Abnormal adipose tissue morphology Diet-resistant subcutaneous adipose tissue 2017-04-21T11:45:42Z In certain diseases such as multiple symmetric lipomatosis, lipedema and Dercum's disease, accumulation of subcutaneous adipose tissue may result from growth of an abnormal brown stem cell population or from vascular or lymphatic dysfunction, with the result that the subcutaneous adipose tissue is difficult or impossible to reduce by caloric limitation and increased energy expenditure. Areas of subcutanous fat tissue that are resistant to (do not respond as expected to) diet, life-style alteration, or bariatric surgery.