Can this ointment cure lipoma?

Hyderabad: An advertisement for an ointment claims that it can treat lipoma by clearing lymphatic blockages.

The caption reads, “Reduce inflammation and benign lipoma, comprehensive skin improvement, easy to absorb, penetrate deep, and quickly relieve discomfort.”

Mayo Clinic defines lipoma as a slow-growing, fatty lump that’s most often situated between your skin and the underlying muscle layer. A lipoma, which feels doughy and usually isn’t tender, moves readily with slight finger pressure. Lipomas are usually detected in middle age. Some people have more than one lipoma.

FACT CHECK

NewsMeter found the claim to be false.

An article on the Evolve College website on whether it is alright to massage a person with a lump states, “Massage of an unknown lump is contraindicated until your client has seen their healthcare practitioner for proper diagnosis. If your client does have a Lipoma, then although there is no research to suggest that massaging it will do any damage, there is also nothing to suggest that it will help either.”

Meanwhile, Healthline says, “Lipomas are noncancerous fatty growths that typically pose little immediate health risk. Medical professionals can remove these growths through surgery, although this will typically be for cosmetic benefit.”

According to Mayo Clinic, lipoma does not usually require medical treatment. “However, if the lipoma bothers you, is painful or is growing, your doctor might recommend that it be removed,” it added. It also suggested some treatments:

· Surgical removal: Most lipomas are removed surgically by cutting them out. Recurrences after removal are uncommon. Possible side effects are scarring and bruising. A technique known as minimal excision extraction may result in less scarring.

· Liposuction: This treatment uses a needle and a large syringe to remove the fatty lump.

Medical News Today laid out some risk factors of developing a lipoma:

· Obesity

· High cholesterol

· Diabetes

· Liver disease

· Glucose intolerance

Rarely, in some cases, but the chances are not negligible. We found no clinical evidence to prove that ointments and sprays can be useful in getting rid of lipomas. Moreover, on the flipside, it could get really risky to postpone real treatment while using OTC medication.

Mayo Clinic writes, “There’s a minimal chance that a lump resembling a lipoma may actually be a form of cancer called liposarcoma. Liposarcomas — cancerous tumors in fatty tissues — grow rapidly, don’t move under the skin and are usually painful. A biopsy, MRI, or CT scan is typically done if your doctor suspects liposarcoma.”

Lastly, lipoma is not a life-threatening condition. But it should not be treated with self-care at home. Lipoma may go on its own but if the pain or size increases, rush to your nearby doctor and seek medical advice. Any kind of spray or ointment or heat compress is useless in treating lipoma as it is a collection of fat cells and not a normal bump.