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It’s possible for a lump to look like a lipoma but really be something else. Since lipomas aren’t painful, experiencing pain might be a sign that your lump is something else. Similarly, it’s best not to try treating a new lump or an area of swelling until you’ve had it checked by a doctor. Your lump is most likely not a cause for worry, but it’s good to be sure that it’s a lipoma rather than something else. These tests will help your doctor make sure what you have is really a lipoma. In most cases, your doctor will do your diagnostic tests quickly in their office.  You shouldn’t feel any pain when your doctor takes a biopsy, but you may experience discomfort. Before taking a biopsy, your doctor will numb the area around the lipoma. Then, they’ll use a thin needle to take a small sample from the lump. Finally, they’ll examine the sample under a microscope to make sure it’s a lipoma. The X-ray, MRI, and CT scan are all imaging tests. In most cases, your doctor will just do one of them. An X-ray can show a shadow where the lipoma is located, while an MRI and CT scan can show the lipoma in more detail. If you have a small lipoma that is interfering with your daily life, your doctor may be able to remove it using liposuction. To do this procedure, your doctor will administer a numbing agent near the lipoma so you won’t feel pain. Then, they’ll use a needle to suck out the fatty tissue in the lipoma. This simple procedure is quick and doesn’t require much downtime. However, you might experience soreness, discomfort and bruising. If your doctor thinks surgery is the right option for you, they’ll usually sedate your before surgery. To remove the lipoma, they’ll make a small incision and then extract the lipoma from your body. Finally, they’ll stitch up the incision.  After surgery, you may have some scarring around the area. However, the scar likely won’t be very noticeable. Additionally, discomfort and bruising are common in the days after surgery. You might also consider surgery if the lipoma is affecting how you feel about your appearance.
See your doctor if you feel pain or discomfort, have a new lump, or see swelling. Expect your doctor to do a tissue biopsy and an X-ray, MRI or CT scan. Ask your doctor if liposuction can treat a lipoma that’s bothering you. Consider surgical removal if the lipoma restricts your movement.