It looks like stubborn cellulite and refuses to budge – no matter how much you diet or exercise.<\/p>\n
But experts warn it could be a little-known medical condition affecting up to one in ten women.<\/p>\n
A growing number of celebrities, including Shaughna Phillips<\/a>, Josie Gibson<\/a>, Kerry Katona<\/a> and Gemma Atkinson<\/a> – and most recently Doja Cat<\/a> – have helped thrust lipoedema into the spotlight.<\/p>\n The condition causes an abnormal build-up of fat beneath the skin, most commonly in the legs, hips and bottom, and sometimes the arms – often creating a striking imbalance between the upper and lower body.<\/p>\n In a recent TikTok<\/a> video, Doja Cat said she suspects she may have lipoedema and that it contributed to her decision to undergo liposuction<\/a> in 2023, describing fat building up disproportionately around her thighs, knees and calves.<\/p>\n The condition is thought to be triggered by hormonal changes such as puberty, pregnancy or menopause<\/a> – and unlike ordinary body fat, it is largely resistant to diet and exercise.<\/p>\n Yet despite affecting millions, it remains widely misunderstood.<\/p>\n Many women are misdiagnosed as simply overweight or confused with lymphoedema – a condition where lymph fluid builds up beneath the skin – while others are told nothing is wrong at all.<\/p>\n Both lipoedema and cellulite cause a dimpled \u2018orange peel\u2019 texture – but the similarities often stop there<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Part of the problem is how closely it can resemble cellulite. Both can cause a dimpled \u2018orange peel\u2019 texture – but the similarities often stop there.<\/p>\n Experts say the key differences come down to pain, symmetry and whether the fat will shift.<\/p>\n Consultant plastic surgeon Mr Vasu Karri says lipoedema fat behaves very differently.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2018As lipoedema progresses, the skin becomes increasingly uneven, a change known as \u201cmattressing\u201d,\u2019 he explains. ‘The fat becomes firmer, with small nodules under the surface.\u2019<\/p>\n Cellulite, by contrast, is soft and superficial. Affecting around 90 per cent of women, it is caused by fibrous bands pulling the skin down while fat pushes upwards.<\/p>\n It may be frustrating – but it is harmless. Lipoedema is not.\u00a0<\/p>\n The condition can cause pain, tenderness, easy bruising and a heavy, dragging feeling in the limbs.<\/p>\n It is also typically symmetrical, affecting both legs equally, and often spares the feet – creating a tell-tale \u2018cuff\u2019 at the ankles. And crucially, it does not respond to weight loss.<\/p>\n Pai\u00a0Masendu, 51, spent her life believing she just had ‘fat legs’ and her concerns were dismissed – until she discovered the cause was\u00a0lipoedema<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Lipoedema occurs when abnormal, bumpy fat (you can feel lumps under the skin) builds up, usually in the legs, buttocks and thighs, but also sometimes in the arms<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Dr Dennis Wolf, a London-based specialist, says this is often the biggest clue. \u2018Early lipoedema can look like cellulite, and the two can occur together,\u2019 he says.<\/p>\n \u2018But if someone is losing weight everywhere else and their legs aren\u2019t changing, that should raise suspicion.\u2019<\/p>\n For many women, the signs are dismissed for years. Pai Masendu spent decades struggling with unexplained weight gain, pain and bruising – even after losing three stone.<\/p>\n \u2018My collarbone stuck out and my face was thin, but my legs and arms never lost weight,\u2019 she said.<\/p>\n By her mid-40s, the heaviness had become debilitating. \u2018I had to pick up each leg to get into the bath – it felt like bags of sugar attached to my ankles,\u2019 she said.<\/p>\n Despite exercising intensely and eating well, nothing changed. \u2018I was going to the gym five or six times a week – but the fat wasn\u2019t shifting,\u2019 she said, adding that one GP told her to \u2018starve myself\u2019.<\/p>\n Her experience is far from unique. Lipoedema is frequently mistaken for stubborn fat or cellulite – delaying diagnosis for years.<\/p>\n Pai was only diagnosed at 49 after a colleague suggested the condition. \u2018When I read the symptoms, I ticked every box,\u2019 she said.<\/p>\n Lipoedema is also often confused with lymphoedema, a separate condition caused by fluid build-up. But unlike lipoedema, lymphoedema often affects one limb and includes swelling in the feet or hands.<\/p>\n Josie Gibson from This Morning has spoken about having lipoedema\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Treatment for lipoedema focuses on managing symptoms rather than curing the condition.\u00a0However, access on the NHS is limited, and private procedures can cost thousands of pounds.<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Both](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2026\/03\/27\/15\/107438203-15678167-image-a-11_1774624326332.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"Pai\u00a0Masendu,](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2026\/03\/27\/14\/96427701-15678167-Pai_Masendu_51_spent_her_life_believing_she_just_had_fat_legs_an-a-7_1774623515202.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"Lipoedema](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2026\/03\/27\/15\/96427673-15678167-Lipoedema_occurs_when_abnormal_bumpy_fat_you_can_feel_lumps_unde-a-8_1774624121652.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"Josie](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2026\/03\/27\/15\/107437789-15678167-image-a-9_1774624140754.jpg\")
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