Angiolipoma: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment Options

Medically reviewed by Dr. Baraa Alnahhal, MD · Last reviewed: September 2026

Angiolipomas are small, benign, rubbery tumors of fatty tissue that contain blood vessels and grow under the skin. They most often appear in young adults aged 20–30, favor the forearms, and — unlike ordinary lipomas — can be painful when touched. Only 5% to 17% of all lipomas are angiolipomas, and they come in two forms: noninfiltrating (more common, near the surface, may be painful) and infiltrating (uncommon, deeper, usually painless). They are not cancer, do not spread, and rarely need surgery unless they cause pain or discomfort, in which case removal is a simple procedure that usually takes less than an hour under local anesthesia.

Quick Answer

• What it is: A benign tumor of fatty tissue containing blood vessels that grows under the skin, typically 1–4 cm with a spongy or rubbery texture.

• How common: Angiolipomas make up only 5% to 17% of all lipomas.

• Symptoms: A round, spongy or rubbery lump under the skin, often multiple in the same area, with sensitivity or pain when touched, sometimes discoloration or swelling.

• Treatment: No treatment is needed unless the lump causes pain or discomfort; surgery under local anesthesia usually takes less than an hour, and recovery symptoms clear within about a week.

What Is an Angiolipoma?

An angiolipoma is a type of lipoma — a tumor of fatty tissue that contains blood vessels. It grows under your skin and is small, benign, and rubbery. They often appear in more than one location on your body or in bunches in the same area.

Key Fact	Detail
Definition	A benign tumor of fatty tissue containing blood vessels, growing under the skin
Type	A subtype of lipoma
Nature	Benign (not cancer)
Contagious?	No — cannot be spread through skin-to-skin contact
Size	Typically 1–4 cm in diameter
Texture	Spongy or rubbery
Pain	Can be painful when touched

What Are the Two Types of Angiolipoma?

There are two types of angiolipomas: noninfiltrating and infiltrating.

Noninfiltrating angiolipomas are the more common type. They do not extend deep into your skin, though they may be painful. Infiltrating angiolipomas are not very common. They extend deeper into your skin, including into muscles, fat, or fibrous tissue, and they are usually painless.

Type	How Common	Depth	Pain
Noninfiltrating	More common	Does not extend deep into skin	May be painful
Infiltrating	Uncommon	Extends into muscle, fat, or fibrous tissue	Usually painless

How Is an Angiolipoma Different from a Lipoma?

An angiolipoma is a type of lipoma. Fat makes up all lipomas, but an angiolipoma also contains blood vessels. Most lipomas are not painful, while angiolipomas can be painful.

How Is an Angiolipoma Different from Liposarcoma?

Liposarcomas look like angiolipomas, but they differ in behavior. Angiolipomas tend to grow slowly and are well-defined. Liposarcomas tend to be larger, grow more rapidly, and are not as well-defined, meaning their edges may be hard to distinguish.

Liposarcomas are soft tissue cancers that develop in fat cells. Lipomas are benign soft tissue tumors that grow slowly, are not cancerous, and usually do not need treatment. Your healthcare provider can help decide if a biopsy or imaging is necessary to tell them apart.

Feature	Angiolipoma	Liposarcoma
Growth speed	Grows slowly	Grows more rapidly
Edges	Well-defined	Not well-defined — edges hard to distinguish
Size	Typically 1–4 cm	Tends to be larger
Nature	Benign soft tissue tumor	Soft tissue cancer of fat cells
Distinguishing	Biopsy or imaging may be needed	Biopsy or imaging may be needed

Who Gets Angiolipomas?

Angiolipomas can appear in anyone, but they are more common in:

Factor	Detail
Age	Young adults between 20 and 30
Sex	Men
Family history	Those with a family history of angiolipomas

How Common Are Angiolipomas?

Angiolipomas are not very common. Only 5% to 17% of all lipomas are angiolipomas.

Where Do Angiolipomas Appear?

Angiolipomas typically develop on your forearms, but they may also develop in your trunk (torso), neck, upper arms, and legs. They typically measure between one and four centimeters in diameter and have a spongy or rubbery texture, though you may feel sensitivity or pain if you touch them.

What Are the Symptoms of an Angiolipoma?

Angiolipoma symptoms include a round, spongy or rubbery lump underneath your skin, multiple lumps often in the same area, sensitivity or pain when touched, discoloration, and swelling.

Symptom	Description
Lump under the skin	Round, spongy or rubbery
Multiple lumps	Often in the same area
Pain or sensitivity	When the lump is touched
Discoloration	Skin changes over the area
Swelling	Around the lump

What Causes Angiolipomas?

It is not known exactly what causes angiolipomas. However, they may be caused by:

Possible Cause	How It May Contribute
Corticosteroids	Long-term use may make you more likely to develop angiolipomas
Diabetes	Having diabetes may increase your likelihood
Genetics	A family history makes you more likely to develop them
Hormones	Because they most often occur between ages 20 and 30, hormones that develop after puberty may cause them
Injuries	They may be your body's response to minor, repetitive injuries

Is an Angiolipoma Cancer?

An angiolipoma is not a cancerous tumor. Angiolipomas are benign tumors — and "benign" means it will not become cancer.

How Is an Angiolipoma Diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider will conduct a physical exam. They will touch (palpate) your lump and may ask questions, including: Does it hurt when I touch or move the lump? Do you have a family history of angiolipomas? Do you have diabetes? Have you had any repetitive bumps or injuries (blunt trauma) in the area?

