How to Get Mesotherapy

Mesotherapy is a non-invasive procedure that involves injecting various medical solutions under the skin's surface for therapeutic means. While intriguing and popular in the U.S., it's not yet approved by the FDA. Mesotherapy was developed by a French doctor and has been performed in Europe for over 50 years for many conditions. Here it is heavily promoted mainly as a magical, non-surgical fix for weight loss and cellulite removal.

Instructions

1. Understand that mesotherapy involves injecting under your skin a variety of substances, such as vitamins, minerals, medications and/or amino acids. The solutions will be customized to your body and the injection will go just under the surface of your skin, a bit deeper than if you were getting a tattoo.

2. Know that some practitioners give these treatments by hand and others use the newer "mesotherapy injection guns" which are handheld electric tube and needle systems.

3. Forget about mesotherapy if you are pregnant, nursing, insulin dependent, have a history of stroke, blood clots or recent cancer, or if you take multiple medications for a heart condition.

4. Keep your expectations realistic. Mesotherapy seems to produce the best results on cellulite. It causes an increase in lymphatic flow and can help eliminate fat and skin dimpling. Some patients report a smoother appearance and a 2 to 4 inch loss at the treatment site.

5. Be aware of the potential side effects of mesotherapy, which include allergic reactions to the injected solution, bruising, redness or swelling at the injection site.

6. Budget for mesotherapy. This is not a poor persons' liposuction. The consultation can run $50 and up and each session can cost between $200 and $500. Usually, 10 to 15 sessions are recommended.

Tips & Warnings

• Also check out the new non-needle mesotherapy treatment at NoNeedlesMesotherapy.com. It's called the "Ultrapeel Transderm Ionto System."

• Check with your doctor before considering mesotherapy, especially since it involves puncturing your skin with a needle and injecting a variety of substances into your body.

Resources

• Explains mesotherapy and what it can and can't do
• Where to find doctors for mesotherapy, lipodissolve and cellulite treatments