This lack of awareness contributed to delayed diagnoses and inappropriate treatments for many patients.2 Only recently, through the development of comprehensive clinical guidelines, such as the German S2k Guidelines, lipedema has been increasingly acknowledged as a distinct medical condition.3 In the S2k Guideline, lipedema is defined as a painful, disproportionate symmetric distribution of adipose tissue of extremities occurring almost exclusively in women.3 The most affected areas include the lower abdomen, hips, buttocks, thighs, and lower legs.4 Individuals with lipedema frequently report increased sensitivity to touch, pain, easy bruising, and a sensation of heaviness or fatigue in the affected limbs.5 Its onset is often associated with periods of hormonal fluctuation, such as puberty, pregnancy, or menopause.68 The reported prevalence of lipedema varies significantly among European countries, ranging from 0.06% to 39%

UV exposure note: MT-II stimulates melanin production at the cellular level, but UV radiation triggers additional melanin distribution and darkening in the skin
P.PachicanoM.HarringtonM
beaches) far from sediment source (i.e