Is the disease not treated, lipedema as a rule worsens and can also take on extreme dimensions. The disease develops in three stages:

Stage I:
The skin´s surface is smooth, subcutaneous tissue layer thickens and the fat structure is finely nodular.

Stage II:
During the second stage the skin´s surface becomes uneven and the fat structure becomes more nodular.

Stage III:
During the third stage tissue becomes also rougher and harder. Bulges develop with large deformed flaps of fat.