Dr Brooke R. Seckel asked:


Mesotherapy, also called Lipodissolve is a highly advertised procedure that involves injecting microscopic quantities of natural extracts, homeopathic agents, pharmaceuticals and vitamins into the skin to dissolve fat. Proponents of Mesotherapy or Lipodissolve claim that these procedures can be used to eliminate cellulite, promote weight loss, treat aging skin and redundant (sagging) skin, and rejuvenate the hands and neck. Mesotherapy and lipodissolve are often promoted as an alternative to liposuction and laser liposuction for body contouring.

Mesotherapy or Lipodissolve injections are purported to target adipose fat cells, apparently by inducing rupture and cell death among adipocytes (fat cells). Patients are often led to believe that Mesotherapy or Lipodissolve is a fat melting procedure and can avoid the need for liposuction and body contouring surgery. Since many of our patients ask us about this technology and have many questions, we thought it was important to address the topic with some facts and research.

A recent study published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery the Journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, states that Mesotherapy or Lipodissolve, in fact, is not effective.

(See: Effectiveness of Mesotherapy on Body Contouring. Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. 121(4):179e-185e, April 2008.Park, Seung Ha M.D., Ph.D.; Kim, Deok Woo M.D.; Lee, Min Ah M.D.; Yoo, Sang Chul M.D.; Rhee, Seung Chul M.D.; Koo, Sang Hwan M.D., Ph.D.; Seol, Geun Hye R.N.; Cho, Eun Young A.N)

Mesotherapy or Lipodissolve is traditionally performed in the US in Cosmetic spas and rarely by a physician despite the fact that fairly significant medications are injected into the skin during the procedure. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration have not approved the subcutaneous (below the skin) injection of medications commonly used in Mesotherapy or Lipodissolve.

There are multiple cocktails of medications used in Mesotherapy or Lipodissolve including: phosphatidylcholine, isopterenol, aminophylline, caffeine, L-carnitine, buflomedil, calcitonin, and others. The published scientific study was a randomized, prospective, clinical trial carried out on 20 women. A solution of aminophylline, lidocaine and buflomedil was used in the patient’s thigh area.

The results showed no statistical evidence of loss of fat or improved body contour in the thigh area of these women. In fact, some women had larger thighs after the study.

Despite the many stories of significant fat melting by some cosmetic practitioners and spas as a result of Mesotherapy or Lipodissolve, the plastic surgery community does not feel this is an effective means of body contouring and is certainly no substitute for liposuction.

As with any planned surgical or non-surgical procedure, we recommend you consult with a trained plastic surgeon for advice and answers. We would be happy to discuss Mesotherapy, Lipodissolve, liposuction, Laser Liposuction, Smartlipo, Cool Lipo and other body contouring options with you in our office at anytime. Please contact us with any questions or to set up a consultation.

For more information on plastic surgery and ****** and skin rejuvenation visit drseckel.com or call us at 978-369-4499.

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Clinton

Sarah Martin asked:


Mesotherapy is a customized procedure in which a qualified professional injects solutions into the fat cells under the skin to help with a variety of medical conditions.

The injections you receive in mesotherapy treatments contain a variety of natural products as well as pharmaceuticals and vitamins, which is why they are often called “cocktail injections,” not to be confused with botox. This treatment is an alternative medicine that has been practiced in France and other parts of Europe for almost sixty years, but it is a recent phenomenon in the US.

It is used in the treatment of cellulite, to promote weight loss and as an anti-aging agent, in which it rejuvenates aging and sagging skin. It can also be used in pain management and as a treatment for alopecia in both men and women. Other conditions that can benefit from mesotherapy treatments include:

? Injuries to ligaments, joints, muscles and tendons

? Constipation

? Carpel Tunnel Syndrome

? Pain from surgery

? Stretch marks

In mesotherapy treatments, the injections into the fat cells helps to dissolves these cells so that they can be easily absorbed into the bloodstream. Then it goes to the kidneys, where it leaves the body as waste through the bladder.

