How would you feel if what you thought is excess fat is actually more than that?

There are cases of individuals who thought they just have to try harder to lose their excess fat. They tried different diets, work out excessively, but only to find out later that what they actually have a condition called lipedema.

Lipedema is a condition on which fat is distributed irregularly beneath the skin. Initially, it's a cosmetic problem but eventually, it can lead to pain and other problems.

One of the most common dilemma of women, who are the most commonly affected by lipedema, is that how would they know if it's lipedema or just fat?

Diagnosing lipedema can be tricky especially that it doesn't  have a standard exam like a blood test.

Doctors would usually start with physical assessment. A person having a tree trunk-leg and slim upper body is typically suspected of having lipedema. Aside from these signs, doctors would also look into the texture of the skin.

With lipedema, the skin usually feels like sand, pebbles, or stones, depending on the severity of one's condition. This unusual texture results from fat cells that keep on enlarging and increasing.

You'll know that it's more than just weight gain if you tried different diets and workout routine, yet your lower body doesn't seem to respond.

The fat cells in lipedema behave abnormally. Typically, when you eat, the fat cells increase. When you go on diet, they decrease. But this doesn't happen in lipedema. They keep on increasing. Hence, no matter how hard you try in getting rid of the excess fat, you don't see any progress at all.