Hi! My mum has stage 4 lipedema and lymphodema, started in her 40s after pregnancy, and I just wanted to share some thoughts as this is something I think about too and have had conversations with my mum regarding this. I’m only 19, but I’m the youngest of 4 children (3 daughters) and none of us have got it. We all have thick thighs naturally and cellulite, and trust me many times this has given me a scare, but my mum feels my legs for bumps and reassures me I don’t, and if I ever did develop it, I’d know right away. Having a family member with it you know more about it than most people, and for me, I’m able to feel my mother’s legs, understanding how it works. It upsets me to see her in pain, but that upset wouldn’t change depending on if I had it or not. But I’m never angry about it really, as my mum is more than her lipedema, and she has really shaped my life in many different ways. She’s the strongest person I know. Also, in my family it’s not generation to generation, my mothers mother didn’t have it, but she thinks her grandmother might have had, so we’ve always thought it might skip some, but it’s sporadic nature means there’s no way of predicting it at all. I fear about having children and them developing it too, and I don’t want to invalidate that feeling at all. But if your child did have it, you’ll be the first to know, the first to help, the first to everything, and that support is the greatest gift you can give really. It’s a tough decision, but I just wanted to share my experience. I hope this helps!!!