This Morning presenter Josie Gibson has said she feels like she is “constantly fighting my genetics” as she shared an update after undergoing surgery for lipoedema, a condition that causes an abnormal build-up of fat, most commonly in the legs and sometimes the arms.
According to the NHS, the condition mainly affects women and can make the bum, thighs and lower legs — and sometimes the arms — appear out of proportion with the rest of the body. For some, it can be painful and may affect daily activities. Support can include a healthy diet and compression garments, while some people explore procedures such as liposuction.
£7,000 Surgery and Recovery
Josie underwent treatment last year and later revealed she spent £7,000 on liposuction on her calves, before going on to have an arm-lift procedure. She previously described surgery as a “last resort” and something she hadn’t intended to pursue, but now has a newfound confidence.
Sharing an update after her most recent operation, the 41-year-old showed the scars left from removing fat and excess skin. In an interview with Closer magazine, she said her recovery was faster than expected because she pushed herself to get back on her feet. “I healed really fast. I did throw everything at it because I’m a working mum,” she explained. “I knew I didn’t have the time that they said to heal. I had to go back to work after two weeks.”
Juggling Work and Motherhood
Away from TV, Josie is a mum to seven-year-old son Reggie and said day-to-day life can feel relentless. “Every day is a juggle, any parent know that. It’s difficult, especially when I’m on my own with Reg,” she said. “Running around, trying to get him to clubs and then trying to hold down a career and do it all is like a massive juggling act.”
In a more recent interview with The Sun’s Fabulous magazine, Josie described her latest procedure as the “best thing” she has ever done. “If you’d seen what my arms were like before, it was hideous, absolutely hideous,” she said. “Before the procedures, I hated the way I looked. I hated looking in the mirror.”
Confidence and Weight Loss
Now, she says she feels more confident and is wearing clothes she previously avoided. She also revealed she has lost 2.5 stone since the surgery, which she credits to intermittent fasting alongside a healthier eating plan.
Sharing her expertise, Dr Crystal Wyllie at ZAVA listed the warning signs of lipoedema to look out for and explained what could happen if the condition goes undiagnosed. She told us: "A key warning sign is that the fat distribution is disproportionate, the lower body is enlarged while your feet and hands are often spared. Patients commonly describe their legs as heavy, painful or tender to touch, and bruising happens very easily. Important to note, this fat doesn’t and won’t respond to diets or exercise in the way we’d expect, which is often one of the earliest clues."
The doctor added: "Spotting it earlier comes down to recognising that this isn’t ‘just weight gain’. If someone, often from puberty onwards, notices symmetrical enlargement of the legs with pain, swelling that worsens through the day, and a family history of similar body shapes, a lipoedema diagnosis should be considered. It’s frequently misdiagnosed as obesity or lymphoedema, which can lead to long delays in diagnosis, often decades." Should the condition go undiagnosed for years, Dr Wyllie said "symptoms can progress".
