The quest to rid one’s body of excess fat that simply will not respond to a healthy diet and a regular exercise regimen has spawned a debate among medical circles, over the efficacy and safety of surgical versus non-surgical techniques and procedures for fat removal. Invasive surgical methods have thus far shown the most immediate and permanent results, but these are weighed against the inherent risks of surgery, which include infection, adverse reactions to general anesthesia, and other complications that could prove physically debilitating or even fatal.

Mindful of the fear of many people to undergo such drastic measures to slim themselves down, cosmetic physicians have experimented fervently with procedures that do not require incision and the use of general anesthesia. One such controversial method is referred to as mesotherapy, which involves the direct injection of various substances directly into the area requiring treatment. These substances range between different classes of synthetic and organic medicines, traditional drugs, vitamins, minerals and amino acids, and are selected depending on the type of treatment that is sought. By way of example, medications that are shown to have a dissolving effect on fat cells are injected into cellulite pockets or areas where fat is accumulated, under the theory that the chemicals will work just as well inside one’s body as they would on fat samples.

The mesotherapy substances are introduced into the body through a series of short, thin needles. The customized mixture of elements is injected just under the surface of the skin, the mesoderm, which is why the procedure is called as such. Though originally mesotherapy was performed by puncturing the skin with a syringe and injecting the treatment solution as indicated, the process is now performed by special mesotherapy injection guns. The guns are handheld electrical devices consisting mainly of a tube for the solution, needles to penetrate the skin, and a delivery mechanism.

Having been practiced for about fifty years around the world, mesotherapy has been proclaimed by its advocates as an effective solution for a whole host of conditions and imperfections. Injuries such as muscle tears, tendon and ligament strains and joint swellings can supposedly be treated with as few as four mesotherapy sessions engineered for this purpose. Skin conditions such as wrinkles and cellulite take more visits, up to fifteen sessions in the most advanced cases, but can still be treated in like manner. Overall fat reduction is normally achieved by administering the injections all over the body, which takes between ten to twelve sessions. The injections themselves are relatively painless, and produce few side effects, other than minor soreness and swelling, and a burning sensation, which vanish within a few minutes to a few days. Allergic reactions to the utilized substances is apparently rare, according to the claims of mesotherapy practitioners, due supposedly to the introduction method and the standard formulas that are utilized to create the mixtures.

There is also, however, much criticism surrounding mesotherapy and disputing its effectiveness. Many clinical studies and extensive research on the various substances utilized and the treatment itself have thus far not yielded any conclusive proof that mesotherapy actually performs as it is expected, let only provides any benefit at all. The technique itself is not officially endorsed by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons or any other similar association as an effective method for the treatment of various ailments, or as a swift and efficient solution for getting rid of excess fat. Dermatologists and surgeons alike are concerned that the various substances used in mesotherapy may cause adverse reactions, and moreover, that mixtures are just haphazardly concocted and injected into patients without sufficient tests for their safety.