Lipedema Research
Lipedema Foundation’s LegATO Library
The Lipedema Foundation has a new way to search for papers on lipedema research called the LegATO library.
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.
Reich-Schupke, S., Schmeller, W., Brauer, W., et al. (2017). S1 guidelines: Lipedema. Journal of the German Society of Dermatology.
Research Before 2020
Aukland, K. (1973). Autoregulation of interstitial fluid volume edema-preventing mechanisms. Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation.
Buck, D., & Herbst, K. (2016). Lipedema: A relatively common disease with extremely common misconceptions. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
Research After 2020
Al-Ghadban, S., Evancio, J., Alfiscar, P., et al. (2025). New characterization of lipedema stages: Focus on pain, water, fat and skeletal muscle. Life.
Allen, M., Schwartz, M., & Herbst, K. (2020). Interstitial fluid in lipedema and control skin. Women’s Health Reports.
Alshomer, F., Lee, S., Kim, Y., et al. (2024). 311-316. doi: . PMID: 38737852; PMCID: PMC11081723.
Lipedema associated with skin hypoperfusion and ulceration: Soft tissue debulking improving skin perfusion. Archives of Plastic Surgery.
Amato, A. (2025). Chondromalacia in lipedema: The sarcopenic-valgus cascade that keeps getting missed. Cureus.
Amato, A., Amato, J., & Benitti, D. (2023). The association between lipedema and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Cureus.
Amato, A., & Benitti, D. (2021). Lipedema can be treated non-surgically: A report of 5 cases. American Journal of Case Reports.
Bonetti, G., Michelini, S., Donato, K., et al. (2023). Targeting mast cells: Sodium cromoglycate as a possible treatment of lipedema. Clinical Therapeutics.
Bouillon, V., Hinson, C., Hu, M., et al. (2023). Management of lipedema beyond liposuction: A case study. Aesthetic Surgery Journal Open Forum.
Crescenzi, R., Marton, A., Donahue, P., et al. (2017). Tissue sodium content is elevated in the skin and subcutaneous adipose tissue in women with lipedema. Obesity.
Czerwinska, M., Gruszecki, M., Ruminski, J., et al. (2024). Evaluation of the effectiveness of compression therapy combined with exercises versus exercises only among lipedema patients using various outcome measures. Life.
Czerwinska, M., Teodorczyk, J., Spychala, D., et al. (2023). The usefulness of the application of compression therapy among lipedema patients — Pilot study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
Dal’Forno-Dini, T., Birck, M., Saalfeld, R., et al. (2026). Lipedema: Pathophysiological insights and therapeutic strategies — An update for dermatologists. Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia.
Duhon, B., Phan, T., Taylor, S., et al. (2022). Current mechanistic understandings of lymphedema and lipedema: Tales of fluid, fat, and fibrosis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
Elio, C., Guaitolini, E., Paccasassi, S., et al. (2014). Application of microcurrents of bioresonance and transdermal delivery of active principles in lymphedema and lipedema of the lower limbs: A pilot study. Italian Journal of Dermatology and Venereology.
Ertuglu, L., Sahinoz, M., Alsouqi, A., et al. (2024). Intermuscular adipose tissue accumulation is associated with higher tissue sodium in healthy individuals. Physiological Reports.
Faria, A., Valerio, C., Barcellos, C., et al. (2026). Unraveling lipedema: comprehensive insights and the path to future discoveries. Metabolic Health and Disease.
Klose, G. (2020). Therapy for lipedema: Incorporating new clinical guidelines. Lipedema Pathways.
Kruglikov, I., & Scherer, P. (2024). Is the endotoxin–complement cascade the major driver in lipedema? Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Kruppa, P., Gohlke, S., Tapinski, K., et al. (2023). Lipedema stage affects adipocyte hypertrophy, subcutaneous adipose tissue inflammation and interstitial fibrosis. Frontiers in Immunology.
Markussen, L., Rondini, E., Johansen, O., et al. (2022). Lipolysis regulates major transcriptional programs in brown adipocytes. Nature Communications.
Morgan, S., Reid, I., Bendon, C., et al. (2024). A family-based study of inherited genetic risk in lipedema.. Lymphatic Research and Biology.
Mortada, H., Alhithlool, A., AlBattal, N., et al. (2025). Lipedema: Clinical features, diagnosis, and management. Archives of Plastic Surgery.
Nankam, P., Cornely, M., Kloting, N., et al. (2022). Is subcutaneous adipose tissue expansion in people living with lipedema healthier and reflected by circulating parameters? Frontiers in Endocrinology.
Poojari, A., Dev, K., & Rabiee, A. (2022). Lipedema: Insights into morphology, pathophysiology, and challenges. Biomedicines.
Rabiee, A. (2025). Lipedema and adipose tissue: Current understanding, controversies, and future directions. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology.
Rathod, S., Pouwels, S., Schmidt, J. (2026). Lipedema and obesity: A narrative review and treatment protocol. JPRAS Open.
Ruiz-Silva, C., Moleiro, D., & Ruiz-Silva, C.R. (2024). Treatment Of lipedema using cryolipolysis associated with microcurrents. IOSR Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences.
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.
Schneider, R. (2020). Low-frequency vibrotherapy considerably improves the effectiveness of manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) in patients with lipedema: A two-armed, randomized, controlled pragmatic trial. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice.
Simarro Blasco, J., Michelini, S., Andres-Gasco, M., et al. (2025). Clinical signs at diagnosis and comorbidities in a large cohort of patients with lipedema in Spain. Biomedicines.
Soni K and Abbott RD (2026) New Frontiers in modeling the lipedema microenvironment in vitro. Front. Cell Dev. Biol. 14:1816014. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2026.1816014
Steiner, M., Rinnerthaler, M., Mueller, A., et al. (2026). Adipocytes from lipedema adipose tissue show lipoma-associated nuclear atypia. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology.
Wang, L., Zhao, Rp., Song, Xy. et al. Targeting ERβ in Macrophage Reduces Crown-like Structures in Adipose Tissue by Inhibiting Osteopontin and HIF-1α. Sci Rep 9, 15762 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-52265-8
Additional Information
8 lifestyle changes that can support lipedema treatment | Thomas Su MD
Can a diet really ease lipoedema? Sunniva’s journey to pain relief and weight loss | Science Daily
The GLP-1 revolution: A new frontier in lipedema management? | Alexey Markelov MD
How does lipedema become a fluid problem? | One River Massage
Understanding fibrosis in lipedema: Inflamed subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), and nodules | Lymphatic Education & Research Network
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