Lymphoedema and lipoedema are two distinct medical disorders even though both involve swelling in the arms and legs. Lymphoedema is a disorder of the lymphatic system and is commonly caused by a dysfunction in the flow of lymph fluid through the arms or legs. Lipoedema, in contrast, does not involve the lymphatic system, but it is a pathologic, symmetric deposition of fat that most often affects the lower extremities and almost exclusively occurs in women.

According to statistics, almost 11% of women are affected by Lipoedema, however, it is oftentimes mistaken for obesity. There is no simple blood test or scan to diagnose Lipoedema, so the diagnosis is made by history and physical examination.

In this week's podcast episode, Marni will be speaking with Dr Naveen Somia, President of the Australasian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, and the founder of Naveen Somia Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery.

Dr Somia has been successfully managing lipoedema patients since 2013. Dr Naveen Somia is one of the leading plastic surgeons in Australia. He's based in Sydney and is currently a Senior Plastic Surgeon in 5 major hospitals. He specialises in Cosmetic Surgery of the Eyes, Face, Breast and Body. He is also a Senior Lecturer at the University of Sydney and enjoys teaching medical students and mentoring the future Plastic Surgeons

Dr Naveen Somia trained in Melbourne and Sydney where he completed his Advanced Plastic Surgery Training followed by Advanced Fellowships in Cosmetic and Eyelid Surgery in Atlanta, USA.

Join us as Dr Somia will uncover the biggest misconceptions about lipoedema and the treatments available for it.

Learn more about Dr Naveen Somia here:

Website: https://www.naveensomia.com.au/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/naveensomia

Instagram: https://twitter.com/DrNaveenSomia

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/naveen-somia-plastic-&-cosmetic-surgery?trk=tyah

Instagram: @naveensomiaplasticsurgery

People Mentioned:

Dr Ramin Shayan: St Vincent's Private Hospital

Dr Karen L. Herbst: http://www.lipomadoc.org/lipedema.html

Dr Thomas Lam: Macquarie University Hospital

Resources: