Lipodissolve – Advanced Mesotherapy?
January 6, 2010 - Posted in General
Mesotherapy has a long history in Europe and America as a non-surgical procedure that reduces fat in the body. Dr. Michel Pistor, a French doctor, is considered the father of mesotherapy. Mesotherapy is an umbrella collection of therapies. Mesotherapy injections target not only fat reduction but also health problems within the body.
Doctors have used many different agents in mesotherapy: vitamins, homeopathic substances, pharmaceutical substances, etc. You name it, and some doctor somewhere has probably injected into some woman’s rear end in the hopes that it will reduce the amount of fat there.
In theory, whatever the doctor injects into the body is supposed to kill the targeted fat cells. The fat cells would then die. One of the problems is that doctors are not sure where the fat goes. Some doctors theorize that the body absorbs the dead fat cells. Ultimately, the body may eliminate them through the natural waste process. Doctors wonder, is there any issue with it filtering through the liver?
Mesotherapy has been a highly popular procedure in Europe. The latest version of mesotherapy is called lipodissolve. This process is touted as the less invasive equivalent of liposuction. Another term for this procedure is injection lipolysis.
There is no one solution that doctors use to inject into people when performing the lipodissolve procedure. Doctors who are advocates for the procedure put together what they believe to be effective “cocktails.” Some ingredients have been banned in different countries. Their banning was based on the high level of complications that arose with said ingredients. That’s why it is so important to select reputable and fully qualified clinics.
In the US, reviews are mixed. Because mesotherapy was originally considered a medical procedure but not a surgical procedure, the FDA in the US did not regulate it. As such, individual state medical boards were responsible for determining whether it is safe or effective to use. Some states are working towards barring the procedure. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons does not endorse it. The FDA is now investigating Lipodissolve.
Numbing cream may be used to control pain sensation during the procedure. Usually, nothing stronger than over-the-counter pain relief is required during the recovery time. The recovery time is minimal. Some bruising and soreness at the injection sites is normal. Complications reported include inflammation at the injection site, tissue damage or death, and infection. Lumping or dimpling of the skin is also reported in some cases.
Apparently lipodissolve might be effective for very small areas of fat deposits. Not enough clinical trials have been conducted in the US to determine whether it works or not. The other concern that doctors have about this procedure is its safety record. Is it safe to inject substances into the body that can kill fat cells?
