Lipedema is a chronic, progressive disease that causes a disproportionate amount of swollen lipomas and affects the legs and/or arms bilaterally. Learn more about lipedema in this article. The following information and links have been collected over the years and are provided as a resource to clients and other practitioners.
“Start where you are. Use what you have.
Do what you can.” — Arthur Ashe
Index of Lipedema Resources
Standard of Care for Lipedema
Additional Resources for Lipedema
Books for Lymphatic Disorders
Clinical Trials for Lipedema
Clinician’s Guide to Lipedema
Continuing Education for Lipedema
Diagnostic Codes for Lipedema
Exercise & Movement for Lymph Stasis
Finding Lipedema Practitioners — Ways to Search for Physicians
Finding Lipedema Practitioners — Ways to Search for Therapists
Laboratory Tests for Lipedema
Nutrition for Lymph Stasis
Patient Registry for Lipedema
Prescription Savings
Printable Materials for Lipedema
Research for Lipedema
Southwest US Lipedema Resources
Supplements to Assist Lymph Stasis
Supplies & Equipment for Lymph Stasis
Symptom Trackers for Lipedema
Videos for Lipedema
More About Lipedema
Standard of Care for Lipedema
The United States Standard of Care was released in 2021 by experts in the United States in the field of lipedema research and treatment. I would recommend printing a copy of this and giving it to all personal physicians and practitioners, as it outlines the newest research in diagnosis and treatment of lipedema. See additional Research and Standards of Care for other countries below.
Additional Resources for Lipedema
The websites listed below are excellent ways to learn about lipedema and offer resources for additional information about diagnosis and treatment.
American Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine
American Lymphedema Association
American Lymphedema Framework Project
American Vein and Lymphatic Society
Fat Disorders Resource Society
Lipedema.com
Lipedema Foundation
Lipedema World Alliance
Lipoedema Australia
Lymphatic Education & Research Network Resource Center
Lymphedema Advocacy Group
Lymphology Association of North America
National Commission on Lymphatic Diseases
National Lymphedema Network
Talk Lipoedema
Clinical Trials for Lipedema
There are several ways to search for current clinical trials.
Lipedema Trials | Clinical Trials.gov
Lipedema Trials | Good Clinical Practice Network
LEGWORK Clinical Study Finder | Lipedema Foundation
Clinician’s Guide to Lipedema
The Lipedema Foundation has recently published the Clinician’s Guide to Lipedema to help in diagnosing the disease. This document is also a good resource to give to practitioners.
Continuing Education for Lipedema
Anatomy, lymphatic system. StatPearls Publishing
Lipedema. StatPearls Publishing
Diagnostic Codes for Lipedema
Finding Lipedema Practitioners
Most in our community understand that locating a practitioner — physician, surgeon, or therapist — who is knowledgeable about lipedema or who has experience in working with lipedema is difficult, if not impossible.
Ways to Search for Physicians
There are several methods to use to look for a physician or other practitioners who are knowledgeable about diagnosing or treating lipedema. Those specialties which usually are good places to look are: cardiologists, vascular/vein doctors, dermatologists and lymphedema clinics.
The Lipedema Foundation offers tips for finding a lipedema specialist and includes a provider directory for diagnosing clinicians.
The American Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine offers a physician locator for Certified Vein Specialists.
The American Vein and Lymphatic Society (formerly the American College of Phlebology) offers a member locator.
The Ehlers-Danlos Society offers the Ehlers Danlos Healthcare Professionals Directory for physicians and therapists.
Ways to Search for Therapists
The Lipedema Foundation offers tips for finding a lipedema specialist and includes a provider directory for therapists.
The Lymphology Association of North America (LANA) certifies therapists and offers a therapist locator.
The National Lymphedema Network established the NLN Expert Clinician designation in 2021 to elevate the standards of therapeutic care being provided to patients with lymphatic diseases.
You can also use the resource map at the American Lymphedema Framework Project to locate therapists in your area.
The Ehlers-Danlos Society offers the healthcare professionals directory for physicians and therapists.
The Lighthouse Lymphedema Network offers a therapist locator on its site for the states of Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
Lymphatic Education & Research Network (LE&RN) also offers tips to find a lymphedema therapist.
Schools for Therapists
There are several different schools and methods of instruction in lymphatic drainage. Use the links below to locate a therapist near you.
The schools listed below provide the type of in-person training and classroom hours which are required in order to work with lipedema and lymphedema patients. Please note that there are many classes and schools which advertise manual lymphatic drainage but do not offer the in-depth coursework required to work with patients with lymphatic dysfunction.
Academy of Lymphatic Studies (ACOLS)
Casley-Smith International
Chikly Institute
Klose Training
LymphEd
Monarch Consulting and Education
Norton School
Vodder School
About Certified Lymphedema Therapists
There is no single criteria that defines and certifies a “certified lymphedema therapist” (CLT). The National Lymphedema Network (NLN) and the Lymphology Association of North America (LANA) are two organizations which have recommended minimum standards for competency, including 128-135 hours of training in decongestive therapy and hands-on experience with lymphedema patients. LANA also recommends courses in relevant lymphatic network-focused anatomy and physiology and hands-on instruction. The aspiring lymphedema therapist may take the Clinical Lymphedema Therapist-LANA (CLT-LANA) exam upon completion of course work, but LANA certification is not required to practice lymphedema therapy.
