Lipedema is a chronic and painful disease of adipose tissue, which is often confused with obesity. Characterized by an abnormal accumulation of fat that does not respond to diet or exercise, This disease was recognized as such by the WHO in 2018. In Chile, many women still suffer without a proper diagnosis, sometimes for more than 10 years, affecting their quality of life and emotional health.
Under this context, Ledda Pérez together with Dr. María Elsa Calderón, introduced in January an advanced surgical technique that was only performed in Europe. This procedure, which treats inflammatory fat while respecting sensitive structures, has been shown to be a significant change for patients in Chile and Latin America.
In the country, knowledge about this condition is in its early stages of development. In this sense, Ledda Pérez, an internationally trained kinesiologist on the subject and director of Clínica Lipedema WAL Chile, explains the confusion of the disease with obesity, which is due to the lack of deep understanding and accurate diagnoses by professionals with specialized knowledge in the illness. ”With a clear understanding of the concepts of lipedema, there should be no room for confusion with obesity.”
”How it can be differentiated from obesity is because when the person is obese, unlike what happens with lipedema, their hands are compromised, their hands can also be fat, their feet, their face and their trunk , especially the abdomen is bulging. In lipedema it may be that the patient has fatness, obesity and lipedema, which there is a percentage that has it, but when people are thin and have fat, the fat is only distributed in the extremities,” details the specialist.
Pérez explains the main consequences of lipedema if it is not diagnosed and treated in time, as well as its emotional and psychological impact on patients. ”The consequences can be the compromise of other systems, such as the lymphatic system or the venous system, soft tissue structures, such as ligaments, tendons, because there begins to be contamination of adjacent tissues or difficulty in functioning. of the systems. Then the patient can have lymphedema, mobility problems, walking problems, they can have injuries, because they have hypermobility. There are early consequences and also late consequences.
On the other hand, the emotional and psychological impact is significant. ”The patients suffer constant pain, difficulties walking and dressing, which seriously affects their quality of life. Additionally, they experience shame and stigmatization, as they are often criticized for their appearance, being wrongly blamed for their condition. This is not only a physical reality, but also a considerable emotional burden.”
According to Pérez, it is essential to understand that lipedema is an inflammatory disease, so treating it, especially at the cellular level in the affected tissue, is crucial. As a result, the plastic surgeon doctor, trained in the WAL Lipedema Technique in Germany and Spain, María Elsa Calderón, details the recognized techniques for this purpose.
Calderón indicates that The WAL technique, developed in Europe and currently available in Chile, is a great advance from a reconstructive point of view due to its lower inflammation, edema, pain and ecchymosis, as well as shorter rehabilitation periods. ”This technique protects important structures such as nerve endings, lymphatic vessels and capillaries, and reduces inflammation and disease recurrence compared to other surgical techniques.”
Likewise, within the framework of Lipedema month, specialists point out that in Chile various strategies are being implemented to Increase awareness of this disease among both health professionals and the community in general. ”Our main strategies are educating patients and their closest environment, also educating kinesiologists, both within our center and outside, especially in foreign countries (Spain and Brazil) so that the greatest number of health professionals understand and can make an early diagnosis.
