Dr. Samhitha Reddy
Consultant Proctologist & Laparoscopic Surgeon
MBBS, MS, FMAS, FISCP, DMAS
- 8 Yrs
- ASCRS Member
General Surgery · Soft Tissue
Lipoma Removal in Hyderabad: Expert Care at Lux Hospitals
A lipoma is a soft, fatty lump that sits under the skin and grows very slowly. It is benign, it is not cancer and will not become cancer, but that does not mean it has to be lived with.
People come to have them removed because they are enlarging, because they press on something and ache, or simply because of where they are. Our surgeons at Lux Hospitals, HITEC CITY remove lipomas under local anaesthetic as a day-care procedure, with the incision planned to leave the smallest scar the lump allows.
- Local Anaesthetic
- Day-Care Procedure
- Minimal Scarring
What is a Lipoma?
A lipoma is a benign tumour made of mature fat cells, enclosed in a thin capsule and sitting in the layer of tissue just beneath the skin. It grows slowly over years and is usually painless.
Lipomas are among the commonest soft tissue lumps there are. They typically appear on the neck, shoulders, back, abdomen, arms and thighs, and it is quite common to have several. They feel characteristically soft and rubbery, and they slide freely under the fingers when pressed: that mobility is what distinguishes them from most other lumps.
The reassuring part is that a lipoma does not turn into cancer. There is a rare malignant fatty tumour called a liposarcoma, which is a different tumour from the outset rather than a lipoma that has changed, and it behaves differently enough that a lump growing quickly, becoming hard, or sitting deep in a muscle gets imaged before anything else.
Causes of Lipomas
The exact cause is not known. What is clear is that genetics plays the largest part, with a few other associations recognised.
-
Genetic predisposition
The strongest factor. Lipomas frequently run in families, and multiple lipomas in particular are usually inherited.
-
Familial multiple lipomatosis
An inherited condition causing many lipomas across the trunk and limbs, typically appearing from early adulthood.
-
Previous injury
Some lipomas appear at the site of a past blunt injury, though whether the trauma causes them or simply draws attention to them is debated.
-
Age
Most lipomas appear between the ages of forty and sixty, though they can develop at any age.
-
Obesity and metabolic factors
Being overweight is associated with a higher incidence, although lipomas occur just as readily in slim people.
-
Associated conditions
Rare syndromes such as Gardner syndrome, Madelung disease and Dercum disease feature multiple lipomas as part of the picture.
-
Alcohol and liver disease
Some patterns of multiple lipomas are associated with heavy alcohol use and liver disease.
-
Diabetes and lipid disorders
Raised blood lipids and diabetes are seen more often in people with multiple lipomas.
Nothing you did caused a lipoma, and there is no diet or exercise that prevents one. Losing weight does not make an existing lipoma disappear: the fat inside it does not behave like the rest of your body fat.
Symptoms of a Lipoma
The typical lipoma is noticed rather than felt: most people find it by accident, and it has probably been there for years.
Typical features
- A soft, rubbery lump that moves freely under the skin when pushed
- Slow growth over months or years, often unnoticed at first
- Usually painless, and the skin over it looks entirely normal
- Commonly on the neck, shoulders, back, abdomen, arms or thighs
- Often more than one, particularly where there is a family history
Features that need assessment
- Rapid growth over weeks rather than years
- A lump that has become firm, hard or fixed to deeper tissue
- Pain, tenderness or numbness from pressure on a nerve
- A lump larger than about five centimetres
- A lump sitting deep within muscle rather than under the skin
- Skin changes, redness or ulceration over the lump
That second list is not a reason to assume the worst: most lumps with one of those features still turn out benign. It is a reason to get an ultrasound rather than to keep watching.
How a Lipoma is Diagnosed
A classic lipoma is diagnosed by feel alone. Imaging is added where the lump is large, deep, fast-growing, or does not have the typical soft mobile character.
-
Clinical examination
A soft, mobile, non-tender lump with normal overlying skin is characteristic. In most cases this is diagnosis enough.
-
Ultrasound
Confirms the lump is fatty, measures its size and depth, and shows whether it is confined above the muscle. Quick, painless and usually all that is needed.
