Mesotheraphy
Mesotheraphy
Mesotherapy is an alternative medicine treatment of injecting chemicals just under the skin to stimulate or break down tissues in the mesoderm.
For over half a century, Mesotherapy treatments have been performed in Europe, South America, and more recently, the United States. However, certain physicians have expressed concern over the effectiveness of mesotherapy, contending that the treatment hasn’t been studied enough to make a decision.
The main concern is that mesotherapy for the treatment of cosmetic conditions hasn’t been the subject of gold standard clinical trials; however the procedure has been considerably studied for the treatment of other conditions, such as tendonitis, tendon calcification, dental procedures, cancer, cervicobrachialgia, arthritis, lymphedema, and venous stasis.
Furthermore, there have been case series and numerous medical papers on mesotherapy as a cosmetic treatment, as well as studies that employ the ingredients used in mesotherapy. The other side of the argument is expressed by Rod Rohrich, M.D., Chairman, Dept. of Plastic Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas: “There is simply no data, science or information, to my knowledge, that mesotherapy works,” states Rod Rohrich, M.D., Chairman, Dept. of Plastic Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons issued a position statement that does not endorse mesotherapy, but this non-endorsement is the subject of some controversy. Since mesotherapy isn’t a surgical treatment but, to some degree, a non-invasive alternative to plastic surgery, the treatment competes with plastic surgery for the same patients.
The FDA is unable to control the use of practitioners injecting various mixtures into patient’s bodies because this practice falls under the jurisdiction of state medical boards. This is because mesotherapy is considered a “procedure” by state medical boards.
The FDA, on the other hand, is assigned to approve foods, dietary supplements, drugs, vaccines, biological medical products, blood products, medical devices, radiation-emitting devices, veterinary products and cosmetics.
Dr. Robin Ashinoff, speaking for the American Academy of Dermatology, states “A simple injection is giving people false hope. Everybody’s looking for a quick fix, but there is no quick fix for fat or fat deposits or for cellulite.” The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery informed its members in February 2005 that “further study is warranted before this technique can be endorsed.”
A growing number of dermatologists and plastic surgeons are concerned about the growing profile of mesotherapy. “No one says exactly what they put into the (syringe),” asserts Naomi Lawrence, a derma-surgeon at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. “One drug they often use, phosphatidylcholine, is unpredictable and causes extreme inflammation and swelling where injected. It is not a benign drug.” USAToday 8/4/2004.
At present, it is banned in a number of South American countries. Even Brazil, which is less strict than the USA in drug approvals, has banned the drug for these purposes. USAToday 8/4/2004.
An alternative therapy salon is being investigated In Australia by the Health Department, following several clients had developed skin abscesses on the calves, buttocks, thighs, abdomen, shoulders, face and neck, after receiving treatment, and one patient also developed a mycobacterial infection.
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