Lipedema vs Dercum's Disease | Dr. Karen Herbst | Total Lipedema Care

One of our favorite lipedema experts, Dr. Karen L. Herbst, tells us the difference between lipedema and Dercum’s Disease!

Did you know?
Lipedema is a more common disease found primarily in women and Dercum’s is a very rare disease that affects both men and women (although more commonly women). Lipedema and Dercum’s effect separate parts of the body differently, and people with Dercum’s Disease might be more prone to experience pain disorders, like migraines, fibromyalgia, and abdominal pain.

‼️ However, there is a lot of overlap between the two, and lipomas can appear in those with lipedema! In fact, one of the genes that were just described that is important to lipedema is a gene important in the formation of lipomas.

Thank you for tuning in. We hope this will help you to differentiate between lipedema and Dercum’s!

Total Lipedema Care is led by Dr. Jaime S. Schwartz, a board-certified plastic surgeon and world-renowned lipedema specialist who has dedicated much of his career to raising awareness for fat disorders (like lipedema) that are highly underdiagnosed and usually misdiagnosed as morbid obesity. He is known for taking on complex lipedema cases — giving patients more hope by alleviating the pain from this disorder. We have offices in Beverly Hills and Dubai but we see patients from all over the globe.

To schedule a consultation or appointment, call us at 310-882-5454.

For more before and after photos, information on our techniques, and verified reviews from patients visit:

[KitKatToeBeans]

I’m curious if it’s ever been looked into if those with Dercum’s also have low GLP-1 hormones?

I just learned that women with PCOS have diminished GLP-1 and that taking Inulin Fiber powder helps feed the good bacteria in our gut thus increasing our GLP-1 and that a study done on mice showed their ovarian cysts completely vanish.

I’m wondering if any patients with Dercum’s have used a GLP-1 drug (which I’m not advocating) and had any success as it’s also being used to help Autoimmune disorders. If there’s no success rate in using those drugs it could, possibly, rule out Dercum’s as an Autoimmune disease in the future. And get us closer to figuring out if it’s genetic or not.

[debutawn]

As a patent of Karen Herbst for several years, I’m pretty sure I was one of those 18 people ! 😂 I’m going to inquire about the lipedema removal soon ! Fingers crossed this may help me.

[carolynaletagabrielse]

Your videos are extremely helpful! My grandmother has dercums that came about in her late 20s. I'm 33 and have 12 to 13 in clusters on my lower back, an angiolipoma on my upper back that was biopsied, a spindle cell lipoma, and I still can't find the right doctor to diagnose dercums or lipodema 😢 I wish I had doctors like you around here that were more informed about these

[nirvanabox]

These videos are extremely helpful… I have lumps mainly on my right leg and a few on my left leg and left upper thigh… I have not been diagnosed with any type of disease However, my doctors seem to believe that these are lipomas, I personally do not believe this as they have no other evidence such as a biopsy to prove their findings.
Instead, I live constantly in pain, suffer with a lot of other things, such as constipation, fatigue, insomnia/sleeping issues, restlessness due to pain and being uncomfortable, forgetfulness, as well as other symptoms of dercums disease… do you know how to proceed with trying to find out what these lumps are?

These lumps also affect my day-to-day life, such as working, waking, mental health etc, therefore, if I do get a diagnosis, I could go on disability.

[allieblack]

The men on my dad’s side of the family have dercums, I just recently found this out. I always thought the lipomas all over my stomach were from my lipedema, but after watching this, maybe I have dercums too. Thank you Karen for all you do. ❤

[katecollins]

Dr Herbst do you know of any Drs in Australia that can diagnose Dercum's? I have been diagnosed with Lipedema in arms, legs and stomach.I have nodules all in my trunk (I have had them on my ribs since my early teens). When I lose weight it comes off some places on my stomach but not others.

[otgisback]

God, I wish I could get treatment for my lipodema but I have medicaid and very poor. I had gastric bypass surgery but my legs Are still huge and my underarms have so much hanging with lipodema fat. I swim 3 times a week but nothing helps.

[unfilteredover]

Do lipoma nodules cause pain and numbness?

[puppiesrlife]

Who can you go to to get diagnosed for either or both of these disorders? Most doctors tend to not be knowledgeable about these but maybe certain specialists would be more.

[tommyortiz]

I think I have these. It’s aweful! I’m considering long term fasting

[jenzahanson]

wow, I have dercums disease and am going to a general surgeon for liposuction. my legs are so painful. I wonder if that will help ...?any thoughts?

[monicacarson]

Why does it cost so much to be seen by you?