Which doctors treat lipoedema?
The number of surgeons on the internet claiming to be experts for lipoedema liposuction is sheer endless. The number of surgeons actually being experts for lipoedema liposuction is small. But how can patients separate the wheat from the chaff? The promises are big, the prices differ, before and after pictures seem convincing. The choice of your surgeon will play a decisive role for the effectiveness and course of your liposuction. You only have one go, lymph vessels harmed by an unexperienced surgeon cannot be repaired afterwards and may cause you additional complaints to your lipoedema. Therefor make sure you choose carefully!
Specialists who can perform liposuction for lipoedema:
- Dermatologists
- General Surgeons
- Plastic Surgeons
The ideal profile of your surgeon:
- Years of experience in treating lipoedema
- Own publications on lipoedema
- Presentations at conferences and other specialist events
- Membership in a lymphological society
- Regular attendance of lymphological conferences
Where can I find objective information and the right surgeon?
- Ask lipedema Facebook groups https://www.facebook.com/groups/mylipoedematreatmentjourney/ and support groups https://www.talklipoedema.org/ for advice. Ask them questions about their surgery process based on the criteria already mentioned. This is the most honest advice you can get!
- There are also many lipoedema blogs where you can find authentic recommendations for surgeons. Just google “lipoedema blog” and you’ll find hundreds of them.
- Contact Lipoedema UK [https://www.lipoedema.co.uk/](https://www.lipoedema.co.uk/ ?target=_blank "visit the website of Lipoedema UK") These are experts who can help you with lipoedema by naming established liposuction doctors.
- Ask “Lipoedemhilfe Deutschland e.v.” https://www.lipoedem-hilfe-ev.de/ which clinic they recommend. They have many members who have already had liposuction somewhere in Germany. You will also find patient guides and informative link recommendations there. If you don't like the Internet and prefer face-to-face contact, ask them to point you in the direction of a local support group. There you can benefit from the experiences of other lipedema patients.
Markers of a trustworthy surgeon:
- A good surgeon will take time for the pre-operative consultation (1-2 hours) to ensure that each patient has a realistic expectation of what can be achieved. He won’t lure you with before and after pictures. Everyone is different, therefore everyone will look different after liposuction.
- The surgeon doing your pre-operative consultation should also be the one who performs the surgery.
- The follow-up treatment after surgery is important! Does the clinic offer a 24/7 on-call duty after your surgery? What if you have complications? You need to be able to contact someone immediately in case of complications. Even if you are just unsure about something you should be able to get hold of someone who can give you advise in order to avoid mistakes at home. And you should feel comfortable calling your doctor!
- If a surgeon suggests “doing everything” in one sitting, you should be cautious. Of course, there are exceptions for smaller areas, but in general, large areas of the body should not be treated at the same time due to the higher risk of complications.
- Costs must be clear and transparent! A detailed breakdown of costs by operating region should be available on the clinic's website. If this is not the case, request a clear and binding cost estimate during your consultation.
- Patients should be aware that there is no official national or international certification for liposuction for lipedema! So don't allow yourself to be blinded by self-invented quality seals.
