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It is a form of homeopathic treatment that can be used to alleviate a wide range of problems.
Michel Pistor, a doctor in France, developed the technique in 1952. It was initially used to relieve pain. It has gained popularity in the United States and other parts of the world in the following years.
Mesotherapy introduces microscopic amounts of pharmaceuticals, vitamins, and minerals into the skin to help rejuvenate and repair itself.
This is done with a tiny needle, and it is not a particularly uncomfortable process.
Mesotherapy is a technique that uses injections of vitamins, enzymes, hormones, and plant extracts to rejuvenate and tighten the skin and eliminate excess fat.
Today, Mesotherapy is used to:
- Eliminate fat in the stomach, thighs, buttocks, hips, legs, arms, and face.
- Reduce cellulite
- Fading of wrinkles and expression lines.
- Tighten loose skin
- Shaping the body
- Rinse pigmented skin.
- Treat alopecia, a condition that causes hair loss.
The technique uses wonderful needles to administer a series of injections in the skin’s middle layer (mesoderm). The idea behind Mesotherapy is that it corrects underlying problems such as poor circulation and inflammation that cause skin damage.
There is no standard formula for the substances injected in Mesotherapy. Doctors use many different solutions, which include:
- Medications prescribed as vasodilators and antibiotics.
- Hormones such as calcitonin and thyroxine.
- Enzymes such as collagenase and hyaluronidase.
- Herbal extracts.
- Vitamins and minerals.
History of Mesotherapy
Although Mesotherapy is currently used for hair growth, the founder, Dr. Michel Pistor, initially administered Mesotherapy in 1952 after encountering a shoemaker suffering from an asthma attack.
Dr. Pistor administered procaine, which had little effect on the asthma cobbler. However, in a follow-up session, the patient revealed that his deafness had subsided and he could hear again. Dr. Pistor continued to administer procaine beside the patient’s ear and managed to continue to improve their hearing.
Dr. Pistor founded the field of mesotherapy treatments administered similar to patients with various ailments, administering procaine always as close as possible to the affected area.
Other doctors took their treatments and used Mesotherapy in their practices. Mesotherapy is now used throughout the United States, Asia, Europe, and South America by approximately 18,000 doctors to treat hair loss.
How does Mesotherapy work?
Mesotherapy works differently depending on the exact nature of the treatment. For example, when used to treat cellulite, mesotherapeutic injections are injected into the layer of fat under the skin, where fat cells break down and shrink.
On the other hand, treating dark circles around the eyes combines different procedures, including Mesotherapy, to make the eyes look brighter and younger.
Mesotherapy injections are used to hit the target in the right way. Oral administration of medications can affect the entire body. In Mesotherapy, vitamins, supplements, and homeopathic ingredients are injected into the mesoderm.
The medications used work by dissolving the lipids. In this way, they cause the body to eliminate fats. It is a process of self-healing. It causes the body to fight the problem according to its tendencies.
Who should consider Mesotherapy?
Mesotherapy is effective in a wide range of problems on the face and body so that patients can be of any age or sex realistically.
Mesotherapy is most often used to treat and relieve:
- Cellulitis.
- Stretch marks.
- Dry Skin.
- Skintight.
- Hair loss.
- Dark circles around the eyes.
- Skin damaged by the sun.
In addition, many patients come to us for a “mesolift,” in which Mesotherapy is used to rejuvenate the skin.
The procedure involves a minimum recovery time. After the Mesotherapy treatment, you can return to work the same day.
How much does Mesotherapy treatment cost?
It depends on the type of treatment you receive and the number of sessions you need. Because Mesotherapy is cosmetic and not medically necessary, insurance companies generally do not cover the cost.
How should you prepare for the Mesotherapy treatment?
You will meet with the doctor in advance to determine what to expect. You may need to avoid aspirin (Bufferin) and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications for a week before the procedure.
These pain killers can increase your risk of bleeding and bruising during Mesotherapy.
What happens during your appointment for Mesotherapy treatment?
During each session, you may be given an anesthetic to your skin or not. You will get a series of injections with a unique short needle. The needle can be attached to a machine gun to administer many injections in a row.
Depending on the treated condition, the injections can be administered at different depths, from 1 to 4 millimeters in the skin. Your doctor can place the needle in your skin at an angle or slide your wrist quickly while injecting.
Each injection can only place a small drop of the solution on your skin.
You probably need several Mesotherapy sessions to get the desired effect. You should expect to return with the doctor between 3 and 15 times. In the beginning, you will receive the injections every 7 to 10 days. If your skin begins to improve, treatments will be extended to once every two weeks or once a month.
How effective is the Mesotherapy procedure?
It is difficult to say if Mesotherapy works because so many different ingredients and methods are used in the treatment. Few studies have been conducted to test the technique. And many of the studies that have been done were small.
