Lipoedema is a condition that is being seen more commonly in our aesthetic practices. It was first described by Allen and Hines in 1940 as a condition characterised by abnormally poor resistance to the passage of fluid into the tissue from the blood, thus permitting oedema to occur.1
Many patients who present to clinics with this issue have already consulted with their GP and have been assessed by various specialties in NHS hospitals, with little to no satisfaction. There appears to be a general lack of recognition and understanding of the condition, with a survey of 251 members of the Vascular Society of Great Britain and Ireland revealing that only 46.2% of the consultants were able to recognise the disease.2 It is at a time like this that these patients may choose to see an aesthetic practitioner as a last resort. This is because they see it as an aesthetic, body contouring issue, and…
