Lipedema - the Disease They Call FAT

Book excerpt: Lipedema is a fat disorder that affects women and is often mistaken for simple obesity. Believed to be hormonal in nature, lipedema usually develops at puberty, but can develop or worsen later in life due to hormonal changes associated with pregnancy, menopause, or gynecological surgery. Estimates of the incidence of lipedema range as high as 11% of the post-pubertal female population, which is approximately 17 million women in the United States alone.Lipedema - The Disease They Call FAT: An Overview for Clinicians is a monograph that provides a clinical synopsis of this condition. This monograph covers the history of lipedema and includes sections on epidemiology, etiology, pathogenesis, clinical features, diagnosis and how to differentiation between lipedema and other disorders, such as lymphedema and obesity. Treatment options, both conservative and surgical, and prognosis are also reviewed. Written with the clinician in mind, it is a practical overview of the condition and provides important information for healthcare providers who treat women.