Mesotherapy

Mesotherapy is a technique that uses injections of vitamins, enzymes, hormones, and plant extracts to rejuvenate and tighten skin, as well as remove excess fat. Today, mesotherapy is used to:

• remove fat in areas like the stomach, thighs, buttocks, hips, legs, arms, and face
• reduce cellulite
• fade wrinkles and lines
• tighten loose skin
• recontour the body
• lighten pigmented skin
• treat alopecia, a condition that causes hair loss

The technique uses very fine needles to deliver a series of injections into the middle layer of skin. The idea behind mesotherapy is that it corrects underlying issues like poor circulation and inflammation that cause skin damage. There isn’t a standard formula for the substances injected in mesotherapy. Doctors use many different solutions.

What can you expect?

Treatment time takes approximately thirty minutes and whilst not painful, it can be slightly uncomfortable so an anesthetic cream can be used if the skin is a little sensitive. With minimal downtime – a little bruising and swelling may occur but it will be short-lived and should settle within 24 hours – skin will become more radiant, hydrated, nourished and firmer with an improved texture. A course of 6-8 sessions is advised every two weeks with maintenance treatments 1-2 times a year.

What are the side effects and risks?

People who practice mesotherapy say the risks are minimal if you go to a trained practitioner.

Side effects that have been reported include:

• nausea
• pain
• sensitivity
• swelling
• itching
• redness
• bruising
• bumps at the injection site
• dark patches of skin
• rash
• infection
• scars

Can mesotherapy be used for hair loss?

In addition to treating wrinkles and removing unwanted fat, mesotherapy is also used to treat hair loss from alopecia. The treatment injects natural plant extracts, vitamins, or medicines like finasteride and minoxidil into the head.

People who perform mesotherapy for hair loss claim it:

• corrects hormone imbalances in and around the hair follicle
• delivers nutrients to the hair
• improves blood circulation

Yet just as with other uses of mesotherapy, there is little evidence that it works for hair loss. Most of the substances that are injected haven’t been shown in studies to regrow hair.

Types of mesotherapy

Cellulite mesotherapy

• A four stage treatment for cellulite
  • Reduces lipo-edemas
  • Restores an efficient micro-circulation
  • Stimulates lipolysis (fatcell breakdown)
  • Restructures and protects connective tissue

• Revitalizing mesotherapy
  • For the prevention of loose skin in young and mature skins
  • To strengthen the firmness of skins prematurely damaged by outside aggressions (sun, smoking, pollution, etc.)
  • For the treatment of sagging skin following weight changes (diet, pregnancy, liposuction)
  • Following a treatment with Cellulyse

• Lifting mesotherapy
  • Treatment for photoaging: pigmented spots, dry or rough skin, hyperkeratosis, smoothing of superficial wrinkles.
  • Hydration of the skin
  • Treatment with micronutrient complex
  • Blocking the production of free radicals
  • Nutrition of the skin

How does it work?

The injections are a cocktail of vitamins, minerals, and pharmaceuticals. They can help by increasing the circulation of blood flow to a specific area, stimulating the production of collagen, as well as addressing areas of damaged connective tissue. The needles are tiny and are injected in several places in the affected area. Because the needles are small and enter and exit quickly, supposedly this treatment is not painful, but you can have an anesthetic cream rubbed in first to reduce the chances of it being uncomfortable. It can be completed within an hour and you do not need recovery time afterward, hence why it is a popular choice.

Am I a Candidate for Mesotherapy?

Mesotherapy does not require sedation or general anesthesia, which broadens eligibility to include many patients who may not be good candidates for more invasive procedures, such as conventional liposuction treatments. Additionally, patients who may have negative reactions to one or more of the ingredients used in mesotherapy may still be good candidates for the procedure, because the injections include such small amounts of each conventional medication, amino acid, mineral, vitamin, and homeopathic medication. To determine your candidacy for receiving mesotherapy treatments, it will be necessary to schedule a pre-procedure consultation with your chosen provider. During the consultation, the provider will review your medical history and specifically ask about allergies to medications. In most cases, an allergy test will also be completed, which includes administering one or two injections and waiting 24 hours to monitor your reaction to the ingredients. This will help to determine if you are a good candidate for this minimally invasive procedure and ensure that you will not have a negative reaction after the treatment. Because each injection is individually customized by the provider for each patient, a consultation and allergy test are critical to determining candidacy. Good candidates for mesotherapy should be in good overall health and have realistic expectations regarding the results that are possible to achieve. Patients should not expect to see immediate, significant results similar to what is possible with more invasive procedures, and should understand that the best possible results will be achieved when the patient has small fat deposits and minimal body contour issues to correct. Because mesotherapy is a simple procedure that requires only minimal amounts of the injectable solution to be administered, most patients will find that they are likely to be good candidates for treatment. If you are interested in receiving mesotherapy treatments, schedule an appointment with a local provider to discuss the procedure and complete an allergy test. This is the only way to determine whether or not you are a good candidate for this procedure.

Recovery after Mesotherapy

Mesotherapy is a noninvasive treatment that will only involve the injection of a few substances under the skin. The reactions may differ from one patient to the other. Typically, patients experience a burning sensation, redness, and swelling after the application of Mesotherapy injections. Some patients may also experience bruising. Allergies are rarely met, but the plastic surgeon will perform an allergy test 24 hours prior to the treatment.

The recovery period needed after Mesotherapy depends on each patient in part. Some patients may return to their daily activities within the same day of the treatment. Others may experience more severe swelling and may take 1 day off.

6 to 10 sessions of Mesotherapy are needed for optimal results and these will be scheduled 1 week apart.

The swelling, redness and bruising may be minimized by applying cold compresses on the injection sites and the neighboring areas. The compresses may be soaked in chamomile tea. Ice packs may also be effective. The patient may also be encouraged to avoid caffeine or other energy drinks and to have a high protein meal prior to the surgery, to reduce the side effects and have a faster recovery period.