| Risk Factors A lipoma is a harmless lump of fat. There are
several types. They are classified mainly by where they appear.
They can occur anywhere. The most common location is just
beneath the skin. Most tissue in the body can grow beyond its
normal limits and form a lump or tumor. Tumors come in two
forms: Benign—stop growing after they reach a certain size (eg,
, polyps, lipomas); some can turn into cancer, but lipomas do
not - Malignant—cancer, rarely stops growing Copyright © Nucleus
Medical Media, Inc. Lipomas have no known cause. Risk factors
that increase your chances of developing a lipoma include: -
Family history—Lipomas seem to run in families. -
Lipomatosis—This is a hereditary condition that produces many
lipomas all over the body. - Adiposis dolorosa—This is a rare
disease that produces many painful lipomas. If you have any of
these symptoms do not assume it is due to lipomas. These
symptoms may be caused by other conditions. Tell your doctor if
you notice a soft lump under your skin. The lump