Body mesotherapy: medications, effectiveness, contraindications

Author: Margarita Kuts - doctor-dietitian, gastroenterologist, and body mesotherapist.
2016-01-15

Dear readers, today I want to share with you information about a targeted method of eliminating fat deposits that I personally use in my practice as a dietician. This method is called body mesotherapy. In this article, I will not only familiarize you with the main drugs used in mesotherapy, its goals, and contraindications but also provide several examples of before-and-after photos of my patients.

Let’s take a brief look at history. The founder of mesotherapy was the French doctor Michel Pistor in 1958, who even coined the motto of mesotherapy: "Rarely, little, and in the right place." In my opinion, this is a very accurate definition of the method.

But let me explain in more detail. Body mesotherapy is the local administration of a drug into the area of the body where it is needed. Body mesotherapy is applied for the purpose of:

• Eliminating fat deposits in specific areas.
• Getting rid of cellulite.
• Eliminating stretch marks.
• Increasing skin elasticity.
• Moisturizing the body.
• Eliminating flabbiness and pigmentation.

Drugs Used in Mesotherapy

Depending on the problem, different drugs are selected for mesotherapy. In this article, I want to focus on lipolytic injections. In my practice, I use lipolytic mesotherapy in combination with vascular drugs and skin-tightening agents.

Lipolytics are substances that break down fat. I often use mesotherapeutic cocktails, in which all necessary components are contained in the required proportions. The preparations in the cocktails vary. I will give examples of the main components of a strong weight loss cocktail.

1. Phosphatidylcholine – a lipolytic that converts solid, hard fat in fat cells into a liquid phase and facilitates its elimination. This substance is native to our body, making it safe.

2. Sodium Deoxycholate – a lipolytic that disrupts the integrity of fat cell membranes. This substance helps facilitate the passage of phosphatidylcholine through the relatively dense membranes of fat cells. Sodium deoxycholate is a component of bile.

3. L-Carnitine – a substance that is also native to our body and is produced in small amounts (vitamin T), which aids in the transport of fatty acids into the mitochondria of cells for oxidation and conversion into energy.

4. Vascular Preparations – substances that constrict blood vessels, lymphatic drainage substances, and those that strengthen blood vessel walls, as well as drugs that enhance blood supply. They are necessary for eliminating the breakdown products of fat tissue, strengthening the vessel walls, and are also used to eliminate stagnant phenomena in cellulite (e.g., artichoke extract, melilot extract, rutin, organic silicon, etc.).

Effectiveness of Mesotherapy

The procedure looks as follows: a cocktail is injected locally into the problem area to a depth of 12-13 mm, which corresponds to reaching the adipose tissue. The course of procedures consists of 4-10 sessions, depending on the severity of the problem. The interval between procedures is 7-10 days. During the course of mesotherapy, a loss of 4-12 cm in volume is typical. The effect is permanent if the dietary regimen is adjusted accordingly.

The use of lipolytic cocktails for weight loss is an excellent way to get rid of excess fat precisely where you need it. This is especially relevant for the "apple" body type, which is more commonly seen in men and some women.

With this body type, we usually see relatively slim legs and arms but pronounced deposits in the abdominal area, which can be problematic during overall weight loss, as the patient tends to lose weight more in the areas that are already slim, while the belly tends to lose weight last. This results in the "chicken leg" effect...

However, mesotherapy can help achieve a good balance and, so to speak, even out the upper and lower body. I call this body sculpting!

Of course, I'm not saying that by using this method, one can forgo overall weight loss—that’s not the case. If there is excess weight or, moreover, obesity, then it is advisable to combine mesotherapy for the abdomen with general weight loss.

If the patient initially only has aesthetic issues, such as a few unwanted centimeters in the abdominal area, waist, sides, or cellulite in the "jodhpur" area and buttocks, but has a normal body weight, then overall weight loss is not necessary. It’s sufficient to just adjust their diet to avoid gaining weight and maintain the results achieved after mesotherapy.

I would also like to note, based on personal experience, that mesotherapy with lipolytic cocktails produces fantastic results when combined with methods such as:

• Massage (anti-cellulite, lymphatic drainage) – for weight loss and reducing cellulite.
• Water procedures (Charcot shower and underwater massage) – for weight loss, cellulite, and improving skin turgor.
• Electromyostimulation with thermolifting – to increase skin firmness and muscle tone.
• Vacuum pressotherapy – for weight loss, swelling, and reducing cellulite.

Contraindications

However, this wonderful procedure is not suitable for everyone. Here is a list of contraindications for its implementation:

1. Individual intolerance to the drugs.
2. Oncological diseases.
3. Nervous system disorders, particularly epilepsy.
4. Pregnancy.
5. Lactation.
6. Severe forms of vascular and heart diseases.
7. Diabetes mellitus.
8. Cholelithiasis.
9. Liver and kidney failure.
10. Skin diseases in the injection area.
11. Varicose disease with trophic skin changes.
12. Polyvalent allergy, immune disorders, and autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, etc.).
13. Coagulation disorders.
14. Anticoagulant therapy.
15. Allergy to lecithin (phosphatidylcholine).
16. Chronic diseases with periods of exacerbation.

Examples of Body Shaping

Below, I will provide examples of body shaping for my patients. All photos are real.

6 procedures of injections with lipolytics. Areas: abdomen and sides (before / after)

10 procedures of injections with lipolytics. (before / after)

4 procedures of injections with lipolytics. (before / after)

I hope my article proves useful to you. Good luck!