Mesotherapy, essentially, is the process of injecting vitamins into the skin. It uses extremely fine, pin-point microneedles to do this. The popular treatment’s name comes from the fact that the vitamins are injected into the middle layer of the skin, which is also known as the mesoderm.

If you’re keen to learn more, here are some further details about mesotherapy – including how it works, how long it lasts, if it’s painful, and of course, whether it’s worth it!

What Does Mesotherapy Do? 

Mesotherapy is not just a facial treatment. On the contrary, it can be applied all over the body, with many benefits. Just some of the results you can expect after having a mesotherapy treatment include:

• A reduction in fatty tissues in the area that is treated.
• Tightening, firming, and increased elasticity of the skin.
• A lessened appearance of cellulite and bumpiness. 
• Promotion of blood circulation and collagen production.

Overall, mesotherapy has been credited with giving patients a more youthful, radiant, and rejuvenated appearance. In addition to this, it also helps to improve complexion issues such as poor circulation, or inflammation beneath the surface of the skin. Further, as well as helping with fat loss and improving the appearance and texture of the skin, mesotherapy can also be utilised to combat hair loss by stimulating the growth of hair follicles. 

How Does Mesotherapy Work? 

By injecting nourishing antioxidants, vitamins and minerals deep into the layers of the skin, mesotherapy works by rejuvenating the complexion from the inside out. Depending on the patient’s specific skin concerns, various types of solutions will be injected. Some of the formulas that can be injected during a mesotherapy treatment include:

• Antioxidants and enzymes that are infused with collagen or hyaluronic acid.
• Specific vitamins and minerals that are tailored to the patient’s personal skin concerns.
• Prescription medications for targeted results.
• A variety of soothing and nourishing herbal treatments.

Regardless of what type of solution is injected during treatment, however, using microfine needles to penetrate the skin and deliver minute amounts of nutrient-infused solution works best. Usually, only one drop of solution is injected into the skin per needle. It’s a meticulous process, but the results are worth it. Tight, radiant and glowing skin is just a mesotherapy treatment away. 

Does Mesotherapy Hurt?

Is mesotherapy painful? In short, not really. Slightly uncomfortable, maybe. Patients of mesotherapy often describe experiencing a pricking sensation as the microneedle goes into the skin. But in general, patients will feel nothing more than a small amount of discomfort during treatment. The best news? Mesotherapy treatments require minimal downtime. Being a relatively mild and non-invasive treatment, your skin will be good to go almost right away. 

But, can you wear makeup straight after mesotherapy? In most cases, it is advisable not to. In fact, it is best to wait at least 12 hours after your mesotherapy treatment before you wear makeup. This is because the pores of your skin will be open, and susceptible to infection if you choose to wear makeup any sooner.

How Long Does Mesotherapy Last? 

Like with any other form of beauty treatment, you need to keep up your maintenance appointments if you want your mesotherapy results to be long-lasting. 

After your initial mesotherapy appointment, you’ll see results for up to 12 – 18 months – which is quite a decent amount of time. After that, though, you’ll want to attend regular appointments every 3 – 6 months to maintain your results.

Of course, a key part of maintaining your results is performing your mesotherapy treatment aftercare at home. For example, avoid picking, itching or scratching your skin while it heals – especially immediately after your appointment. Further to this, if you need to go out into the sun, be sure to use sun protection! And, most importantly, do not use a harsh exfoliant within 3 days of your appointment. Your skin will still be delicate post-treatment, and prone to damage or infection if you do this. If you do choose to exfoliate your skin in the weeks following your procedure, make sure that the exfoliating products you use are very gentle.

Is Mesotherapy Safe? 

In short, yes, mesotherapy is quite a safe procedure. There are, however, some risks and side effects – namely:

• The risk of your skin becoming infected post-appointment.
• The potential for bruising of the skin in the treatment area.
• The development of swelling and small bumps at the points of injection.

All in all, these side effects are relatively minor. The good news is that they will usually resolve themselves over time. If you are worried about them, there are some specific strategies you can employ to avoid these types of side effects, such as:

• Avoiding exfoliants and harsh cosmetic products that could irritate, damage or infect the skin.
• Holding off on exercising too vigorously immediately after your treatment to minimise the risk of bruising. This especially applies to weight training and anything that works up a major sweat.
• Stopping yourself from itching, scratching or picking at raised bumps or abrasions, as this will only make them worse. 

Which is Better: Microneedling or Mesotherapy?

In the end, whether you choose to go for microneedling or mesotherapy will depend entirely on the results you are hoping to achieve! Your skin goals, then, will help inform and guide which procedure you want to go for. 

To help you make your decision, here is the key difference between the two treatments: mesotherapy penetrates the skin to inject nutrients while micro-needling pricks the skin with needles to create wounds and encourage skin regeneration. 

It is important to note here that while mesotherapy and microneedling are not all that dissimilar in their application, each of the treatments elicits different results. As such, if your goal is to nourish, hydrate, and increase your skin’s radiance with a somewhat less invasive process, mesotherapy could be for you. If you prefer more drastic results, and you want to transform your complexion completely, you may prefer to go for microneedling.