Lipoedema UK responds as BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour features lipoedema
“Every time I went to the doctors… I was always just told I’m overweight.”
Published: 5 August 2026
LONDON, 5 August 2026 – As BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour turns its attention to lipoedema today, the charity Lipoedema UK is calling on the public to back its campaign for faster diagnosis and NHS-approved treatment for an overlooked women’s health issue. The feature was prompted by Lesley Bambridge, who contacted the show to share her experience of living with lipoedema – describing a devastating pattern of spending decades thinking the condition was her fault, fighting for a diagnosis and dealing with a healthcare system that still struggles to recognise lipoedema and provide appropriate care.
Listen to the BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour feature on lipoedema on BBC Sounds here.
Patients continue to face challenges being recognised and diagnosed
Emily Blake shared her experience of living with lipoedema and the challenges she and her mother have faced in getting healthcare professionals to recognise the condition, “the constant battling, to get doctors to listen and understand, because a lot of them haven’t actually heard of it themselves, the amount of times we have to correct and say it’s lipoedema, not lymphoedema”.
“Lesley and Emily’s stories are not unusual,” said Sharie Fetzer, Chair, Lipoedema UK. “Every day we hear from women who have spent years being dismissed, misdiagnosed, or told to simply lose weight. For many, receiving a diagnosis is only the beginning, as there is still almost nowhere to turn for treatment on the NHS.”
What is lipoedema?
Lipoedema is a disproportionate build-up of painful fat, usually in the legs, hips and arms. Symptoms often begin around puberty, pregnancy or menopause and can run in families. It affects an estimated 1 in 10 women in the UK, yet low recognition among GPs and healthcare professionals means most patients wait years, often decades, for a correct diagnosis.
Diagnosis relies on clinical expertise
Dr Guido Köhler, Consultant Plastic Surgeon, explained why diagnosis remains dependent on clinical expertise:
“We do not have a specific test yet… It’s still a clinical diagnosis; you listen to their history, examine them, and then make the diagnosis of lipoedema.”
Dr Köhler is among the clinicians who would be able to treat lipoedema patients in the UK if the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) approved Lipoedema Reduction Surgery (LRS), also known as specialist liposuction for the condition.
Access to treatment remains a challenge
Liposuction for chronic lipoedema is not currently funded on the NHS or available in most UK private hospitals because, in March 2022, NICE guidance IPG721 concluded there was insufficient evidence of its efficacy and safety and recommended further research.
The BBC approached NICE for comment, and they stated:
“We know a clinical trial has concluded in Germany, and we will review our guidance as soon as its results are published.”
A call for action for lipoedema
Lipoedema UK is using today’s coverage to send a clear message: change is needed, and the charity cannot achieve it alone. The charity is pushing for better recognition and training within the medical profession and working with NICE to improve access to effective treatment.
“We are dedicated to raising awareness of lipoedema, a unique and distressing condition,” said Sharie Fetzer, Chair of Lipoedema UK. “Our mission is to help patients obtain a diagnosis and to increase research into the most effective treatments. Lipoedema patients’ needs have been ignored for too long. This is what we are fighting for. We’re a tiny charity taking on a huge problem, and we can’t do it without people willing to give what they can – whether that’s time, skills, or a donation. Learn more and get involved at lipoedema.co.uk”
Learn more about lipoedema
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Media enquiries
For media enquiries, please contact Sharie Fetzer, Chair of Lipoedema UK, at [email protected].