are almost always spared, giving rise to a pantaloon deformity at the ankle. One of the unusual features of lipoedema is the pain in the areas of fat deposition and the nodular consistency of the fat.

Lipoedema can be extremely painful, with the affected areas constantly aching, feeling tender and bruising easily. The vast majority of women who have had large legs for many years have lipoedema – have often been unable to find trousers that fit, have decreased mobility and have tried numerous diet and failed. Being stared at, receiving negative comments and bullying at various points in their lives is also common.

Please help us continue to raise awareness of lipoedema and have a watch of the BBC feature.

If you would like to organise a consultation with Mr Karri, then simply get in touch with us by emailing enquiries@kinvarahospital.co.uk or calling the team on 01709 464 200.