Editor's note: This post contains graphic images and descriptions of dermatological conditions.
- In the last episode of the fourth season of "Dr. Pimple Popper," Dr. Sandra Lee was tasked with removing more than 50 lipomas from a man's body.
- The man, Gerard, also had a blood-clot condition that made the surgery more dangerous than previous lipoma removals.
- In the end, Lee was able to remove 16 of the dozens of lipomas on Gerard's body.
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Dr. Sandra Lee, better known as Dr. Pimple Popper, has spent the fourth season of her hit TLC show treating bubbling nose growths and lipomas.
In the final episode of the season, she faces a particularly challenging condition: a man with more than 50 bumps all over his body.
Gerard, a 46-year-old teacher from Brooklyn, New York, said he developed his first-ever lump on his thigh when he was in his twenties and that, over the years, more growths popped up on his arms, legs, and stomach.
Before seeing Dr. Pimple Popper, Gerard said he had too many lumps to count, but estimated he had between 50 and 75.
"I've been told, since my first lump, they're benign lipomas, and over the years I've asked my doctors if there's anything I can do about that," Gerard said.
His doctors said that, in theory, it would be possible to remove all of his lipomas, or fat-filled growths that sit between the muscle and skin. But due to the large number of growths on Gerard's body, they said it wouldn't be realistic to remove them all, so he never bothered with treatment.
Instead, Gerard said he tried, and often failed, to hide the lumps under his clothes. It left him feeling uncomfortable at work, and, even though he used to love exercise, he avoided the gym so as to not draw attention to himself.
He also avoided full-length mirrors, and hadn't looked at himself in one for years.
"It makes me angry. I have enough other problems," Gerard said, adding that he also had a hereditary disorder called Factor 5 Ledein that caused his blood to clot.
Gerard said it was difficult to mask the pain of his bumps and put on a smile for his two young kids, and hoped Dr. Pimple Popper could help him.
Dr. Pimple Popper discovered Gerard had familial multiple lipomatosis
Once at Lee's office, Gerard showed the doctor the many lumps on his arms, describing the others he had all over his body.
Then he mentioned that his sister also has growths on her body.
Lee said that piece of information meant it was likely Gerard had a condition called familial multiple lipomatosis, a rare condition where a person forms various lipomas.
It's not clear what causes the condition, but there are ways to treat it. According to the National Institutes of Health, multiple lipomatosis causes lipomas to form that don't typically cause pain but can interfere with daily life and can be surgically removed if needed. Multiple lipomatosis becomes familial multiple lipomatosis when it occurs in more than one family member.
Unusually, however, Gerard's growths were much larger than those typical for someone with familial multiple lipomatosis.
When Lee found out Gerard has a blood condition, she was concerned about treatment
Gerard said that, in order to treat his Factor 5 Ledein disorder, he takes aspirin daily to thin his blood and prevent pain, swelling, and potentially life-threatening artery blockages.
Although Lee has treated her fair share of lipomas in the past, she became concerned.
Surgically removing the lipomas was possible, Lee said, but could increase Gerard's chances of forming blood clots that could get into his lungs and lead to a life-threatening situation.
Gerard had to consult his doctor, who green-lit the procedure and gave him an anti-coagulant medication to prevent clots from forming, which quelled Lee's fears.
Lee decided she would have to keep Gerard awake during surgery, to keep his body relatively active as a way to reduce the risk of blood clots forming.
Lee couldn't remove all of Gerard's lipomas, but she got 16 of them
"I can tell Gerard wants all of his lipomas gone, but that can't happen today," Lee said.
Rather, she decided to remove 10 lipomas that weren't located near important or large blood vessels where, if disrupted, blood clots would be more likely to form.
To remove the lipomas, Lee numbed the area around each one individually. Then, she used a small surgical knife to cut each lipoma open down its center.
Lee kept asking Gerard through the surgery if he felt any warmth, swelling, or pain, which can all be signs of a blood clot. To minimize bleeding with each lipoma Lee cut open, she used her glove-covered fingers to pull the fat deposits out of Gerard's body.
In the end, Lee was able to remove 16 lipomas and stitch them shut for Gerard.
Following the procedure, Gerard said he was disappointed he still had the majority of his lipomas still intact, but that he still felt "like a new man."
"It's a new start. It's a new beginning," Gerard said.
- Read more:
- Dr. Pimple Popper's favorite acne to treat is a special kind of blackhead
- Watch Dr. Pimple Popper remove a 9-pound lump that was growing on a man's arm for nearly a decade
- Dr. Pimple Popper reveals her nighttime skincare routine, and it only includes 3 steps
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