One of the signs of my lipedema has always been these soft fat pads around my ankles. I’ve had them for as long as I can remember—probably since around age 12. Even at my lowest adult weight (around 130 pounds), they never went away. Lipedema fat is resistant to diet and exercise and often develops around times of hormonal change, such as puberty. People often ask if this is lymphedema. Lymphedema usually develops later in life and often affects one side more than the other. In my case, these so