Living well with Lipoedema

Any increase in your movement and physical activity is good for Lipoedema. It helps to keep our joints moving, strengthens muscles, improves lymph drainage, aids in weight management, and contributes to improving our confidence and mental well-being.

Compression or compression therapy has been proven to help to manage common Lipoedema symptoms such as pain, inflammation, and fluid accumulation (oedema). This page covers everything you might need to know about compression.

Numerous studies links Lipoedema to various mental and emotional challenges. These can include feelings of anxiety, depression or even a difficult relationship with food. However, there is help and support available to you, this page covers way to look after your emotional well-being.

When we talk to people with Lipoedema, one of the main problems we hear about is difficulties in finding clothing and footwear to fit. Here we offer tips on the clothing styles which can complement our body shapes, as well as some fashion brands, which are where many members of our support groups have said that they have found clothes that fit.

Looking after our skin is an important part of living well with Lipoedema with our Lymphatic systems often working hard to remove excess fluid and waste products from our bodies. Here you’ll find tips on some of the different ways you can enhance your skin and support your lymphatic systems.

Pain seems to affect up to 70% of people with Lipoedema and can make life feel incredibly challenging at times, but it’s important to try to keep moving as much as you can. Long periods of inactivity are not good for our limbs. Here we cover some approaches to helping you manage pain that members of our support community have said they find helpful.

Liposuction is not currently available on the NHS in the UK, although some private surgeons in the UK and abroad will provide liposuction to people with lipoedema. This page provides insight on important aspects that you should make sure you consider if you are thinking about undergoing Liposuction.

Healthy eating is highly beneficial to those of us with Lipoedema. Eating a diet rich in whole, unprocessed foods with no added sugar is highly beneficial to reducing the levels of inflammation in our bodies and can help reduce levels of pain and discomfort. This page provides information on how you might be able to improve your diet.

The role of the Lymphatics in Lipoedema still isn’t entirely clear, with only some studies suggesting that our Lymphatic systems undergo some kind of change. This page provides information on what a healthy lymphatic system looks like, how you can keep yours healthy and a guide on self-lymphatic drainage and brushing.