When it is used in the treatment of cellulite, this therapy helps to give the skin a smooth look without the dimples caused by fat. The needles are administered with injection guns containing a needle and tube. The tube contains the combination of natural extracts, medications and other ingredients needed to melt break down the cells.

Your first consultation with the professional will let you know what you can expect in the treatment sessions and the results you will likely achieve. It is important to know at the outset that this treatment does not work on its own. You have to eat a healthy diet combined with exercise in order to achieve your goals.

You can eat and drink as you normally would before each treatment session, but you should not take the treatment if you are feeling ill. After the mesotherapy treatment (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCeeHT_-lFY), it is normal to experience some bruising in the location of the needle insertions.

Your therapist will give you some tips as to how you can reduce the bruising, such as placing a cold tea bag on the bruised area to help enhance the healing process. If you eat green leafy vegetables before you have your treatment, this will decrease your chances of bruising. During your first consultation, the therapist will also take a full medical history and examine the area of the body that you want worked on.

The number of treatments you need will depend on the reasons you have for obtaining this therapy. You may only need a few treatments while another patient may need as many as fifteen or more. Just about anyone between the ages of 18 and 80 can have mesotherapy treatments. However, those with diabetes, a history of heart disease or blood clots and those with bleeding disorders are not permitted to have these treatments.

Once you receive your treatment, there is no follow up care needed. The main thing is for you to maintain a healthy lifestyle, although you may want to make regular appointments with your counsellor just to make sure you are staying on track.



Darryl

Chris Chew asked:


Go ask any fitness personal trainer that you want to reduce fat on your tummy or your butt, these fitness instructors will unanimously tell you that there is no such thing as spot reduction.

Well, they are correct in a way because by dieting and exercising, fat will come off from all over your body and not on selected body parts. However, let it be known that there are spot reduction methods and procedures.It is only because these spot reduction procedures are out of the realm of fitness instructor’s scope and thus they are unable to advise appropriately.

Spot reduction can be achieved through medical procedures such as Liposuction and Mesotherapy treatments. So are Mesotherapy and Liposuction weight loss procedures?

The Mesotherapy spot reduction treatment is series of small, pin ***** injections just below the skin to mobilize & melt away body fat. That means weight loss can be targetted at specific body parts such as the tummy, love handles, butt, thighs and flabby arms. Targetted body part fat loss is commonly known as “spot reduction”.

Mesotherapy can also be used for other aesthetic treatments too,like reducing puffy face fat, on the chin and eye bags.Mesotherapy works relatively well on cellulite too. Mesotherapy treatments usually require as many as 5 to 10 visits to the aesthetic doctor depending on how extensive the body part area is being treated and when the desired end result is achieved.

A Mesotherapy treatment involves a combination of medications, such as vitamins, supplements and other medicines injected into the body to mobilize and burn away fat cells naturally.

A Mesotherapy procedure is usually used for weight loss program, cellulite reduction, face and neck lift (Mesolift) and even elimination wrinkles and sagging skin without any down time. A Mesotherpy patient can go back to office to work immediately after each treatment.

Mesotherapy treatment was started by a French doctor in 1950 by the name of Dr. Pistor. Today, there are thousands of aesthetic doctors all over the world practicing Mesotherapy treatment.

Are there any differences between Mesotherapy and Liposuction treatments?

Mesotherapy is not a surgical procedure and therefore anesthesia is not required. In stark contrast, liposuction is a surgical procedure and the use of general anesthetic is required.

Mesotherapy treatment is a simple outpatient treatment without any downtime or recovery time. Whereas, a liposuction procedure requires the patient to stay in the surgical center or hospital for observation after the fat ******* procedure. A liposuction procedure physically ***** out body fats and remove fat cells. A Mesotherapy treatment simply injects chemicals into the body to help remove body fat naturally.

What are the side effects of a Mesotherapy treatment?

The patient can expect some bruising on the area treated but these bruises will subside within a few days. Since there is no downtime, the patient can resume his usual activities right after the Mesotherapy treament. The Mesotherapy spot reduction procedure takes only about 20-30 minutes to complete for each treatment.



Suzanne