My Father Has Lipomas : Could I Get Them Too and How to Prevent?

The most common cause of lipoma is genetics. Now, genetics doesn’t necessarily mean it will run in every family member. Simply put, our genetic makeup the genes that form our body sometimes has changes, or what we call mutations, in the genes that control fat or fat cells. When this happens, fat cells can form small clumps or lumps instead of a normal layer, which leads to lipoma.

In families, lipomas can sometimes be seen running across two to three generations, but that doesn’t mean that if you have lipoma, your children or future generations will definitely get it. The gene responsible for it is not always carried forward in every case.

As for avoiding lipomas, unfortunately, there is no way to prevent them, because it is a genetic condition and our genetic makeup cannot be changed. A common myth is that eating too much fat or having a high body weight causes lipomas, or that reducing fat in the diet can prevent them.

This is not true. Many patients with higher body weight may have no lipomas at all, while some people with low body weight, even 40–45 kg, can have multiple lipomas on their hands. So, there is no specific mechanism to avoid lipomas, and they cannot be prevented.