Television presenter Josie Gibson has opened up about undergoing a private surgical procedure to treat a chronic and painful condition known as lipoedema.
What is Lipoedema?
Speaking on ITV's This Morning, Gibson explained that lipoedema causes an abnormal and disproportionate accumulation of fat, primarily in the legs and sometimes the arms. The condition, which mainly affects women, can lead to pain, tenderness, and a feeling of heaviness in the limbs. Crucially, it is often resistant to diet and exercise.
Gibson's doctor, Dennis Wolf, who also appeared on the programme, stated that there is currently no formal diagnostic test for lipoedema, which is why treatment is not routinely available on the NHS. "We're limited by doing this in the private sector because there isn't a diagnostic test," Dr. Wolf said, highlighting a lack of research and funding.
A Personal 'Last Resort'
Gibson described the decision to have surgery as a final option after living with the condition. "The last thing I want to do is put myself through surgery, but it was my last resort," she admitted. The presenter paid approximately £7,000 for liposuction on her calves, a procedure she had to undergo in stages.
She detailed the process: "They do this lipo treatment, and then they Vaser it after. So they burn your skin on the inside, your skin tightens together again." Gibson expressed immense satisfaction with the outcome, joyfully stating, "All my life I have wanted to have ankles. I've finally got them."
The Human Side of Surgery
The experience wasn't without its lighter moments. Gibson revealed that the anaesthetic led to some unexpected behaviour in the operating theatre. "I was on the anaesthetic and they turn you around to do, obviously, the backs of your legs, and I was going to Dr Wolf, 'you two are a catch'. I'm so sorry," she recounted with humour.
Dr. Wolf emphasised the serious nature of the condition, explaining it is thought to have a genetic component. He stressed the importance of distinguishing it from general weight issues: "if everyone with slightly larger legs would queue up in the NHS to try and have liposuction, the NHS would collapse."
Gibson's candid discussion sheds light on a poorly understood medical condition and the difficult, costly choices faced by those living with it outside of state healthcare support.
