What Is Lipoedema? Shaughna Phillips Reveals Struggle with Rare Condition

In a world where body image is often under everyone's eye, understanding conditions like lipoedema is crucial. Former Love Island star Shaughna Phillips has courageously come forward to share her own journey with lipoedema, aiming to raise awareness and promote body positivity.

Shaughna Phillips Shares Her Struggle with the Condition Impacting Millions

Shaughna Phillips has opened up about her struggles with lipoedema. It was during her teenage years that she first noticed changes in her body, experiencing out-of-proportion fat accumulation in her legs. Despite following an active lifestyle, she struggled to change her lower body's appearance, which negatively impacted her self-esteem.

Later when Shaughna consulted medical professionals, she was eventually diagnosed with lipoedema. 

After being diagnosed, she underwent liposuction procedures to remove the lipoedemic fat, a treatment that significantly improved her body and her life.

In 2022, Phillips shared a photo of herself on Twitter, saying it was “such a clear example” of what the condition looked like. “How anyone can accuse sufferers of being lazy/fat is beyond me. It is a medical condition that 1/11 women suffer with, often in silence, often misdiagnosed."

Just found a picture of me from Dubai 2017 and it is such a clear example of what #Lipoedema looks like. How anyone can accuse sufferers of being lazy/fat is beyond me. It is a medical condition that 1/11 women suffer with, often in silence, often misdiagnosed.

— Shaughna Phillips (@Shaughna_P) January 24, 2022

“In this picture I was struggling with an eating disorder. I was underweight. I was torturing myself in the gym. Yet my legs were getting bigger and bigger. Lipoedema has nothing to do with being overweight. So damaging to continue treating women as if it’s their fault.”

In this picture I was struggling with an eating disorder. I was underweight. I was torturing myself in the gym. Yet my legs were getting bigger and bigger. Lipoedema has nothing to do with being overweight. So damaging to continue treating women as if it’s their fault. pic.twitter.com/uBrBxVdX8E

— Shaughna Phillips (@Shaughna_P) January 24, 2022

Shaughna emphasizes that it is important for us to distinguish lipoedema from obesity, noting that many women with this condition are unfairly judged and labeled. By sharing her own story, she hopes to educate the people and medical community.

Her Message

She aims to promote positivity about our bodies, encouraging individuals to embrace themselves, irrespective of societal standards or medical conditions. Shaughna's journey is a true example of resilience and self-acceptance. Her journey reminds us that beauty isn't confined to a specific size or shape. We are also reminded that understanding and compassion are very important in discussions about body image.

It is time to start spreading awareness and advocacy, so that we can foster a world where everyone feels confident and valued in their own skin.

What Is Lipoedema?

A chronic condition, Lipoedema, is characterized by an abnormal accumulation of fat cells, predominantly in the lower part of the body. This abnormal gain of weight often leads to an unbalanced appearance, where the lower body appears larger than the upper body. 

Unlike general obesity, lipoedemic fat can not be treated with traditional weight loss methods like diet and exercise. It's symptoms include a feeling of heaviness, pain upon touch, and a tendency to bruise easily.

It's an estimate that lipoedema affects approximately 1 in 10 women, yet it remains highly underdiagnosed and frequently mistaken for general obesity.