The research on Mesotherapy has not shown many benefits for skin rejuvenation. A 2012 study of six people who received the treatment for six months did not show a real improvement in wrinkles.
And a 2008 study of 20 women who received Mesotherapy for body contouring did not find a reduction in thigh size.
When will I see the results of the Mesotherapy treatment?
This depends on what you are dealing with; some patients can expect to see results after the first session, although many are expected to attend two or three Mesotherapy sessions before the results are visible.
Although the process can be a bit uncomfortable, a local anesthetic can be administered if necessary, so no, it should not hurt much.
An alternative to plastic surgery
A beauty treatment popular among women worldwide, Mesotherapy profoundly hydrates the skin and induces radiant and shiny skin.
Based on high concentrations of antioxidants, vitamins, and hyaluronic acid, these potent mixtures of active ingredients promote an intense regeneration of collagen and reinforce the skin’s general health.
The complexion leaves its dull appearance with multiple sessions to recover youth, vitality, and luminosity.
The serum used in Mesotherapy is usually very concentrated in vitamins, a property of active ingredient recognized by science for its effectiveness.
MESO serums consist of a nourishing mixture for the skin that is based on hyaluronic acid, vitamins, and minerals with powerful moisturizing and antioxidant properties.
Often used as part of an anti-aging routine, Mesotherapy is a technique that includes injecting an ultra-concentrated serum of vitamins and minerals into the upper layers of the epidermis.
The advantage? Visible results, a natural look, no downtime, and avoid going under the scalpel!
How does mesotherapy treatment compare with liposuction?
Mesotherapy is considered a non-surgical alternative to liposuction to eliminate unwanted fat.
Liposuction permanently removes fat from the stomach, thighs, and back areas.
Cosmetic surgeons perform this procedure by inserting a thin plastic tube through small incisions in the skin and then sucking the fat using a surgical vacuum. Liposuction is done while you are under anesthesia.
Although liposuction is considered adequate to remove fat permanently, recovery can take six weeks. It also presents risks such as damage to nerves and blood vessels, irregular contours of the skin, burns, and infections. And liposuction is expensive.
Mesotherapy is not as invasive a procedure as liposuction. No incisions. The cost is much lower than liposuction. However, you may need ten sessions or more to get the results.
It is not clear how well Mesotherapy works to eliminate fat. Not enough research has been done to prove it, and the methods used vary depending on where you have done it.
Injection lipolysis is another non-invasive treatment similar to Mesotherapy. Although slightly different, the terms “Mesotherapy” and “lipolysis injection” are often used as synonyms.
During the lipolysis injection, your doctor injects phosphatidylcholine and deoxycholate into the fat layer under the skin to break up the fat. As with Mesotherapy, there is very little evidence to show that the injection functions as lipolysis.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons does not recommend injection lipolysis or Mesotherapy to eliminate fat. They say there is not enough research to confirm that these treatments work.
What are the side effects and risks?
Mesotherapy treatment is a cosmetic procedure that is commonly used in Latin America and has been used more and more in the United States, according to the National Institutes of Health.
People who practice Mesotherapy say that the risks are minimal if you go to a trained professional.
Side effects that have been reported include:
- Nausea.
- Pain.
- Sensitivity.
- Swelling.
- Itch.
- Redness.
- Hematomas.
- Protuberances at the injection site.
- Dark spots on the skin
- Eruption.
- Infection.
- Scars.
How is recovery after treatment?
Because Mesotherapy is non-invasive, there is usually no downtime. Others may need to take a day off due to swelling and pain at the injection sites.
Mesotherapy is a promising treatment to eliminate unwanted fat and body contour. However, its safety and effectiveness have not yet been proven. Many of the studies that have been done have examined Mesotherapy for pain, not for cosmetic treatment.
Practitioners do not use any standard formula for Mesotherapy. That means you can receive a completely different treatment with one doctor than with another.
If you want to try Mesotherapy, consult a licensed doctor who has a lot of experience with the procedure. This will help minimize side effects.
Can Mesotherapy be used for hair loss?
In addition to treating wrinkles and removing unwanted fat, Mesotherapy is also used to treat hair loss due to alopecia. The treatment injects extracts of natural plants, vitamins, or drugs such as finasteride and minoxidil into the head.
People who perform Mesotherapy for hair loss claim it:
- Corrects hormonal imbalances inside and around the hair follicle.
- Delivers nutrients to the hair
- Improves blood circulation.
However, as with other uses of Mesotherapy, there is little evidence that it works for hair loss.
Most injected substances have not been shown in studies to regenerate hair. Only finasteride and minoxidil have some evidence that they work.
Mesotherapy finds its primary use in the dissolution of body fat. But its applications are more diverse.
To cure cellulite
Nobody likes to have cellulite on the top layer of the skin. Cellulite is most common in the upper layer of the legs and buttocks. Mesotherapy injections cure cellulite by repairing connective tissues.
