Patterns of Public Interest in Lipomas and Lipoma-Removal Procedures: Google Trends Analysis.

Abstract

Background: Lipomas are benign tumors composed of encapsulated adipocytes. Although relatively common, uncertainty remains about the population-level prevalence, the etiology, and the degree of public interest in lipomas and associated removal procedures.

Objective: The spatiotemporal patterns of public interest in lipomas and lipoma removal procedures were characterized.

Methods: Google Trends data that report the relative search volume (RSV) of Google queries pertaining to lipomas and their removal procedures at national and international levels were analyzed. To contextualize these trends, the RSV for lipomas was compared to that of several other common dermatological conditions in the United States.

Results: In the United States, lipomas have consistently generated lower levels of public interest than other common dermatological conditions, but interest in the condition has been rising since the mid-2010s. Across the world, public interest in lipomas appears to be the highest in pockets of Eastern Europe, whereas in the United States, relative interest has been higher in Midwestern and Southern states. In addition, the interest in lipoma removal procedures has risen steadily from 2004 to the present, with particularly high RSVs coming from Southwestern states.

Conclusions: Dermatologists and plastic surgeons should be aware of the increasing public interest in lipomas and lipoma-removal procedures. Clinical awareness is especially important in states with an elevated interest in lipomas and their associated removal procedures.