Mesotherapy

Mesotherapy is a relatively new buzz word in the weight loss, cellulite and wrinkle reduction world. Women and men are standing queue to receive multiple fine injections into their problem areas.

What is Mesotherapy?

Mesotherapy is a discipline that was developed by Dr Michel Pistor in 1952 in France. It involves painless microinjections into the skin achieving a desired therapeutic result. Although Mesotherapy has been used extensively in Europe, it has only recently been introduced in South Africa. In Europe it has been used for years for pain control and sports injuries. Currently, uses of Mesotherapy include fat and cellulite reduction, control of pain conditions, hair re-growth, weight loss, wrinkle elimination, scar improvement, acne treatment, arthritis and joint problems, sports injuries, stretch marks, among others. Treatment with Mesotherapy for aesthetic/cosmetic improvement is most commonly used in our country, though more practitioners are starting to use it for medical reasons, especially pain conditions.

Mesotherapy typically consists of numerous injections of variable depth delivering the desired medication into different layers of the skin and the subcutaneous tissue. Typically in one session the patient may receive any where from a hundred to several hundred injections. Of course this will depend on the technique used and the area(s) being treated.

The technique and the cocktails used vary among practitioners, depending on their training, geographical location and their individual experiences. For example in the states and in South America practitioners tend to be in some ways more aggressive than their European counterparts. They tend to use more potent medications and in larger amounts. Consequently of course if both the technique and the cocktails used are variable, patient results also vary from one practitioner to another.

However despite the changes seen in mesotherapy since the concept was first introduced by Dr. Pistor, the practice still remains true to the basic concepts, which are delivery of medication by superficial injections around the target area. In traditional medicine physicians typically uses one of oral, intramuscular or intravenous routes to deliver pharmaceuticals to patients. While effective these delivery methods deliver pharmaceuticals to all organ systems resulting in systemic effects as well as systemic side effects. By contrast mesotherapy focuses on local delivery in order to achieve local results and minimize systemic effects. By administering minute amounts with each injection and by delivering the medication directly to the target area mesotherapy minimizes both local and systemic side effects while amplifying the results.

The medications preferred for mesotherapy treatments are registered and already available medications used in medicine, but safer and more natural type of products are preferred.

How does cosmetic mesotherapy work?

The medications used for skin rejuvenation stimulates the skin cells to produce more and better quality collagen and hyaluronic acid. The mixture injected than stimulates a better skin helath causing wrinkle improvement, skin tightening, hydration and skin radiance.

The medications used in slimming cause shrinkage of fat cells by dissolving fat. The fat is then excreted through the urine and bowels. Mesotherapy can also improve the appearance of cellulite (fibrous bands that tent the skin). Cellulite is reduced by decreasing the size of the trapped fat cells.

Mesotherapy also enhances hair re-growth by improving circulation of the scalp and providing needed nutrition to hair follicles.

The effect of Mesotherapy can be enhanced by eliminating toxins from the diet and maintaining a healthy program of exercise.

It is important to realize that mesotherapy mostly requires a course of treatment and then a maintenance period. Lifestyle changes and a good diet enhances all results of mesotherapy.

The appropriate medication alone does not guarantee results and the treatment is also dependant on the correct technique.

Ensure to have any mesotherapy treatment at a trained doctor who is registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa.