MESOTHERAPY
(Information courtesy of www.collegepharmacy.com/articles/mesotheraphy.asp)
 
Mesotherapy was developed by Dr. Michel Pistor in France, where it has been in use since 1952.  Indicated primarily for treating pain that originates from injured musculoskeletal tissues, the technique involves the injection of a combination of vitamins, drugs, and supplements into the mesodermal or middle layer of skin.  The dermis acts as a time-releasing dosing system, allowing very small amounts of medicine to be absorbed over an extended period of time.  The treatments are said to dissolve fat so that it can be excreted by the body.
 
For what conditions is mesotherapy used?
Mesotherapy is gaining popularity in the United States as a form of cosmetic medicine, as well as a therapy for sports injuries, pain management, and general medicine. In one case series, 65 patients with chronic thoracic pain reported beneficial effects of mesotherapy treatments when other pain relievers had been unscuccessful.(1) A second study of 267 patients with degenerative arthritic pain found mesotherapy to be an "effective and reasonable treatment option" with no adverse side effects.(2)
 
What compounds are used in mesotherapy injections?
Mesotherapy solutions generally contain a base solution consisting of a local anesthetic and a vasodilatory pharmaceutical drug. Other medicines are added, depending on the condition being treated. Substances fall into the categories of vasodilators, anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxants, decontractants, proteolytic enzymes, biologics (such as vitamins, minerals, and plant extracts), vaccines, anti-infectants, hormones, hormone blockers, general medicine physiologics, and anesthetics. For example, in rheumatoid arthritis, plant and pharmacologic agents are used to control inflammation. For cellulite, a vasodilator to increase blood flow, a stimulator of lymph drainage, and a lipolytic agent to break down fat tissue would be used.
 
How does mesotherapy help eliminate cellulite and wrinkles? 
The puckery look of cellulite results from a deficiency in the venolymphatic system. Since mesotherapy injections reach the subcutaneous fat, they can break down fat nodules as well as improve the venous and lymphatic flow. For cellulite as well as wrinkles, mesotherapy is best used in conjunction with an overall program to improve health, including correcting hormonal imbalances, nutrient deficiencies, dehydration, and diet.
 
What is the treatment and do the injections hurt?
The visit generally takes approximately 30 minutes and the injection depths typically range from only 2 to 6 mm with extremely small needles. 
 
How many treatments are necessary? 
The number of shots and length of treatment vary with the condition. Treatments may be given once per week, later extending to once every two weeks or once per month, with the number of shots ranging from 8 to 300. For long-term chronic conditions, such as wrinkles, at least 15 sessions may be needed. For acute sports injuries, only one to three sessions may be required.
 
(1)Smail H. Anterior thoracic pain with vertebral origins [in French].  9th International Mesortherapy Conference [held by the French Society of Mesotherapy; proceedings]. Paris, France, October 20-22, 2000.
 
(2)Leah da Silva J, Mesquita ME.  Evalluation results of two methods of treatment with mesotherapy for chronic degenerative rheumatic pain [in French].  9th International Mesotherapy Conference [held by the French Society of Mesotherapy; proceedings]. Paris, France, October 20-22, 2000.