Mesotherapy involves injecting various medications and substances into the tissue beneath the skin. Although patients are constantly clamoring for procedures that are quick and painless with no downtime, there needs to be real, scientific data on these new procedures before most plastic surgoens will recommend them.
A comprehensive article in the April, 2005 issue of the definitive plastic surgery journal,
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, found virtually no scientific data on mesotherapy.
Here's a little background on how some procedures become known by the public before there is solid data behind them:
Most plastic surgeons insist on seeing peer-reviewed scientific studies before recommending a treatment, but many physicians will offer a new procedure to drum up business. Many of these physicians really don't care if the procedure is effective or not. The media is always asking "what's new" when they call doctor's offices. They want the latest and greatest procedure. However, the media doesn't care if the procedure is effective or not, as long as they get a great story about this new breakthrough procedure. Frankly, if the new procedure is an absolute disaster and causes unforeseen complications, that's an even better story!
Scenario #1: A local reporter calls the doctor's ofice and asks "What's the newest, cutting edge thing you're doing?" The doctor answers "I'm doing this new procedure that was just brought to this country from Europe and I am the leading expert in this country and I am one of the only doctors currently doing it." The reporter says, "Really? I'll be right over." The television crew comes to the office, the doctor performs the procedure (on one of his nurses, perhaps) and the patient exclaims how simple and painless it was and how much she loves the results.
The segment airs on the local news, the beauty magazines all run articles on it and the doctor is on Oprah the following week. His office is swamped with calls requesting appointments with the leading expert with this new procedure and everyone is happy.
Scenario #2:
A reporter calls the doctor's office and asks "What's the newest cutting edge thing you're doing?" The doctor has been aware of Mesotherapy for some time, but because he prefers to wait for some solid scientific data about the safety and efficacy of Mesotherapy before offering it to his patients, he responds vaguely about various advances in the field of plastic surgery. The reporter becomes bored and thanks the doctor and hangs up, calling other doctor's offices looking for a better story.
There is no standard formula for mesotherapy.
