Deb A. asks: Do you have much knowledge on a therapy for skin tightening known as Mesotherapy? Apparently they have been doing it for many years in France and recently brought it to the US. It is a series of injections with a drug “cocktail” containing homeopathic and chemicals (including hyaluronic acid) to stimulate skin tightening and collagen production.
The Left Brain trims the fat:
According to The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (via Science Daily), Mesotherapy has not been established as safe and effective. I quote:
According to an ASPS Device & Technique Assessment (DATA) Committee report published in the April 15 (2005) issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery¦ patients should be wary of mesotherapy until the safety and effectiveness of the procedure are confirmed.
The following line caught my attention:
There is no information on what happens to fatty acids once they leave the targeted area or how the various ingredients affect the body’s organs and other tissues. There is simply too much we do not know about mesotherapy to say it is unquestionably safe for patients.
More recently (August 2006) the American Academy of Dermatologists had this to say Mesotherapy:
Dr. Donofrio notes that a precise definition of the term is lacking “ from her perspective it may be considered a subcutaneous injection technique of any medication, in any locale of the body, with the goal of removing fat (cellulite) or having an anti-aging effect…There is very sparse medical literature on the efficacy of mesotherapy.
The article goes on to site examples of mesotherapy injections with different materials gave different kinds of results. At best it sounds like the process is inconsistent, at worse it sounds dangerous.
The conclusion of the article really sums up what I think:
What can we advise our patients who inquire about the potential benefits of mesotherapy? Perhaps sometime in the future, a brilliant innovator will have the developed the proper cocktail that, when injected into the subcutaneous tissue, will cause lipolysis, in a risk-free manner. That day has not arrived. In 2006, regarding mesotherapy, only two words prevail: caveat emptor.
The Beauty Brains bottom line:
Perhaps new information has come to light in the last year, but I didn’t find it. So, considering the lack of solid medical data on this process, I’d be very careful. There really isn’t enough evidence to say that it’s worth doing. In your email you said you’ve already had one treatment. Would you please write back and tell us how that works out for you?
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Blonde #1 Says:
I heard that Roberta Flack had this treatment and lost a ton of weight, but she had to keep up the injections to keep the fat off.
I’ll wait until they finalize the clinical trials on celebrities more important and more famous than Roberta Flack before I inject this stuff in my body.
Dark Circles Says:
It is really frightening to think of having something injected and not knowing what the results will be. I am happy with my wonderful creams to take care of my beauty issues!
dr. rob oliver Says:
Mesotherapy at this point seems more to be pretty unpredictable with it’s results rather then something dangerous. The problems have to do with a lack of standardization of injectables and a distinct lack of scientific understanding of the how’s & why’s injecting some of these substances work in the body.
It is NOT a magic bullet for excess weight or cellulite and there are instances where we see patients who get mesotherapy sold that way. Doctors who have experimented with this do not seem to be able to get results resembling those presented in some of the questionable mesotherapy “journals”.
I’d advise people to sit this out until the effects are a little bit better characterized
thebeautybrains Says:
Blonde #1: Actually I heard Robert Flack was trying to lose weight after she found out she couldn’t fit in some underwear her boyfriend bought her. When asked about the painful Mesotherapy treatments she described it as “he’s killing me softly with his thong.”
patientia Says:
She lost a ton?! OMG, how much did she weigh before
Lynnette Says:
It always amazes me that people think that because something comes from France or somewhere in Europe, that THAT is the end-all-be-all. Come on people, they do not have the regulations we have here. Ummmm, for YOUR health and safety–please forget about all the WONDERFUL treatments that come from “France.”
BB–GREAT quote! What a great laugh this morning!
buenos dias,
Lynnette
Karen Says:
Thanks for the thorough information and research on this one, BB. I always appreciate Dr. Rob Oliver’s insights under Comments, as well.
I like the way this website helps us become better informed as consumers and sometimes throws a little humor our way, too. Please keep up the very fun pictures that go with the articles! (Where in the world do you find some of them?!?)
dr. rob oliver Says:
There’s a feature in US NEWS & world report this week on mesotherapy. I talk about it on Plastic Surgery 101 today (one of two posts) at:
http://plasticsurgery101.blogspot.com/
I just learned that mesotherapy has largely been banned in Kansas from a story in New Beauty magazine as well.
Rob
tewkewl Says:
Meso works. I’ve had it so has my SO. it’s common in asia too. only in the US has there been such an uproar. But remember, it doesn’t remove fat cells. It only removes the fat. So if you pig out, the fat will pack back on.
A lot of the nay sayers in the US are doctors, who have always looked with a critical eye upon anything they are not familiar with.
Doctors in other countries have had great success with it for years.
thebeautybrains Says:
What is the scientific proof that Meso works? I could just as easily say Meso doesn’t work. Which one of us is correct? The one who has scientific evidence backing them up.
In this case, the doctors follow the science. It’s just not proven to work yet.
Jen Says:
I’ve had 4 treatments of meso and so far…no results. If anything, one of my “love handles” actually got swollen and didn’t entirely go away. I have 6 more to go but I am skeptical. And I went in with all of the best intentions (bought the full 10 pack, just hoping that some results would be better than none.) And, when I asked the Dr. what exactly the “concoction” is that they’re injecting, he couldn’t really answer me (scary.) As well, he couldn’t really answer the question as to where the fat goes (and supposedly, it doesn’t remove the fat, rather, it liquifies the fat cells?)
thebeautybrains Says:
There you are Beauty Brains community. One person says it works, one says it doesn’t.
Who’s correct tewkel or Jen?
You have no way of knowing. That’s why we don’t put a lot of faith in anecdotal stories.
Naomi Collins Says:
Despite the safety issue, the cost (usually runs about 3,000-6,000 php per area) and the pain of injections, patients come back again and again for the sessions.
In my experience, mesotherapy has amazing effectiveness in cellulite reduction treatments.
Mike Says:
Allure magazine in its November 2007 issue had a great (and SCARY) article about Lipodissolve (a type of mesotherapy) called, “Fat Chance. The new fat melters are seductive. But are they worth a shot?” It was written by Joan Kron. Yes, mesotherapy has been around in Europe (specifically France) since the 1950’s. But, is it safe? Some say, yes, others, NO. Most of the plastic surgeons I work with, such as a doc who Long Island plastic surgery, the answer is, no. Stick with working out and eating right and lipo to look better. Try telling that to Brit-Brit, who seems to love lipodissolve. Fact is, it’s not FDA approved, and although some of the ingredients in a doctor’s “cocktail” might be FDA approved, they’re approved for other purposes. I wouldn’t risk it.
Carabella Says:
I’m a 30yr. old woman, I’m 5′6 145lbs. I have an athletic build but I have had cellulite on the upper back of my thighs & feel I have noticed a little pudge on my belly. I have fair skin & I tend to bruise easily. I tried the mesotherapy injections in Dec 2006. I only had 1 treatment for the back of my thighs, & stomach. I did not choose to continue the treatments because I bruised horribly from the procedure. I’am disappointed with my results. It has been almost 1year since I had mesotherapy injections in my belly & back of thighs. The bruises on my belly have broken down & are merely noticable, but the back of my thighs I have noticable bruises that worsen the appearance of my cellulite because the bruises resemble dimples. I have tried the procedure that uses the suction, heat, & radio waves hoping that it would improve the circulation in the back of my thighs & promote the brusing to heal but after receiving 10 treatments I still have permanent bruising on my thighs. Buyer beware