Your healthcare provider may then conduct tests to diagnose the lump:

Test	What It Does
Biopsy	A sample of the lump is removed and examined under a microscope to look for diseases, infections, or cancer such as liposarcoma
CT scan	Provides detailed 3D images of your soft tissue; used to confirm the lump is an angiolipoma and not liposarcoma
MRI scan	Produces detailed images to confirm the lump is an angiolipoma

How Are Angiolipomas Treated?

Angiolipomas do not go away on their own. However, unless an angiolipoma causes pain or discomfort, you do not have to treat it.

Surgery

Surgery (excision or extirpation) removes painful or uncomfortable angiolipomas. Most angiolipomas are just below your skin, so surgically removing them is not difficult. Before surgery, your provider administers local anesthesia to numb the area — you may feel some pressure, but you will not feel pain. Angiolipoma removal usually takes less than an hour.

Pain Medication

Over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs), such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen, can reduce the pain associated with angiolipomas. Not everyone can take NSAIDs, so it is a good idea to check with your healthcare provider before use.

Option	When It Applies
No treatment	The lump causes no pain or discomfort
NSAIDs (aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen)	For pain relief, after provider approval
Surgery (excision/extirpation)	For painful or uncomfortable lumps; local anesthesia; usually under an hour

How Long Is Recovery After Removal?

If you have an angiolipoma surgically removed, you may experience pain, bruising, or swelling in the area. Your symptoms should go away after about a week.

What Is the Outlook?

With proper diagnosis and treatment, the outlook for people with angiolipomas is good. If you have your angiolipomas surgically removed, follow your provider's instructions to care for your incisions and schedule follow-up appointments to monitor your progress.

Can Angiolipomas Be Prevented?

Because providers do not know what causes angiolipomas, it may not be possible to prevent them. However, you may lower your risk of developing angiolipomas by:

Prevention Step	Rationale
Adopting healthy lifestyle habits that decrease your chances of diabetes	Diabetes is a possible contributing factor
Avoiding minor, repetitive injuries	Repetitive blunt trauma may trigger them
Having angiolipomas removed completely	So they do not come back

When Should You See a Healthcare Provider?

Angiolipomas share many of the same symptoms as liposarcoma, so it is important to see your healthcare provider as soon as you notice a lump under your skin.

Finding a lump under your skin can be scary, especially if it is painful — but angiolipomas are not cancerous and will not spread across your body, though several may appear in the same area. Talk to your provider when you first notice a lump for a proper diagnosis. If your angiolipoma is not causing pain or discomfort, surgical removal is not necessary.

Questions to Ask Your Provider

• Do I have an angiolipoma or another kind of lipoma?

• Do I have a noninfiltrating angiolipoma or an infiltrating angiolipoma?

• Will you test for liposarcoma?

• Do I need surgery?

• What happens if I don't get surgery?

• Can angiolipomas come back?

Conclusion

Angiolipomas occupy a reassuring middle ground in the world of skin lumps: they are benign tumors of fatty tissue threaded with blood vessels, most often appearing on the forearms of young adults, and unlike their more common cousins, the ordinary lipomas, they can hurt when touched. Their defining facts are easy to remember — 5% to 17% of all lipomas, 1 to 4 centimeters, usually multiple in one area, and never cancerous.

The practical guidance is equally simple. Painless lumps generally need nothing more than monitoring, while painful or uncomfortable ones can be removed with a straightforward in-office procedure under local anesthesia that typically takes less than an hour. The one genuinely important action point is the first one: because angiolipomas can resemble liposarcoma, any new lump under the skin deserves a professional evaluation — with biopsy or imaging if your provider recommends it — before being assumed benign.

If you have noticed a new, round, rubbery lump under your skin — especially one that is tender to the touch — book an appointment with your healthcare provider for a proper diagnosis rather than waiting it out. If you already know you have angiolipomas, ask your provider whether an NSAID routine or complete surgical removal makes sense for the painful ones.

FAQ

What is an angiolipoma?

An angiolipoma is a small, benign, rubbery tumor of fatty tissue that contains blood vessels and grows under the skin. It is a type of lipoma that also contains blood vessels.

How common are angiolipomas?

Angiolipomas are not very common — only 5% to 17% of all lipomas are angiolipomas.

Are angiolipomas cancerous?

No. Angiolipomas are benign tumors and will not become cancer. They will not spread across the body, though several may appear in the same area.

Where do angiolipomas usually appear?

They typically develop on the forearms, but may also appear in the trunk (torso), neck, upper arms, and legs. They usually measure 1–4 cm and feel spongy or rubbery.

Do angiolipomas hurt?

They can. Sensitivity or pain when touched is one of the characteristic symptoms, which distinguishes many angiolipomas from ordinary lipomas that are usually painless.

What causes angiolipomas?

The exact cause is unknown, but possible contributors include long-term corticosteroid use, diabetes, genetics (family history), hormones that develop after puberty, and minor repetitive injuries.

How are angiolipomas treated?

No treatment is needed unless a lump causes pain or discomfort. Options include over-the-counter NSAIDs for pain and surgery (excision) under local anesthesia, which usually takes less than an hour.

How long does recovery take after removal?

You may experience pain, bruising, or swelling after surgery, but symptoms should go away after about a week.

Can angiolipomas come back?

Having angiolipomas removed completely reduces the chance of recurrence in that location. Complete excision is one of the recommended prevention steps.

References

• Cleveland Clinic, "Angiolipoma," medically reviewed, last updated 10/21/2021.

• StatPearls, "Angiolipoma," National Library of Medicine.

• DermNet NZ, "Lipoma."

• American Cancer Society, "What Is Liposarcoma?"

Disclaimer: This article is for general educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for guidance specific to your situation.