Mesotherapy is a technique that uses injections of vitamins, enzymes, hormones, and plant extracts to rejuvenate and tighten skin, as well as remove excess fat.

Michel Pistor, a doctor in France, developed the technique in 1952. It was originally used to relieve pain. In the years since, it has gained popularity in the United States and other parts of the world.

Today, mesotherapy is used to:

• remove fat in areas like the stomach, thighs, buttocks, hips, legs, arms, and face
• reduce cellulite
• fade wrinkles and lines
• tighten loose skin
• recontour the body
• lighten pigmented skin
• treat alopecia, a condition that causes hair loss

The technique uses very fine needles to deliver a series of injections into the middle layer (mesoderm) of skin. The idea behind mesotherapy is that it corrects underlying issues like poor circulation and inflammation that cause skin damage.

There isn’t a standard formula for the substances injected in mesotherapy. Doctors use many different solutions, including:

• prescription medicines like vasodilators and antibiotics
• hormones such as calcitonin and thyroxin
• enzymes like collagenase and hyaluronidase
• herbal extracts
• vitamins and minerals