The Lipedema Foundation was built on a simple premise: funding the right research, done by the right scientists, is the fastest path to answers for people living with Lipedema. Over 11 years, that commitment has produced up to $13.6 million in research investment, partnerships with 55 institutions across 10 countries, and 74 publications advancing our understanding of this disease from adipose biology and lymphatic involvement to pain mechanisms and the role of the immune system.

Today, we are announcing the next chapter: LF is now initiating and managing some of its own research projects.

Lipedema is a chronic medical condition, often with pain, that is frequently misdiagnosed or mistaken for other conditions, including generalized obesity, lymphedema, and commonly cellulite. It is a question we hear frequently from patients, clinicians, and the public: is this cellulite, or something more? While the superficial appearance of Lipedema may resemble the characteristic dimpling of skin seen in cellulite, they are distinct. Here is what the research shows, and why accurate diagnosis matters.

The Lipedema Foundation joined global researchers and clinicians at the Boston Lymphatics Symposium to advance dialogue on Lipedema research and care. Highlights included new research priorities, a resource addressing key clinical questions, and expansion of the LF Biobank through an onsite collection event.

We’re proud to share a major milestone for the Lipedema Foundation: the official launch of the LF Lipedema Biobank at this year’s Fat Disorders Resource Society (FDRS) Conference. As part of the conference, we hosted a Live Research event that brought together researchers, clinicians, and individuals living with Lipedema to support research in real time.

Over the course of the event, we collected biological samples from 74 participants—marking the very first contributions to the biobank. These samples, along with accompanying clinical data, will serve as an invaluable resource for future studies focused on understanding the potential causes, progression, and treatments for Lipedema.

At the Lipedema Foundation, we believe that understanding the lived experiences of women with Lipedema is critical to advancing care and support. That’s why we’re excited to highlight the work of Johanna Falck, a nurse, midwife, and PhD at Jönköping University in Sweden, whose groundbreaking study sheds light on an often-overlooked dimension of this condition: sexual health and intimate relationships.

In her recently published paper, Experiences of Sexual Health and Intimate Relationships in Women With Lipedema: A Qualitative Study (Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2025) Falck and co-authors explores how women with Lipedema navigate complex emotional landscapes marked by body shame, stigma, and silence. Through in-depth interviews with women living with Lipedema, her study offers powerful insights into how the condition impacts not only physical comfort and mobility, but also identity, partnership, and the ability to connect emotionally and physically.