-
MRI
Used for large, deep or intramuscular lumps. It characterises fatty tissue precisely and is the test that distinguishes a lipoma from a liposarcoma.
-
Core needle biopsy
Reserved for lumps with concerning features on imaging, to obtain a tissue diagnosis before deciding on the extent of surgery.
-
Histopathology
Every lipoma removed is sent for examination. This is what confirms the diagnosis definitively rather than presumptively.
-
Assessing for multiple lipomas
Where several are present, a general examination and sometimes lipid and liver tests, to identify an underlying pattern.
The rule of thumb is straightforward: a soft, mobile lump under five centimetres that has been there for years needs nothing more than an examination. Anything larger, deeper or faster-growing gets a scan first.
Treatment Options for Lipoma
A lipoma causing no trouble does not need treating at all. Where it does, surgical excision is the only method that removes it permanently.
Non-surgical
Observation and non-surgical options
-
Observation
A small, painless, typical lipoma can simply be left alone and watched. There is no medical need to remove it, and many people never do.
-
Steroid injection
Injection into the lipoma can shrink it somewhat over time, but it rarely removes it completely and the lump usually remains palpable.
-
Liposuction
The fatty contents are suctioned out through a small cannula, leaving a much smaller scar. Useful for large lipomas in cosmetically sensitive areas, though the capsule remains and recurrence is more likely.
Surgical
Surgical removal
-
Excision surgery
The definitive treatment. The lipoma is removed complete with its capsule through a small incision under local anaesthetic. Removing the capsule is what prevents it coming back.
-
Minimal incision extraction
The lipoma is squeezed out through an incision much smaller than the lump itself, leaving a shorter scar. Suitable for soft, well-defined lipomas.
-
Excision under general anaesthesia
For very large lipomas, those deep within muscle, or where several are being removed in one sitting.
-
Wide local excision
Where imaging or biopsy raises the possibility of a liposarcoma, the lump is removed with a margin of surrounding normal tissue.
Removal is worth considering when a lipoma is enlarging, painful, pressing on a nerve, restricting movement, or in a position you would rather it were not. All of those are legitimate reasons.
What Lipoma Removal Involves
A twenty to forty minute day-care procedure. You are awake, you feel nothing beyond the initial injection, and you walk out afterwards.
Excision under local anaesthetic
-
Assessment and marking
The lipoma is examined and its outline marked on the skin. The incision is planned along a natural skin crease or line, where the scar will fade best.
-
Local anaesthetic
Local anaesthetic is injected around and under the lump. The initial sting lasts a few seconds, after which the area is completely numb.
-
The incision
A small incision is made over the lipoma: typically shorter than the lump itself, since a soft lipoma can be delivered through a smaller opening.
-
Freeing the lipoma
The lipoma is separated from the surrounding tissue by blunt dissection, staying outside its capsule so the lump comes out intact.
-
Removing the capsule
The whole lipoma with its capsule is delivered through the incision. Leaving capsule behind is the commonest reason a lipoma recurs.
-
Closure
The cavity is closed in layers to avoid a fluid collection, and the skin closed with fine dissolvable sutures for the best cosmetic result.
-
Recovery & discharge
A dressing is applied and you go home within the hour, with painkillers and a date to return for the histopathology result.
Every lipoma removed goes for histopathology. It is nearly always exactly what was expected, and the occasion on which it is not is precisely why the test is never skipped.
Why Choose Lux Hospitals for Lipoma Treatment in Hyderabad?
Lipoma removal is a small operation whose result is judged almost entirely by the scar. Here is why patients trust us:
-
Expert surgeons
Consultants with extensive experience removing lipomas, including large, deep and multiple ones.
-
Minimal scarring
Incisions planned along natural skin lines and kept shorter than the lump, with careful layered closure.
-
Comprehensive care
From the first consultation through to post-treatment follow-up, with one team throughout.
-
Convenient location
Our hospital is in HITEC CITY, near IKEA: easily reachable from across Hyderabad.
Recovery & Aftercare
Recovery after lipoma removal is quick and straightforward. Most people are back to normal within a few days, with the scar continuing to fade for months afterwards.
- Day 0
Home within the hour. Mild soreness as the local anaesthetic wears off, settled with simple painkillers.
