A lipoma is a noncancerous tumor composed of fatty tissue, and an angiolipoma is a type of lipoma that also contains blood vessels. They often produce a visible bulge underneath your skin, and while the mass is benign, they can be uncomfortable and painful and require hands-on treatment from a surgeon like Dr. Bhatti. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at why these fatty masses develop, and how they are treated when blood vessels are encompassed within the mass.

Types, Causes And Symptoms

Angiolipomas are categorized into two different subgroups – noninfiltrating and infiltrating angiolipomas.

• Noninfiltrating Angiolipomas – These are the more common form of angiolipoma. As the name implies, they do not penetrate deep into the skin, although they tend to be more uncomfortable or even painful.
• Infiltrating Angiolipomas – This type of angiolipoma extends deeper into your skin, oftentimes into muscle, fat or fibrous tissue. Despite their deeper infiltration, they are typically painless.

There is no known cause of angiolipoma onset, although certain factors may increase a person’s likelihood of developing one, including being diabetic, having a history of corticosteroid use, hormonal changes during puberty or early adulthood, and having a family history of angiolipoma onset. Sometimes they can also develop in response to an injury or trauma to an area. They typically develop on a person’s forearms, although they can also develop on the torso, neck or legs.

Symptoms of an angiolipoma include:

• The formation of a soft lump underneath your skin
• Multiple smaller lumps in an isolated area
• Sensitivity to the touch
• Skin discoloration
• Pain

Diagnosing And Treating Angiolipomas

If you notice a growth or soft bump forming on your arm or elsewhere on your body, you can set up an appointment with your primary care physician. Angiolipomas are easily diagnosed through a visible assessment, but your healthcare provider will also conduct a physical exam of the formation and ask you some questions. Oftentimes they’ll ask if the formation is uncomfortable or painful, and if there was a history of trauma to the area. To confirm that the growth is an angiolipoma and not a cancerous tumor, a biopsy will be performed. The specialist may also opt to take a closer look at the growth with an MRI or CT scan.

Treatment will be determined on an individual basis, but because these growths are noncancerous, oftentimes the only treatment that is required is regular monitoring, especially if the site is not painful. Your doctor will want to monitor it as you age, but if it’s not causing pain, treatment won’t be necessary.

If your angiolipoma is causing pain, a surgical excision will be recommended. A local anesthetic will be administered to numb the area prior to the procedure. You may feel some pressure while the angiolipoma is being removed, but it will not be painful. Oftentimes the procedure can be completed in less than an hour. Since pain was the main symptom, you will still have some discomfort in the area for a number of days or weeks while the skin and tissue heals from the trauma of surgery. However, this discomfort eventually fades.

If you or your child are dealing with what appears to be an abnormal growth on their arm, neck or body, reach out to Bhatti Surgery today. We’ll ensure that the mass is noncancerous, and we can remove the growth if it is causing significant discomfort. For more information about angiolipomas, reach out to Bhatti Surgery today at (952) 368-3800.