Facial mesotherapy: how the course works and what to expect

What facial mesotherapy is for

A mesotherapy cocktail may contain vitamins, amino acids, hyaluronic acid and other substances. So the procedure can differ a lot from one person to another: one may need to hydrate the skin, another to even out skin tone.

Facial mesotherapy is recommended when:

• your complexion looks dull and your skin has lost tone;
• your skin is dehydrated;
• you’re bothered by pigmentation or uneven tone;
• your skin is oily;
• your skin needs support after a facial cleansing.

Mesotherapy doesn’t fix deep wrinkles or lost volume: fillers are used for that, and expression lines are smoothed with botulinum toxin injections. It’s often confused with biorevitalization, which uses hyaluronic acid products and mainly aims to hydrate the skin. Our article biorevitalization vs mesotherapy explains how to choose between them.

A new pigment spot that grows or changes color should be shown to a dermatologist first. Inflamed spots and active acne are also treated by a dermatologist, and mesotherapy, if needed, is planned after treatment or alongside it.

Facial mesotherapy with and without needles

Injectable mesotherapy is done by a cosmetic doctor. The skin is cleansed and treated with an antiseptic, and then the doctor injects the cocktail with a very fine needle in small amounts. You’ll feel the injections, but there’s usually no severe pain.

Needle-free mesotherapy is done with devices, and there are two options. In oxygen mesotherapy, the cocktail is delivered onto the skin with a jet of oxygen. Before a celebration it’s a good choice, and it’s also one of our SOS treatments. In needle-free mesotherapy, or electroporation, short electrical pulses briefly make the skin more permeable, and the cocktail gets into it without a needle.

Device-based methods have their own contraindications: a pacemaker or metal implants in the treatment area, pregnancy, cancer, or acute skin inflammation. A cosmetologist checks for them separately.

How the course works and when you’ll see results

At the consultation, the doctor examines your skin, asks what bothers you and checks for contraindications. Tell the doctor about any medication you take, especially anything that affects blood clotting, and about allergies and previous treatments. Don’t stop medicines prescribed by another doctor on your own.

Facial mesotherapy is usually done as a course of several sessions. The doctor decides on the cocktail, the number of sessions and the breaks between them after examining you, and will tell you after the course whether you need maintenance sessions.

It’s worth judging your skin once the bumps and bruises from the injections have gone. Changes are usually more noticeable after a full course than after one session, and how much your skin changes depends on its condition and your concern.

What to expect after mesotherapy and how to care for your skin

Small bumps (papules) remain at the injection sites, and redness and small bruises are possible. They usually go away within a few days, so don’t schedule the procedure right before a celebration or a photo shoot. Don’t knead the bumps.

After the procedure:

• skip makeup on the first day, and don’t touch your face unless you need to;
• for the first 48 hours, don’t massage your face, avoid saunas, bathhouses, pools and hot baths, and put off intense workouts;
• avoid tanning, and apply SPF when you go outside;
• put off dental work that may make your gums bleed for 3–4 weeks.

Who shouldn’t have facial mesotherapy

Injectable mesotherapy isn’t done, or is postponed:

• during pregnancy and breastfeeding;
• with herpes, inflammation or broken skin in the injection area;
• with an acute infection or fever;
• with blood clotting disorders or while taking anticoagulants;
• with an allergy to any component of the cocktail.

Your doctor checks the full list of contraindications at the consultation.

Call the doctor who did the procedure right away if the skin in the injection area turns white, blue or blotchy, or the pain gets worse. If your vision suddenly worsens, your eye hurts, you see double or your eyelid droops, call an ambulance on 103. Also call 103 if your face, tongue or throat swells and breathing becomes difficult. If, days or weeks later, the skin in the injection area becomes hot and red, painful lumps or pus appear, or you develop a fever, contact a doctor the same day.

Our separate article on scalp mesotherapy covers mesotherapy for thinning hair. The consultation and facial mesotherapy at Viva Clinic take place at the aesthetic medicine center at 16b/3 Kuzovkova St in Slavuta. You can book by phone, on Viber or Telegram.