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What is Mesotherapy?
Mesotherapy is the medical specialty that treats patients for various medical conditions, especially fat reduction and cellulite removal, by injecting small amounts of medicines just below the skin to alleviate the condition. Mesotherapy has been practiced for 50 years in France where there are over 15,000 physicians who successfully use this technique. Specifically, mesotherapy is useful for body sculpting, fat reduction and improving or eliminating cellulite. It is also used for various medical conditions such as arthritis, headache, and hair loss.
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Is there a certification process for physicians practicing Mesotherapy in the United States?
Yes, the American Board of Mesotherapy has, to date, certified
approximately 20 physicians. Ron Rothenberg, M.D. is a Diplomat of the
American Board of Mesotherapy and is the Director of
Medical Education of the American Board of Mesotherapy.
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How does mesotherapy work and where does the fat go?
Fat cells are active cells in the body that can gain energy, swell and
get larger or they can give up their energy and shrink. For example,
when you loose fat through diet and exercise the fat cells shrink but
they do not disappear. The medicines used in mesotherapy cause the fat
cells to give up their energy and size and produce water and free fatty
acids. These free fatty acids can be used by the muscles for energy. The
fat cells get smaller and the result is a more attractive and healthier
body.
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Will the fat reduction last?
If you maintain a healthy lifestyle (eating a healthy diet and
exercising) the fat reduction will last. If you eat too many unfavorable
carbohydrates the fat cells can enlarge once again. After finishing a
treatment course of 5-10 mesotherapy treatments most patients find that
they may need an additional treatment annually to maintain the desired
effect.
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How much does it cost?
Currently, the average cost of a single mesotherapy treatment can range
from $300 to $800, with $500 per treatment being the usual cost. The
difference in cost depends upon the area being treated, the medical
condition being treated and the patient's response time to treatments.
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How many treatments will I have to have?
Depending upon the condition being treated and the patient's response to
treatment, the number of treatment sessions can vary. Some patient's may
achieve desired results after 4 or 5 treatments while
other patients may need more than 10 treatments. Typically, most
patients need about 10 treatments for each condition being
treated.
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Is there any downtime?
There is no downtime with mesotherapy but it is recommend that you do
not actively exercise for 48 hours after a treatment so
that the medications may have an optimal effect on the treated area.
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Are there any side effects?
The only side effect with mesotherapy may be some local bruising at the
site of injection. This can be decreased by applying an ointment
containing arnica, which decreases inflammation during the course of
treatment. Some patients may experience a local reaction of redness at
the site of injection. This can be avoided by performing a skin test of
certain medications to ensure the patient will not have an allergic
response. If the skin test is reactive, other medications will be used
that do not have the potential for allergic reaction. Some patients
may feel a little jittery (like from one cup of coffee too many) for
about an hour after the treatment.
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Is Mesotherapy safe?
Yes. The doses of medicine used are extremely small. No one has every
died or had a serious complication from Mesotherapy. That is more than
we can say about many FDA approved drugs such as antibiotics or even
aspirin.
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Is there any discomfort?
Applying a compounded anesthetic numbing cream to the treatment area(s)
three hours prior to treatment can almost completely diminish any
discomfort that the injections may cause. The anesthetic numbing cream
will be prescribed by your mesotherapy physician.
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Does it get rid of cellulite forever?
Mesotherapy can rid the body of cellulite but it will be important for
you to continue to eat a healthy diet and exercise after your treatment
sessions have been completed. You may need an annual treatment to
maintain the desired effect.
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When can I exercise?
It is recommended that patients wait 48 hours after each
treatment before resuming their exercise regime.
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What occurs during my initial mesotherapy consultation?
During your initial mesotherapy consultation at California HealthSpan
Institute (CHI) the physician will meet with you to assess your medical
concerns. The physician will perform a history and physical and you will
also meet the CHI nutritionist to provide you with nutritional
guidelines that can enhance the final outcome of your mesotherapy
treatments. During the initial consultation, the patient will be given a
skin test to determine if the patient might be allergic to certain
medications used in mesotherapy.
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How long does each treatment take?
Typically, each treatment session takes 30 to 60
minutes. After each treatment patients usually rest quietly for about
15 minutes. Patients are usually scheduled for treatments on a
weekly basis.
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Is it important what I eat before and after the treatment?
At CHI, we encourage all mesotherapy patients to refrain from drinking
coffee or any other substance that contains caffeine or some other type
of stimulant on their treatment days. We also encourage patients to eat
an adequate amount of protein before and after each treatment. We
recommend that patients drink lots of purified water daily, which is
important not only for mesotherapy patients but for everyone.
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Should I be on a special diet?
Patients that eat a hormonally correct diet with adequate amounts of
favorable proteins, favorable carbohydrates and favorable fats will
optimize the outcome of their mesotherapy treatments.
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Can I have Mesotherapy if I have had liposuction?
Mesotherapy can improve skin contouring in addition to eliminating
cellulite and decreasing the size of the fat cells. Mesotherapy can
enhance or improve areas of the body that have been treated with
liposuction.
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Can Mesotherapy be the "Magic" in my struggle to lose weight?
Although the fat reducing effects of Mesotherapy can seem magical even
though they are based on sound scientific and medical principles, the
answer is a big "NO." Mesotherapy can help you lose unwanted fat but you
must also take responsibility for your weight by eating a healthy diet
and exercising appropriately. Mesotherapy is an effective medical
treatment that can improve skin appearance and decrease body fat but it
is only one component to an improved self image. Eating correctly and
exercising will help you become healthier from the inside to the
outside. Mesotherapy will give you the added benefit of a smoother and
firmer body image.
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What other treatments does CHI offer that complement Mesotherapy?
Nutrition, antioxidants, nutraceuticals and hormone optimization can
complement the fat loss of Mesotherapy. For example it is difficuolt to
loose weight with exercise if thyroid hormones or testosterone levels
are not in the optimal range.
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How does the fat reduction end up as smooth and why isn't there more fat loss in the area where the needle goes?
The skin circulation traps the medicines used in an area that diffuses over inches to end up with a smooth appearance.
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