What Is a Lipoma?

Have you ever run a hand over your arm, neck, or back and found a soft lump that slides gently under the skin when you nudge it? That kind of lump is very often a lipoma. The video above, "Lipoma Removal Procedure," runs for just over seven minutes and works through what these lumps are and how they are removed — and if you are wondering what to expect from finding one to getting it checked, this guide follows the same path.

What you are actually feeling

As the anchor video explains, lipomas are benign — non-cancerous — growths that sit just under the skin. They are easy to recognise, it notes, because they feel soft, rounded or lobulated, and movable against the overlying skin: press one gently and it tends to shift rather than sit fixed. Inside, a lipoma is made of fat cells that look just like normal fat cells, held in a framework of connective tissue. In other words, it is ordinary body fat that has gathered into a distinct, self-contained lump instead of spreading evenly. You can have a single one or several, and while many stay small, the video notes they can also enlarge — up to about 6 cm across.

Where these lumps tend to turn up

Expect to find them where fat sits close to the surface. The anchor video says they occur especially on the neck, the trunk, and the arms and legs, though they can appear anywhere on the body. One less typical relative is worth knowing about: an angiolipoma has a blood-vessel component as well as fat, and the video notes it may be tender, particularly in cold temperatures. That tenderness is one reason angiolipomas, it says, often do need excision, while ordinary lipomas are a different conversation. A lump under the skin is not automatically a lipoma, either — our article on what a ganglion cyst is covers a fluid-filled lump that favours the wrist and hand, and feels quite different once you know what to look for.

What to expect at the examination

Because a classic lipoma announces itself through touch — soft, rounded, and movable — the examination is usually hands-on and unhurried. You can expect the clinician to feel the lump, test how it moves against the skin, and ask how long it has been there and whether it has grown or changed. That combination of feel and history is how most lipomas are recognised. If a lump does not fit the pattern — if it feels fixed, is growing quickly, or sits somewhere unusual — expect further checks rather than a guess, because not every lump under the skin is a lipoma and the distinction matters.

What to expect if removal comes up

Here is the reassuring part: removal is not automatic. The anchor video puts it plainly — ordinary lipomas are generally excised when they are considered disfiguring, rather than as a matter of routine. When removal is chosen, the route the site's videos show is excision: for a closer look, "Lipoma Excision Video" follows the procedure itself in just over four minutes. The anchor video adds that liposuction can also be performed when a lipoma is soft and has only a minor connective-tissue component. Which route — or whether to simply leave the lump alone — depends on its size, its site, and how much it bothers you, and that is a conversation to have in person rather than a decision to take from a webpage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a lipoma cancerous?
No. The anchor video describes lipomas as benign growths made of fat cells like normal fat cells. A new lump should still be examined in person, because not every lump under the skin is a lipoma.

Does every lipoma need to be removed?
No. The anchor video notes that ordinary lipomas are generally excised when considered disfiguring. Angiolipomas are an exception it singles out — those often require excision, partly because they can be tender.

Can you have more than one lipoma?
Yes. As the anchor video explains, lipomas can be single or multiple, and they occur especially on the neck, trunk, and arms and legs, though they can appear anywhere on the body.

How big can a lipoma get?
Many stay small, but the anchor video notes they may also enlarge to about 6 cm. A lump that is growing, changing, or behaving unusually is worth having examined rather than assumed to be a lipoma.

MedicalVideos.com has published trusted medical videos since 2007. The site was founded by Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim, MD, PhD — physician and researcher.

Educational only — this article is general information about lipomas, not medical advice and not a diagnosis. Any new, growing, or changing lump should be examined in person.