Localized lipoatrophy

Localized lipoatrophy is characterized by noninflamed, focal loss of subcutaneous tissue. The case is that of a young woman with no personal or familial history of any systemic disorder (panniculitis, diabetes mellitus, connective tissue disease), injections of corticosteroids, antibiotics, etc. She presented a bilateral,  band like horizontal  depression of  both thighs. The skin lesions showed no evidence of clinical inflammation. It had never been symptomatic nor had any pigmentary changes.

She was usued, in her office, to seat on a plastic seat, for hours, crossing her right leg over the left and conversely: the site of indentations on the thighs corresponded exactly to hard border of the seat.

Prolonged, repeated local pressure to the thighs by the edge of the seat, with a long history of  leg crossing, explained this condition.  Such pressure could result in involution of subcutaneous fat in a similar way to lipoatrophia semicircularis.

This condition is mainly of cosmetic concern only. Lesions had gradually resolved after seat had been changed and leg crossing avoided.