Lipoma, a benign and generally harmless tumor composed of adipose tissue, does not necessarily require treatment unless the position of the tumor becomes uncomfortable or painful. Conventional approaches to lipoma treatment involve surgically removing the tumor or using steroid injections to shrink the size of the lipoma. Individuals who seek more natural treatments often use herbal treatments like chickweed and bitters like lemon juice to help shrink the tumor. Although natural methods seem less harmful than going under the knife or being injected with steroids, very little evidence has shown that they can provide effective lipoma relief.
Often, an individual will seek treatment to help remove the benign tumor because of the pain or irritation that it causes in the skin. Natural treatments may be sought as a first resort as inexpensive ways of removing, or at least shrinking, the lipoma tumor. Most herbalists recommend chickweed, either taken as a tea or applied to the tumor as an ointment. Chickweed contains high amounts of saponins, phytochemicals found in plants that have been seen to help break down fatty substances within the body.
Other natural lipoma treatments involve using herbal bitters, such as yarrow or lemon juice, to help increase digestion and influence toxin removal. Many natural therapies suggest that benign tumors are the result of the buildup of toxins within the body, so cleansing the system should help shrink the tumor. Exercise and stress management are also seen as important components in helping reduce the overall size of a tumor. Although these recommendations are natural approaches to good health, they have not been proven in clinical settings to aid in the relief of lipoma.
Conventional approaches treating lipomas include removing the tumor entirely through surgery or liposuction, as it is a fatty tissue. The recurrence of lipoma is not common after surgical removal. Sometimes, a medical professional might prescribe a series of steroid injections to help reduce the overall size of the tumor, shrinking it but not completely removing it. This can be helpful for people who don't want surgery and only want to get rid of the lipoma in their skin.
