Many body sculpting patients have the mesotherapy versus liposuction argument when trying to determine exactly which procedure would be best for them, and the best way to resolve this argument would be to first gain an understanding of exactly what each procedure entails.
Lipo, which is also known as lipoplasty, body sculpting or even liposculpture suction lipectomy, is a process whereby fatty tissue is removed from bodily areas like the abdomen, flanks, hips, thighs and buttocks. Lipo can also be performed on the back, arms, facial area and breast, and the procedure isn’t just confined to women as men account for about 12% of all lipo surgeries.
There are several ways in which the lipo process breaks down and removes fatty tissue and these all started with the traditional invasive techniques where a cannula – small metal straw-type instrument – is inserted under the skin through a small incision and physically breaks up fatty tissue, which is then suctioned out with the use of an aspirator. Lipo has progressed a lot since it was first introduced, however, and several different techniques now exist, including laser lipo that emulsifies fat with a heated laser, ultrasound lipo that liquefies the fat through the use of ultrasonic vibrations and water-assisted lipo, where a thin stream of water loosens the fatty tissue prior to its removal. Depending on the exact body sculpting procedure used, patients could experience mild to severe discomfort and be out of action for a few days or even a week or two.
The newer lipo techniques are non-invasive, however, and involve heat or sonic vibrations being used to emulsify fatty tissue, which is then removed from the body along with other natural waste. This is where the mesotherapy versus liposuction debate starts as the former is a technique where body-sculpting is accomplished by injecting a specific compound into fatty pockets, which has the effect of breaking down fat cells so that they can be expelled naturally.
The compound that is injected into the target areas – those areas containing the small fatty deposits – is made of a combination of amino acids, homeopathic medicines, vitamins and minerals. It has the effect of stimulating the beta receptors in each fat cell, and, as beta receptors are responsible for breaking down fat, this literally means that the fat cell self-destructs. The liquefied fat cells are then removed from the body through natural waste elimination methods. No special dieting or special exercise regime is needed, and there are also no significant side effects, other than a small amount of discomfort and perhaps some bruising, and a patient can return to work on the day of the treatment.
Where lipo will win in the mesotherapy versus liposuction debate, however, is when large amounts of fatty tissue have to be removed. The injection technique does not have as much impact as traditional lipo on, for instance, morbid obesity, but for other, smaller, fatty areas, it looks like it could be the face of the future.