Mesotherapy
What Is It?
“I’d like to have mesotherapy” does not tell me much on its own. Mesotherapy is a method of delivery. We prepare a mixture of substances such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids and hyaluronic acid, and deliver it in small amounts with very fine needles into the middle layer of the skin, the dermis. I compare it to builders. Our bodies have cells that carry out repairs, and mesotherapy is like telling them, “Go on, get to work, but use this trowel and this cement.” We add no volume from outside. What we are trying to do is help the tissue carry out the repair it already does, with better materials.
We use it along two separate lines, and they are different jobs. On the skin, our aim is hydration, radiance and tissue quality. On the hair, it is to nourish the scalp and support it through shedding; what we do there is rather like putting fertiliser at the foot of a flower you have planted. We prepare the mixture separately for the two.
How Is It Done?
First we look for the cause. Is the dullness in the skin coming from loss of moisture, sun damage, or sleep and eating habits? What type of shedding is it in the hair? If needed, I ask for blood tests. We do not choose the ingredients before we understand the cause, because mesotherapy is not a prescription written the same way for everyone.
We cleanse the area and, if needed, apply a topical anaesthetic cream. We deliver the mixture with very fine needles through evenly spaced points, a very small amount at each point. A session takes 15-20 minutes on average, and afterwards we may apply a soothing mask. The plan is usually an average of 4 sessions, 2-4 weeks apart; we reassess the number according to the response. With patients who cannot come in that often, we discuss single-session skin booster options.
Who Is It For?
It suits patients who describe dullness, loss of moisture and a tired surface in their skin, or who notice their hair thinning and shedding. On the skin side, we see the clearest response in patients whose main problem is tissue quality. When a patient over forty comes in complaining of dryness and pigmentation, I usually recommend mesotherapy to start with; once you deal with the dryness, you also hold back the pigmentation to some extent.
Where there are deep wrinkles, marked volume loss and sagging, mesotherapy will not meet expectations on its own. We do not perform it during pregnancy or breastfeeding, if there is active infection, eczema or an open wound at the treatment site, or in cases of bleeding disorders, uncontrolled autoimmune disease or known allergy to any ingredient in the mixture. If there is a systemic problem behind hair shedding, such as thyroid disease or iron deficiency, we look at that first.
Process & Recovery
Assessment
We look for the cause of the dullness in the skin or the shedding in the hair, and ask for blood tests if needed. We decide the mixture and the number of sessions based on this assessment.
Session day
We cleanse the area and apply a topical anaesthetic cream if needed. We deliver the mixture through evenly spaced points in very small amounts. The session takes 15-20 minutes.
First 24 hours
Redness and small bumps appear at the injection points and usually settle within 2-3 hours. On the same day I ask you to skip make-up, stay out of swimming pools and saunas, and avoid intense exercise.
Between sessions
We carry out the sessions 2-4 weeks apart. You may feel a freshness in the skin after the first session, but the change in the tissue needs the full series.
End of series and maintenance
We assess the result about two weeks after the average four-session series is finished. To keep the effect going, we usually plan maintenance sessions.
Results & Duration
You see the effect of mesotherapy as the series goes on. On the skin, the first difference is usually in hydration and radiance. For a change in tissue quality, I suggest waiting until the series is finished and then two more weeks. On the hair side the assessment takes longer, because the hair cycle is measured in months.
The range generally reported is 3-6 months. Without maintenance the effect fades over time, and the response varies from person to person. We work to improve the tissue, but I have no way of knowing how quickly you will wear it down again afterwards.
What Is Not Promised
Do not expect volume from mesotherapy. It does not fill deep wrinkles or lift sagging. It does not lighten pigmentation on its own, and it is no substitute for sun protection. On the hair side it is not a treatment that stops shedding; if there is a systemic cause behind the shedding, mesotherapy does not take the place of dealing with that cause.
I cannot promise a particular number of sessions, result or duration. And unless sleep, diet and sun protection are put right, the result we achieve will not last long either.
Key Benefits
- Vibrant appearance
- Intense moisturizing
- Skin tone support
“For skin rejuvenation my first choice is usually mesotherapy. We improve the quality of the skin first, and move on to filler later if needed. I decide what goes into the mixture only after I understand the cause.”
— Dr. Sinan Akyürek
Frequently Asked Questions
Is mesotherapy used for both skin and hair?
Yes, but they are different jobs. We prepare the mixture and the protocol separately for skin and for hair.
How many sessions are needed?
Usually an average of 4 sessions, 2-4 weeks apart. We set the exact number according to the response.
Is it painful?
Most patients describe a brief stinging sensation. We work with very fine needles and small amounts, and apply a topical anaesthetic cream beforehand if needed.
How will I look afterwards?
Redness and small bumps appear at the injection points and usually settle within 2-3 hours. On that day I advise against make-up, swimming pools and saunas.
When will I see the result?
The first difference is in hydration and radiance. For a change in tissue quality, the series has to be finished, and then we wait two weeks.
How long does it last?
The range generally reported is 3-6 months. Without maintenance sessions the effect fades over time.
Will it lighten my pigmentation?
Not on its own. It may support skin tone, but pigment-driven marks need a different approach.
Will it stop my hair shedding?
No. It supports the scalp. If the shedding comes from a systemic problem such as thyroid disease or iron deficiency, we look at that first.