- Days 1–3
Normal daily activity resumes. Desk work is usually possible the next day. Keep the dressing clean and dry.
- Week 1
Dressing removed and the wound checked. Some bruising and firmness around the site is normal. Showering is fine.
- Weeks 2–4
The wound is fully healed and any dissolvable sutures have gone. Full activity including the gym resumes. Histopathology discussed.
- Months 2–12
The scar softens, flattens and fades progressively. Firmness under the scar settles over the first few months.
Aftercare
-
Keep the wound dry
Keep the dressing intact and dry for the first forty-eight hours, then follow the instructions given for changing it.
-
Avoid strain over the site
No heavy lifting or vigorous exercise for a week or two, particularly for lipomas on the back, shoulder or arm.
-
Expect some firmness
A firm area under the scar as the cavity heals is normal and settles over a few months. It is not the lipoma returning.
-
Protect the scar from sun
Cover it or use sunscreen for six months. Sun on a fresh scar darkens it permanently, which is easily avoided.
-
When to call us
Fever, spreading redness, increasing pain, discharge from the wound, or a rapidly enlarging swelling suggesting a haematoma.
-
Attend your follow-up
The wound is checked and the histopathology result discussed. It is a short appointment and it is worth keeping.
A lipoma removed completely with its capsule does not come back at that site. New lipomas can appear elsewhere, particularly in people who are prone to multiple ones: that is a new lump rather than a recurrence.
When Should You Have a Lipoma Removed?
Removal is worth considering if any of the following apply.
- The lump is growing, or has changed in character.
- It is painful, tender, or pressing on a nerve.
- It restricts movement or rubs against clothing.
- It is in a visible or cosmetically sensitive area.
- It has become firm, hard, or fixed to deeper tissue.
- It is larger than about five centimetres: this warrants a scan first.
Cost of Lipoma Removal in Hyderabad
Cost depends on the size and depth of the lipoma, how many are being removed, and whether local or general anaesthesia is needed.
| Procedure | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Consultation & examination Per visit | ₹800 – ₹1,500 |
| Ultrasound assessment Where the lump is large or atypical | ₹1,500 – ₹3,500 |
| Small lipoma excision (local anaesthetic) Day care, including histopathology | ₹18,000 – ₹35,000 |
| Large or deep lipoma excision Day care, may need general anaesthesia | ₹40,000 – ₹75,000 |
| Multiple lipoma removal Single sitting, number dependent | ₹50,000 – ₹1,20,000 |
| Intramuscular lipoma excision One night’s stay, MRI beforehand | ₹70,000 – ₹1,40,000 |
What changes the estimate
-
Size and depth
A two-centimetre lipoma under the skin and a ten-centimetre one within muscle are entirely different operations.
-
Number being removed
Several lipomas removed in one sitting costs considerably less per lump than separate procedures.
-
Anaesthesia required
Local anaesthetic is the norm and keeps costs down. Large, deep or multiple lipomas may need a general anaesthetic.
-
Room category
A shared ward, a twin-sharing room or a private suite: the largest single swing in most estimates.
-
Insurance & TPA cover
We are empanelled with most major insurers, and our team files the pre-authorisation for you.
Every figure above is an indicative range, not a quote. After your consultation you are given a written, fixed-cost estimate, and that is the number you pay, with no additions once treatment begins.
Benefits of Lipoma Removal at Lux Hospitals
What patients treated here can expect:
-
Quick and simple
Local anaesthetic, home within the hour, back to work the next day.
-
Permanent removal
The capsule taken with the lump, so it does not return at that site.
-
A definite answer
Histopathology on every lipoma removed, confirming the diagnosis.
Other General & Laparoscopic Surgery Treatments
Our Surgeons
Lipoma Specialists at Lux Hospitals
The general surgeons who remove lipomas and soft tissue lumps at our HITEC CITY hospital.
