Mesotherapy, a highly controversial medical procedure, was invented in 1952 by French doctor Michel Pister and has long been popular among the rich and famous in Europe. Medication is injected into the mesoderm, the layer of fat and connective tissue that is just underneath your outer skin. The procedure has been used for weight loss, weight reduction in certain areas of the body, treatment on cellulite, scars and wrinkles, as well as acne, arthritis and sports injuries.
Theory
Some doctors who utilize mesotherapy treatments say that it "melts fat." By melting fat beneath the skin, the fat supposedly dissolves and is excreted through the kidneys and the bowel. Mesotherapy practitioners select drugs and sometimes vitamins and herbs to inject in specific areas of the body depending upon what condition is being treated.
Claims
Some practitioners of mesotherapy claim that patients will lose 1 lb per week with treatments. When mesotherapy is targeted at specific parts of the body, such as the waist, hips or thighs, patients can lose up to 4inches at those areas. Mesotherapy has its share of celebrity advocates, such as singer Roberta Flack, who told "48 Hours" in 2003 that she had lost some 40 lbs from mesotherapy treatments.
Treatments
Practitioners of mesotherapy choose the concoction of drugs and sometimes herbs and vitamins to be injected. Drugs used in mesotherapy treatments have include aminophylline, often used to treat asthma, and phosphatidylcholine, which has been banned in Brazil. Roberta Flack's doctor also used the plant extract sweet clover, often used to treat high blood pressure.
Skeptics
Skeptics of mesotherapy are not difficult to find. Dr. Lisa Donofrio, a teacher at Yale, is quoted by ABC News as saying, "The problem with mesotherapy is that it's a cocktail. The ingredients change on a whim all the time." Also quoted in the article is professor Susan Fried, an obesity specialist at the Baltimore VA Medical Center. Referring to the fatty acids that may be dissolved by mesotherapy, Fried says, "Could they end up in another tissue? Could they end up in your artery? That's a real concern." The value of mesotherapy is often difficult to determine, since some practitioners of mesotherapy for weight loss insist that patients also exercise and eat healthy diets, so it's difficult to tell if mesotherapy or lifestyle changes produce weight loss.
Considerations
Other organizations that have expressed skepticism about mesotherapy, include the International Academy of Cosmetic Dermatology and the Mayo Clinic. Mesotherapy can be quite expensive. A single treatment can cost up to $500 and a large number of treatments may be recommended for a particular condition. Mesotherapy injections can be painful and side effects include everything from bruising to infections.
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