Mesotherapy - New Fat Removal Technique

2nd May 2004

Is it possible that an injection of vitamins could help you lose weight?

Mesotherapy has been used all over France and Europe for a number of years, and now Doctors are trying the method in the UK and the US.

Those who have tried it, swear by it, but what exactly is it?

The newest fat buster - a French import called mesotherapy.

The technique is non-invasive, non-surgical and according to Dr. Marion Shapiro it's the safest and easiest way to melt away the pounds, “In ten weeks, they can lose anywhere from 5 to 7 pounds of fat.”

56-year old Carol Kleinberg says the results are astonishing, “I know it works. I saw my body before I see my body now. It works."

Dr. Shapiro says mesotherapy allows patients to target fat then melt it away by injecting a special "medicinal cocktail" into the mesoderm, the top layer of skin, “We inject homeopathic amounts of medication into the mesoderm layer, stimulating fat cells to release the fat and also breaks down the bonds that cause cellulite. "What makes the procedure work is the special ingredients in the injection, including aminophylline (an asthma medication), plant extracts, vitamins and even things like artichoke extract.”

Dr. Shapiro says the ingredients and quantities vary, depending on the needs of each patient and knowing what to use and how much is an art, which she says is a secret, “I can't really allow you to see how much of what I'm drawing up.”

But patients of Dr. Shapiro say whatever that mixture is it's clearly working.

“My shirts fit better, my bras fit better,” says Donielle Blanco.

But not everyone believes that mesotherapy is the solution that will end our fat loss woes.

The procedure is not FDA approved or recognized by the American Academy of Dermatology. The academy's spokesperson, New York City dermatologist Debra Jaliman says, it's because there's no scientific proof the procedure works. The New Scientist reports that "Treatments like liposuction and mesotherapy (the injection of drugs to destroy cellulite) are either expensive or, at best, produce only temporary improvement.

Many Doctors believe that patients may experience weight loss, not because of the mesotherapy, but because they're more conscious of their diet.

But Dr. Shapiro disagrees, saying the results are indisputable. She does caution this isn't a magic cure to weight loss because you can gain back the weight, and adds there are side effects like minor bruising.

Each session costs about $500 and you may need ten to fifteen sessions.

Dr. Marion Shapiro, the Mesodoc™ is a physician trained in the practice of General Medicine, and Emergency Medicine since completing her residency from Columbia University, New York in 1983. She has been trained in Mesotherapy and earned her certificate to practice from the Societe Francaise De Mesotherapie in France. Dr. Shapiro opened Mesotherapy Associates, P.C. in the spring of 2002.