-
Dr. Abhishek Katha
Consultant General & Advanced Laparoscopic Surgeon
MBBS, MS, FMAS
17 years experience
-
Dr. Tagore Mohan Grandhi
Senior Consultant: Bariatric & Gastrointestinal Surgery
MBBS, MS, FRCS (UK), DLS (France)
28 years experience
-
Dr. Samhitha Reddy
Consultant Proctologist & Laparoscopic Surgeon
MBBS, MS, FMAS, FISCP, DMAS
8 years experience
-
Dr. Tejasree Vengala
Consultant Breast, Thyroid & General Surgeon
MBBS, MS (General Surgery), Fellowship in Laparoscopic Surgery
7 years experience
Testimonials
What Patients Say About Their Treatment
Reviews from patients treated for lipoma, hernia and general surgery at Lux Hospitals, Hyderabad.
From the Blog
Latest Health Articles by Lux
Written by Dr. Abhishek Katha on lipoma removal and general surgical care.
-
Cost of Hernia Surgery in Hyderabad: Complete Price Guide
Dr. Abhishek Katha
-
Partial vs Complete Gallbladder Removal: Key Differences
Dr. Abhishek Katha
-
Lipoma Removal Cost in Hyderabad: Treatment & Recovery
Dr. Abhishek Katha
-
Recurring Foot Corns: The Hidden Cause of Foot Pain
Dr. Abhishek Katha
-
Varicose Vein Specialist: How to Choose the Right Expert
Dr. Abhishek Katha
-
4 Factors That Increase the Risk of Developing Varicose Veins
Dr. Abhishek Katha
Got Questions?
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about lipomas, their removal, and what surgery costs at Lux Hospitals.
What is the best treatment for a lipoma?
Surgical excision is the best and only permanent treatment, particularly if the lipoma is large, painful or growing. The lump is removed complete with its capsule, which is what prevents it recurring. Liposuction and minimal incision techniques are alternatives where scarring is a particular concern.
Can a lipoma be removed without surgery?
Not completely. Steroid injections can shrink a lipoma somewhat but rarely remove it, and liposuction extracts the fat while leaving the capsule behind, so recurrence is more likely. Small painless lipomas need no treatment at all, but if you want it gone, surgery is what achieves that.
Can a lipoma turn into cancer?
No. A lipoma is benign and does not become cancerous. There is a rare malignant fatty tumour called a liposarcoma, but it is a different tumour from the start rather than a lipoma that has changed. Rapid growth, hardness, or a lump deep in muscle prompts a scan to distinguish them.
Is lipoma surgery painful?
No. It is performed under local or general anaesthesia so you feel nothing during the procedure. Afterwards there is mild soreness for a day or two, easily managed with simple painkillers.
Which doctor should I see for lipoma removal?
A general surgeon or a plastic surgeon. For larger lipomas or those in cosmetically sensitive areas, what matters most is experience in planning the incision and closing it well, since the scar is how the result is judged.
Will the lipoma come back after removal?
Not at the same site, provided the capsule was removed with the lump, which is why excision is preferred over liposuction. New lipomas can appear elsewhere, particularly in people prone to multiple lipomas, but that is a new lump rather than a recurrence.
How long does lipoma removal take to heal?
The wound heals within about two weeks and most people return to normal activity within a few days. A firm area under the scar as the cavity fills in is normal and settles over the following months, and the scar continues to fade for up to a year.
Does losing weight make a lipoma go away?
No. The fat inside a lipoma does not behave like the rest of your body fat and does not shrink with weight loss. A lipoma will remain the same size regardless of what you weigh.
What is the cost of lipoma removal at Lux Hospitals?
A small lipoma removed under local anaesthetic ranges from about ₹18,000 to ₹35,000 including histopathology. Larger or deeper lipomas range from ₹40,000 to ₹75,000, and multiple lipomas removed in one sitting from ₹50,000 to ₹1,20,000. A written estimate follows your consultation.
How can I book an appointment for lipoma treatment at Lux Hospitals?
You can book an appointment by calling us, messaging us on WhatsApp, or walking into Lux Hospitals, HITEC CITY.
Still have questions? Call us at 079 6908 4422
Still have questions? Message us on WhatsApp at 079 6908 4444
Book Your Lipoma Consultation in Hyderabad
Day-care lipoma removal under local anaesthetic with minimal scarring, and a fixed-cost estimate before treatment begins.
Plot No.116, Lumbini Avenue, HITEC CITY, Near IKEA, Hyderabad – 500032