One of the most successful physicians offering mesotherapy is Dr. Marion Shapiro, with offices in New York and New Jersey. Shapiro became a believer in mesotherapy when her mother tried treatments on her back in Italy.

Her bra size went down in about four weeks, Shapiro said. I was very surprised; I had thought it was too good to be true.

After 21 years as an emergency room physician, Shapiro went to study mesotherapy with Dr. Jacques Le Coz, the International Executive for Mesotherapy Studies in France, where the technique was first developed and is now regarded as a part of traditional medicine.

Dr. Marion Shapiro s Mesotherapy Associates can be found at www.mesodoc.com. Appointments can be booked online.

T

he examples are very impressive: a man with a sagging abdomen becomes taut and trim; another with love handles becomes sleek. A woman goes from a size 14 to a size 10 in ten sessions; another drops two inches in her jeans size with six treatments. All this is very new: although it was developed in France in 1952, mesotherapy is just beginning to be used to reshape the bodies of North Americans.

SPA REVIEW: Exactly what happens during a mesotherapy session?

DR. SHAPIRO: The technique involves injection of a combination of medications in very small quantities, which causes the fat to melt from the cells. The needle used is exceptionally small and the sensation is like a light pinch.
 
S.R.: Are there dangers connected with the medications involved?

DR.S.: The major medication is used for children and pregnant females and is included in minute quantities in mesotherapy. There's not a risk of getting diseases like cancer as a side effect.

S.R.: What are the risks involved in the procedure?

DR.S: Temporary bruising is the biggest risk. One or two percent of patients develop a rash, and I heard of a few people getting skin infections, but I think this is related to where the treatment is given. Out of a thousand patients, none of mine have developed skin infections. This treatment should never be done in a spa without the supervision of a physician. And of course we use sterile needles and follow OSHA regulations about disposing of waste needles and bodily fluids.

S.R.: How much does the average person lose with mesotherapy?

DR.S.: My patients generally lose a quarter to a half inch weekly in their problem areas.
Unlike liposuction, the process takes a few weeks but, also unlike liposuction, the patient immediately resumes normal activities after a treatment.
S.R.: What is the cost of each treatment and how often are they given?

DR.S.: Treatments are typically given once a week, although they can be administered as close together as five days or as far apart as two weeks. Each treatment is likely to cost about $500.

S.R.: How does mesotherapy compare to liposuction?

DR.S: Unlike liposuction, the process takes a few weeks but, also unlike liposuction, the patient immediately resumes normal activities after a treatment. Also, mesotherapy is not an invasive technique. Unlike liposuction, it can be used on cellulite, and involves only minor bruising and pain. Very important, it removes fat from cells rather than eliminating the fat cells. I treat a number of clients who have had liposuction and are not happy with the results. They may have gained some weight and, since the fat cells are no longer there, it sometimes comes back in lumps. With mesotherapy, even if they gain more than ten pounds of weight back, it goes on where it came from, not in strange patterns.

S.R.: What happens to the body to create the loss of inches?

DR.S.: During the process fat melts beneath the skin and fat cells shrink. The fat leaves the body through the bloodstream as it would with other forms of weight loss.

S.R.: Where do people typically choose to have mesotherapy?

DR.S: Women tend to get mesotherapy on their arms and torsos, hips and legs. Both saddlebags and turkey neck respond to the treatment. Men make up 20% of my customers, and they typically want to deal with abdominal fat and love handles.

S.R.: Is there anything the patient can do to make mesotherapy more effective?

DR.S.: I recommend aerobic activity at least three times a week to move the medication through the designated area of the body, and I urge patients to drink plenty of water to release toxins and fat from the system.

S.R.: Is there a nutritional component to your treatment?

DR.S.: Usually not. My patients generally are interested in spot reduction or removing cellulite. I do a nutritional analysis with each patient and recommends dietary changes if they are needed, but I don t treat seriously overweight people.

S.R.: Besides seriously overweight people are there individuals for whom you don t recommend mesotherapy?

DR.S.: Definitely. I don t treat pregnant or breast-feeding women of those undergoing chemotherapy. People using multiple medications for heart disease similarly are not good prospects. And those with a history of stroke or blood clots, insulin-dependent diabetics or those with lupus should not schedule mesotherapy.