Not only is LANA certification not required for lymphedema therapist, it does not assure the quality of a therapist’s work — that goes back to the quality of the school which the therapist attended. It’s worth mentioning here that Klose Training has been one of the schools to “set the bar” in graduating good therapists — the content of their course has not changed, and the curriculum is stronger than before. However, due to the change in ratio of online to in-person hours, graduates of Klose’s lymphedema certification course no longer qualify to sit for the CLT-LANA exam, because of this, considering only LANA-certified therapists could be a detriment to receiving quality care.
A certified lymphedema therapist specializes in the treatment of lymphedema — he or she may be a doctor, nurse, or physical, occupational or massage therapist. Practitioners who specialize in lymphedema therapy are adept at manual decongestive therapy — the form of specialized massage used to stimulate lymph drainage in affected areas of the body — and at applying compression wraps.
About Certified Manual Lymph Drainage Therapists
and Applied MLD Therapists
Klose Training offers a professional credential as a Certified Manual Lymph Drainage Therapist (CMLDT). Instruction in anatomy and physiology of the lymphatic system is presented, and manual lymph drainage (MLD) treatment sequences are demonstrated and practiced. Treatment for mild, medically-uncomplicated upper and lower extremity lymphedema is taught as well as treating traumatic and post-surgical edema.
The Vodder School offers training for an Applied MLD Therapist. Clinical indications for MLD are taught for patients with a functional lymph vessel system. Successful completion of Levels 1 and 2 enables certification in Applied MLD. This certification replaces the Clinical Wellness Therapist, which is a therapist trained in MLD; this course is no longer offered as of 2020.
Please note that the Academy of Lymphatic Studies offers a course in manual lymph drainage certification (MLD-C), but this course does not train therapists to treat patients with lymphedema.
Lymphology Training Programs (n.d.). Lymphology Association of North America.
What is a lymphedema therapist and how can one help you? (n.d.). Lymphedema Products.
Alternatives in Lymph Drainage
Alternatives in Lymph Drainage
An alternative to MLD is reflexology lymph drainage (RLD). RLD is beneficial for those without insurance. The cost to access MLD through occupational and physical therapy departments is expensive, and the option of RLD is much more affordable. RLD is a good alternative for those wanting to remain dressed during treatments.
There are many diagnosed with lipedema who find that MLD does not alleviate their swelling, and RLD provides an alternative to manual lymph drainage. Not only can RLD reflexology sometimes relieve the symptoms of swelling, it can also provide a boost in health by stimulating reflex points and offering relief for many symptoms and conditions, including aches and pains, arthritis, asthma, eczema, edema, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, headaches, muscular tension, postoperative recovery, premenstrual syndrome, and sinus problems. Approved practitioners of RLD can be found through the RLD website.
Laboratory Tests for Lipedema
Dr. Karen Herbst, who is considered the upmost expert in lipedema, has shared a list of lab tests for fat disorders, which lists those lab values she feels necessary to help with diagnosis.
Patient Registry for Lipedema
Please consider joining the lipedema registry at the Lipedema Foundation in order to share your experience with lipedema. This invaluable information is compiled and used to learn more about lipedema and to develop new treatment approaches.
Printable Materials for Lipedema
The Lipedema Foundation has created the informational lipedema brochures below in English, German and Spanish for your physicians and practitioners. These can either be printed at home or requested from the Lipedema Foundation.
The Fat Disorders Resource Society has created the informational lipedema card below for your physicians and practitioners, which can be requested from FDRS.
Research Papers on Lipedema
The Lipedema Foundation has a new way to search for papers on lipedema research called the LegATO library.
Research and Standards of Care
Alcolea, J., Alonso, A., Arroyo, B., et al. (2018). Documento de consenso lipedema: Consensus document on lipedema. Spanish Association of Lymphedema and Lipedema.
Bertsch, T., & Erbacher, G. (2018). Lipoedema — myths and facts, part 1. Phlebologie.
Bertsch, T., & Erbacher, G. (2018). Lipoedema — myths and facts, part 2. Phlebologie.
Bertsch, T., & Erbacher, G. (2018). Lipoedema — myths and facts, part 3. Phlebologie.
Bertsch, T., & Erbacher, G., & Torio-Padron, N. (2019). Lipoedema — myths and facts, part 4. Phlebologie.
Bertsch, T., Erbacher, G., Corda, D., et al. (2020). Lipoedema — myths and facts, part 5. European best practice of lipoedema — Summary of the European lipoedema forum consensus. Phlebologie.
Bertsch, T., Erbacher, G., & Elwell, R. (2020). Lipoedema: A paradigm shift and consensus. Journal of Wound Care.
