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Simple weightloss technique may not be safe

Ambulatory Surgery Reimbursement Update, May 3, 2005

Patients should be wary of turning to mesotherapy as a weightloss alternative to liposuction because the safety and effectiveness of the procedure is still unproven, a new report states.

Mesotherapy is a technique that allows physicians to remove pockets of fat using a series of injections. It may cost between $1,000 to $1,500 per treatment, with between three and six treatments required.

The report published by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) Device & Technique Assessment Committee says that the long-term success and safety of mesotherapy is still unknown.

"The promise of a non-surgical, permanent method for fat removal and body contouring is obviously very appealing, but mesotherapy is not proven to be the miracle cure to a thinner you," says Alan Matarasso, MD, the study's co-author, in an ASPS press release. "The problem with mesotherapy is the whole technique is shrouded in mystery. Liposuction remains the only proven method to safely and permanently remove fat."

The report was published in the April 15 issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the medical journal of the ASPS.

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