To lose weight
As mentioned above, Mesotherapy injections are used to treat excess weight. These injections do not work throughout the body, but they reach a specific goal.
For example, it can be used to cure the double chin. Many people prefer this technique to other practices, such as liposuction. The reason can be attributed to the ease of use required by Mesotherapy injections. The administration of injections does not need to be admission to a hospital or stay in anesthesia.
Mesotherapy as an anti-aging technique
The working mechanism of anti-aging techniques such as Botox is well known. In Botox, a substance is administered to the skin to eliminate wrinkles.
Mesotherapy injections act as a cosmetic treatment when working on the same principle as Botox.
The difference is that the substance injected into the skin is different from Botox. These injections help to get rid of wrinkles, sagging skin and also aging.
Patients who use Mesotherapy injections to obtain youthful skin vary in age. It can be someone between 30 and those over 60. Mesotherapy injections work in the hands, facial skin, neck, arms, and legs.
In general, 4-6 treatments are required to obtain a complete, youthful skin. It is also said that techniques such as Meso-lift can help reverse the effect of aging permanently.
Mesotherapy to treat Melasma or skin pigmentation
Melasma is a condition that causes hyperpigmentation in the face. It is more common in Asian skin and affects the cheeks, temples, forehead, and upper lip. It produces dark brown patches on the skin that can be considered unsightly and cause a lack of confidence in oneself.
It is not 100% known what causes Melasma. It is believed to be several factors, including sunlight, hormonal treatments, contraceptives, cosmetics, and certain medications.
Melasma does not respond well to most skin treatments; laser treatment can worsen the condition.
A study in Korea has shown that Melasma patients respond well to Mesotherapy. All subjects evaluated showed marked improvement after six treatments, with an improvement in skin appearance of up to 43 percent.
How does Mesotherapy treatment for Melasma work?
Mesotherapy treatment for Melasma and other skin pigmentation disorders is administered by microinjection directly into the affected areas of the skin.
This is the most effective way to focus on the problem and show the fastest results. It is most effective when used with exfoliation, but both treatments can be used separately.
The solution is a mixture of glutathione and vitamin C, which reduces damage to the epidermal cells and promotes collagen production, making the skin appear brighter.
Mesotherapy treatment for stretch marks
Stretch marks are scars under the skin that are most often caused by pregnancy or by increasing or losing weight.
They occur in women and men of all races and skin types. Stretch marks can have an unsightly cosmetic effect and cause many people to feel self-conscious.
Mesotherapy is a fast and effective way to improve the appearance of stretch marks and regain the confidence of your body.
Mesotherapy treats stretch marks with a cocktail of ingredients naturally produced in the body to promote healing and rejuvenation of the skin.
The main ingredients to repair the skin are Dexpanthenol and Elastin, which help the skin rejuvenate, and Organic Silicon, which the skin needs to form and strengthen its collagen fibers.
Scope
Mesotherapy uses natural substances to cure various external and internal skin problems. Patients, who often feel reluctant to administer Botox on their skin, may feel more comfortable with Mesotherapy practices.
Patients may think that natural ingredients, vitamins, and other supplements are less likely to cause side effects.
While mesotherapy injections promise to work on homeopathic principles, there is no clue whether they are free of side effects or not.
Criticism of Mesotherapy
While clinics that offer mesotherapy promise long-lasting results quickly without any downtime to recover, many doctors do not understand the claims about Mesotherapy for hair loss.
- “A simple injection is giving people false hope.”
- “More studies are needed before we can support this technique.”
- “There is simply no data, nor science nor information, as far as I know, that Mesotherapy works.”
The main problem with Mesotherapy is that it has not been subjected to gold-standard clinical tests that many cosmetic procedures have experienced.
It is used for everything from tendinitis, dental procedures, lymphedema, eradication of cellulite, and, of course, hair growth. Still, it is not practical for any of those ailments.
Questions to ask a Mesotherapy provider
If you decide to go ahead despite the many risks of Mesotherapy, there are essential questions that should be asked:
- What are your qualifications to provide Mesotherapy? (You are looking for a licensed doctor, probably with a focus on dermatology).
- How does each component support hair growth?
- What are the consequences or side effects produced by each component?
- What side effects have your patients experienced?
- What is your success rate?
- Can you take me through the step-by-step aftercare routine?
Is it worthwhile to undergo Mesotherapy treatment?
If you have tried other treatments for less invasive hair loss without success, you may be tempted to try Mesotherapy, especially for a relatively affordable price.
However, being aware of the side effects and lack of clinical evidence that Mesotherapy helps hair growth is essential.
Clinics that provide Mesotherapy often make big claims about their success rates and minimize pain or side effects, so it is essential to consider what they have to gain.