Bertsch, T., & Erbacher, G. (2021). Response to the letter to the editor regarding lipoedema — myths and facts, part 1 and part 5. Phlebologie.
Coppel, T., Cunneen, J., Gordon, K., et al. (2017). Best practice guidelines: The Management of lipoedema. Wounds UK.
Faerber, G., Cornely, M., Daubert, C., et al. (2024). S2k guidelines: Lipedema. Journal of the German Society of Dermatology.
Halk, A., & Damstra, R. (2017). First Dutch guidelines on lipedema using the international classification of functioning, disability and health. Phlebology.
Herbst, K., Kahn, L., Iker, E., et al. (2021). Letter to the editor regarding lipoedema — myths and facts, part 1 and part 5. Phlebologie.
Klose, G. (2020). Therapy for lipedema: Incorporating new clinical guidelines. Lipedema Pathways.
Peprah, K., & MacDougall, D. (2019). Liposuction for the treatment of lipedema: A review of clinical effectiveness and guidelines. Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health.
Reich-Schupke, S., Schmeller, W., Brauer, W., et al. (2017). S1 guidelines: Lipedema. Journal of the German Society of Dermatology.
Sandhofer, M., Hanke, C., Habbema, L., et al. (2020). Prevention of progression of lipedema with liposuction using tumescent local anesthesia: Results of an international consensus conference. Dermatologic Surgery.
Symptom Trackers for Lipedema
Two forms are available for tracking symptoms of lipedema — both are two pages long. There is a biweekly tracker and a weekly tracker which has lots of extra room for notes. Download these by either clicking on the links or the photos.
More About Lipedema
4 reasons BMI is dangerously flawed | Dr. Thomas Wright
A guide to lipedema treatment: Established and new management strategies | Healthline
Benefits of lymphatic drainage massage | Hypervibe
Biomarker for lipedema, other lymphatic diseases discovered | Stanford Medicine
Detox your lymphatic system with these 20 tricks | Medical News
Diagnosing lipedema | Lipedema Foundation
Differences between lipedema and lymphedema | Lymphedema Blog
Do vibration plates help with swelling? | Hypervibe
How nurses can spot and support patients suffering from lipedema | Minority Nurse
How vibration plates help lipedema | Lifepro Fitness
Identifying fibrosis in every stage of lymphedema | Lymphatic Network
Insights on the pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of lipedema | Dr. Karen Herbst, Wound Care Learning Network
Introduction to lipedema | Dr. Thomas Wright, Vein Magazine
Lipedema | Cleveland Clinic
Lipedema: A commonly misdiagnosed but real condition | Banner Health
Lipedema: A devastating disease too often overlooked | Dr. Thomas Wright, Vein Magazine
Lipedema: A frequently misdiagnosed and misunderstood fatty tissue deposition syndrome | Dr. Margarita Correa
Lipedema: A summary | Dr. Thomas Wright
Lipedema and hypermobility | Dr. Thomas Wright
Lipedema and the relationship to both fascia and inflammation | Schierling Chiropractic
Lipedema: Diagnosis, causes, and types | Medical News Today
Lipedema fat and BMI | Dr. Thomas Wright and Dr. Karen Herbst, Vein Magazine
Lipedema guide: Causes, symptoms, treatments and more | Tactile Medical
Lipedema or cellulite? How to tell the difference | Healthline
Lipedema versus lymphedema: Differences and key takeaways | Hypervibe
Lipedema versus lymphedema: What to know to protect your limbs | Northwell Health
Lipedema’s invisible toll | Harvard Health Publishing
Lipoedema | National Health Service UK
Lipoedema | Victoria State Government, Department of Health AU
Lipoedema awareness — the current state of play | PMFA Journal
Living with lymphedema in legs | Jean LaMantia RD
Lymphatic drainage massage | Real Bodywork
Lymphatic system anatomy | Kenhub
Lymphatic Yoga® | Edely Wallace
Lymphedema and airline travel | Lymphedema Blog
Lymphedema and blood pressure | Jean LaMantia RD
Lymphedema and lipedema — Indications, contraindications and risk factors | 2018 Michigan Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference
Lymphedema versus lipedema: Similar but different | Cleveland Clinic
Lymphorrhea | Jean LaMantia RD
Medicines and selenium supplements for lymphedema | Jean LaMantia RD
Patient guide to self-diagnosing lipedema | Toronto Physiotherapy
Standard of care for lipedema in the United States | Journal of Phlebology
Tools for lipedema treatment | Lympha Press
Understanding fibrosis in lipedema: Inflamed subcutaneous adipose tissue and nodules | Lymphatic Network
What is lipedema? | Center for Vascular Medicine
What is lipedema? | Jobst LymphCare
What is lipedema? All about the fat that’s not your fault | Carolina Vein Center
What is lipedema, and how can it be treated? | Dr. Sue Pedersen
What you need to know about pressotherapy | Healthline
Where does lipedema fat accumulate? | Dr. Thomas Wright