Authors
Rhiannon Stellmaker, Belinda Thompson, Vincent Singh Paramanandam, Kerry A Sherman, Helen Mackie, Louise Koelmeyer
Published in
International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being. Volume 21. Issue 1. Pages 2734666. Dec 31, 2026. Epub Sep 18, 2026.
Abstract
Individuals with lipoedema may experience negative impacts that are not often identified through current quality-of-life measures. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of individuals living with pre-existing lipoedema and their perceptions of how these experiences influence quality of life.
Participants with a prior diagnosis of lipoedema participated in a single semi-structured interview or focus group. These interviews/focus groups were transcribed verbatim, allowing for an inductive thematic analysis to be conducted.
Sixteen participants were included and four main themes were identified. These included: the ongoing work of living with lipoedema, living with a restrictive and overwhelming condition, caught between self-acceptance and social judgement, and forced to navigate lipoedema alone. Across the four themes, 21 sub-themes emerged to convey the quality-of-life concerns experienced by individuals with lipoedema.
Individuals living with lipoedema experience impacts on their quality-of-life across physical, psychological, and social aspects of life. This study highlights how the ongoing burden of physical symptoms, social perceptions, and healthcare-related challenges contributes to reduced quality-of-life for individuals living with lipoedema. Increased knowledge and awareness amongst healthcare providers is needed to improve care received by individuals living with this condition.
PMID:
42758894
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 19 Sep 2026.
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