Mesotherapy for body contouring involves the injection of substances which are intended for other purposes; normally this is considered "off-label" by the FDA and would be perfectly legal if it is the doctor's judgment that it is a reasonable treatment option. In this case, it is one of the few that is explicitly prohibited by the FDA, and so it remains highly controversial.Liposuction, on the other hand, has a long track record of safety and effectiveness. Some skepticism is advised about laser-assited lipo, however, as there is a lack of reported data to demonstrate any additional benefit.This is surprising given that it has been on the market for a few years and there should be some proof. The studies that have been published have found no benefit over liposuction using standard techniques.
Petite,I see several patients each month who have undergone several rounds of mesotherapy with minimal or no results at all. Once these patients undergo liposuction and see the dramatic results they are very happy. Now, it may be that only those patients that fail mesotherapy end up coming in for liposuction consultations. However, there is no question that liposuction works and can lead to consistent and excellent results.David Shafer, MDShafer Plastic SurgeryNew York City
