Lipedema
with an integrated approach
We campaign for international recognition of lipedema as a disease and continually refine our integrated surgical and therapeutic approach to ensure that as many women as possible can return to an active life with less pain.
As a world-leading clinic in the diagnosis and surgical treatment of lipedema, LipoClinic Dr. Heck campaigns for intensive research into lipedema Specialist doctors provide safe treatment of lipedema that is effective in the long term by applying the surgical standards that were developed, clinically established and scientifically documented by Dr. Heck. Along with the actual operation, the personal advice and individually tailored follow-up care provided in the LipoClinic are central to the success of the treatment by ensuring an active lifestyle with a healthy diet and enjoyment in movement. With our integrated approach, we ensure that women around the world feel psychologically well and physically beautiful again and can enjoy a life with less pain.
Leading
expertise
With more than 2,500 successful operations performed every year using the established WAL surgical method, LipoClinic Dr. Heck is a specialist in the treatment of lipedema.
In the early 2000s Dr. Falk-Christian Heck first encountered lipedema, a disease that was unrecognised before then. The cluster of symptoms of the women who were affected was met with neither acceptance nor understanding from doctors at the time. Lipedema often remained unrecognised for a long time and it is still misdiagnosed in many cases as excess weight or obesity. As an experienced surgeon, Dr. Heck developed a completely new surgical method that is effective in the long term: lipedema surgery (lipo-decompression). To achieve the best possible lasting results, in the LipoClinic we use an integrated approach with individual consultation, treatment and follow-up care.
Many years
of experience
Our team of doctors and medical personnel at all our sites have many years of clinical experience in the diagnosis and treatment of lipedema.
Our clinical teams are characterised by a diverse scientific and educational background. Experienced lipedema doctors from across a wide range of medical disciplines and with many years of clinical experience bring significant added value to the lipedema therapy. They provide safe treatment for lipedema that is effective in the long term by applying the surgical standards that were developed, clinically established and scientifically documented by Dr. Heck.
We maintain close professional relationships with other doctors to ensure that we continually refine our surgical practice and you benefit from the extensive experience of our medical team. such as a trauma surgery, orthopaedics, sports medicine, plastic and aesthetic surgery, hand surgery, gynaecology and obstetrics, vascular surgery, phlebology, visceral surgery, proctology and lymphology.
Systematic
optimisation
Dr. Heck developed surgical standards that are effective in the long term and have been scientifically documented, constantly tested and continually refined.
We set very high standards for the quality of our own work and strive for perfection for our patients. Our treatment methods correspond to the current international standards and we invest everything to ensure that this is recognised globally. As highly qualified specialists, we are proud of our work and we place great value on having our work scientifically verified and documented in collaboration with external institutes. We use the results of such evaluations to continue improving the treatment and surgical standards for lipedema treatment that were developed in the LipoClinic.
Proven
effectiveness
The established WAL surgical method using water-assisted liposuction consistently achieves very good results with a low rate of complications.
We here at the LipoClinic are specialists in the use of the WAL technique. We prefer this technique over other methods because it is more comfortable and safer during the treatment. Water-assisted liposuction has been used to treat lipedema for many years and is now an established and impressive method.
The WAL technique involves gently separating the fat cells from the surrounding tissue using the natural force of a waterjet. The fatty tissue is suctioned off completely in this step. The legs or arms retain their shape during the procedure, allowing optimal assessment of the surgery’s progress at any time by the surgeon. This ensures precise suctioning of the fatty tissue until the desired result is achieved.
Less pain, shorter recovery times
Studies* have confirmed that patients experience less pain after the WAL technique. Shorter recovery times and less swelling were also observed for this method. For optimal, long-lasting results, LipoClinic takes a holistic approach with individual consultation, treatment and aftercare.
*Araco A, Gravante G, Araco F, Delogu D, Cervelli V: Comparison of power water-assisted and traditional liposuction: a prospective randomized trial of postoperative pain. Aesthetic PLast Surg 2007; 31(3): 259 – 265
*Man D, Meyer H: Water Jet-Assisted Lipoplasty. Aesthetic Surg J 2007; 27: 342-346
Worldwide
recognition
We raise awareness of the physical and psychological suffering experienced by those living with lipedema, campaign for recognition of lipedema as a disease and tackle lipedema around the world.
The LipoClinic campaigns for effective treatments for and intensive research into lipedema – we want to sustainably combat lipedema internationally. Our experienced clinical teams are familiar with the long painful journey that lipedema patients have been on. The motivation for our focus on treating lipedema is and remains the persistent lack of acceptance of the physical and psychological suffering of those affected due to the lack of recognition of lipedema as a disease – a disease that is often completely untouched by exercise and diet. As leading clinic for the diagnosis and treatment of lipedema, we have therefore made it our mission to increase public awareness of lipedema and to actively campaign for broad recognition of lipedema as a disease. Our shared goal: We want to use all our expertise and experience to help our patients to take a step towards a new life without lipedema.
Integrated
treatment
In the LipoClinic we treat our patients with respect and empathy, and they have the same contact person throughout all treatments. We use an integrated approach with individual advice, treatment and follow-up care.
It is of utmost importance to use that our patients’ quality of life is restored. For a new life full of new-found self-confidence, mobility and femininity. Without the physical pain and psychological stresses caused by lipedema.
To achieve lasting success with the treatment, it is particularly important that patients’ situations and psychological factors are taken into account in the therapy. Along with the actual operation, personal advice and individually tailored follow-up care that ensure an active lifestyle with a healthy diet and enjoyment in movement are also central to the success of the treatment in the LipoClinic. Our integrated treatment means we can help create a life for our lipedema patients that is mostly free from pain and psychological stress.
Science
The LipoClinic campaigns for intensive research into lipedema. It is particularly important for us that patients’ environments and psychological factors are considered in any therapies.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has included lipedema as a disease in its international classification; in ICD-10 (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems), it is listed as E88.20 (lipedema stage I) to E88.28 (other and unspecified lipedema).
Find out about the treatment standards, surgical technique and therapeutic protocol, the Heck protocol, that were developed by Dr. Heck. You can find the abbreviated protocol and a brief summary of our surgical standard here.
The study investigated 1,000 circulatory reactions after water-jet assisted liposuction in the arms and legs in stages 1 to 3 between 2012 and 2018, with comprehensive postoperative care and a minimum interval of 8 weeks between operations.
Liposuction using the water-assisted technique and the treatment protocol described above is an efficient method to surgically treat lipedema patients in the early stage and considerably reduces the severity of symptoms and the need for conservative treatment.
Summary of our circulatory study. The full study design and detailed results can be found in the LipoClinic Science Report.