THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES IN THE TREATMENT OF LIPEDEMA: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Lipedema is a chronic disease characterized by the abnormal accumulation of adipose tissue, associated with pain, edema, and impaired quality of life. The diversity of therapeutic approaches and the lack of consensus make its clinical management challenging. The present study aimed to analyze the main therapeutic strategies used in the treatment of lipedema, evaluating their effects and limitations. This is a systematic review conducted in accordance with the PRISMA Statement recommendations, with searches performed in the Virtual Health Library (BVS), Cochrane Library, and PubMed databases, covering the period from 2021 to 2026. The descriptors lipedema, treatment, intervention, and pain were used, combined by boolean operators. A total of 308 studies were identified, of which 20 were included after applying the eligibility criteria. The results indicate that treatment is multifactorial, with conservative approaches reducing pain and edema, while dietary interventions contribute to inflammatory control. Liposuction stood out as the only method capable of removing pathological adipose tissue, promoting significant improvement in symptoms. It is concluded that the management of lipedema requires an integrated and individualized approach, with a need for studies of greater methodological rigor to strengthen scientific evidence.