Content area
Full text
Mesotherapy emerged more than 50 years ago in France, and was made popular in South America, mainly in Brazil. The treatment utilizes a minimally invasive technique that consists of the intra- or sub-cutaneous injection of variable mixtures in microscopic quantities through dermal multipunctures. Mesotherapy simply describes a method of drug delivery and does not imply treatment of any medical condition. Ingredients that are used in treatment depend on the condition being treated and may vary between natural plant extracts, homeopathic agents, pharmaceuticals, vitamins, botanicals and other bioactive substances. The composition of common mesotherapy formulations is selected and mixed in a 'cocktail' before injection depending on the indication (Table 1).
In 1952, Dr Michel Pistor (1924-2003) founded the field of mesotherapy when he utilized the technique as a novel analgesic therapeutic method for a variety of rheumatologic disorders. With his first publication of the technique in a local medical journal in 1958, he coined the term 'mesotherapy', which can be strictly defined as treatment of the mesoderm [1]. With time, the treatment has garnered a following, and numerous indications were reported to be treated using mesotherapy. In 1987, the French National Academy of Medicine acknowledged mesotherapy as an official specialty of medicine, and fellowship training has also become available [1]. Given the ease of application, it received wide acceptance in Europe and South America, and has recently begun to gain popularity in the USA.
With the escalating demand for noninvasive cosmetic procedures across the world and an easy learning curve, mesotherapy has become part of the therapeutic armamentarium of many aesthetic practices. However, despite its attraction, its safety and efficacy remain unknown, making its use questionable until further standardized studies are performed.
Introduction to mesotherapy
Although initially used for pain relief, modern use of mesotherapy has included its use for the treatment of local medical and cosmetic conditions. Based on the condition that needs to be treated, the constitution of the solution varies. What components are combined and in what proportions tend to be based on anecdotal reports or the physician's experience, rather than empirical data. With the exception of local anesthetics, calcitonin, hyaluronidase and collagenase (all of these are used off-label), the US FDA has not approved or granted orphan drug designation to any...