How Lipedema Affects Lymphatic Flow

If you’ve read my post on Lipedema Fat vs. Normal Fat, you know that Lipedema tissue isn’t simply ordinary body fat.

But those changes in the tissue can affect something else, too:

The lymphatic system.

And understanding that relationship helps explain why supporting lymphatic flow can be such an important part of managing Lipedema.

First, What Is the Lymphatic System Doing?

Your lymphatic system is constantly collecting excess fluid, proteins, cellular waste and other substances from the spaces between your cells and returning them to circulation.

Think of it as your body’s drainage system.

Fluid continually moves out of tiny blood vessels and into the surrounding tissues. Most is reabsorbed into circulation, while the lymphatic system picks up what remains.

When everything is flowing well, you probably never notice it happening.

But with Lipedema, the lymphatic system may have a more demanding job.

What Changes With Lipedema?

Lipedema doesn’t simply mean that there is “too much fat.”

The tissue itself is different.

There can be changes within the adipose tissue, connective tissue, small blood vessels and the spaces between cells. The small blood vessels may also be more fragile and permeable, contributing to easy bruising and allowing more fluid to collect within the tissues. Now the lymphatic system has more fluid to manage within an increasingly altered tissue environment.

This is where I like to use my river analogy.

Imagine a healthy lymphatic system as a network of little streams and rivers carrying excess fluid away.

With Lipedema, we aren’t necessarily dealing with a blocked river.

Instead, more water may be entering the landscape while changes in the surrounding terrain make drainage increasingly challenging.

The lymphatic system may compensate beautifully for a long time.

But it is being asked to work harder.

Does Lipedema Cause Lymphedema?

Not necessarily.

Lipedema and lymphedema are different conditions.

In earlier Lipedema, the lymphatic system may still function quite well. But as Lipedema progresses, changes in the tissue and ongoing fluid load may eventually affect lymphatic transport.

Some people with advanced Lipedema develop secondary lymphedema — often referred to as lipo-lymphedema.

This is one reason supporting lymphatic health before significant dysfunction develops can be an important part of conservative Lipedema care.

Where Does Manual Lymphatic Drainage Fit In?

This distinction is important:

Manual Lymphatic Drainage does not remove Lipedema fat.

MLD supports the system responsible for moving excess fluid.

Unlike deep massage, MLD uses very light, rhythmic and specific movements designed to work with the superficial lymphatic vessels just beneath the skin and encourage fluid toward functioning lymphatic pathways.

For someone with Lipedema — particularly when swelling or fluid congestion is present — MLD may help reduce feelings of heaviness, tightness, swelling and discomfort while supporting lymphatic movement.

I like to think of it this way:

MLD doesn’t change the landscape.

It helps support the flow of the river running through it.

And it works best as part of a bigger picture.

Compression, movement, breathing, hydration and other supportive strategies can all work alongside MLD to help the lymphatic system do what it was designed to do:

Keep things moving.

Lipedema Care Is About More Than Fat

When Lipedema is viewed only as a problem of body fat, we miss an important part of the story.

We need to consider the tissue, circulation, fluid and lymphatic system living within and around that fat, too.

And that’s why caring for Lipedema isn’t simply about trying to make the body smaller.

It’s also about helping the body function and flow as well as it can.

Want to understand why Lipedema fat behaves differently from ordinary body fat? Read Lipedema Fat vs. Normal Fat: What’s the Difference? →

Sources:

2021 U.S. Standard of Care for Lipedema

Lipedema: Exploring Pathophysiology and Treatment Strategies – State of the Art

Lipedema: Insights into Morphology, Pathophysiology, and Challenges