Alternative techniques.

ALTERNATIVE TECHNIQUES TO MESOTHERAPY

Obviously there is no doubting my preference for a technique such as Mesotherapy, given the great pleasures it has afforded me. Nevertheless, in spite of the fact that I am an ardent defender of same, I must not deny the simple fact that we still come across patients who, no matter how much we try, wholly refuse to be injected as a result of the genuine terror they feel when faced with the needle. Of course, there are also other patients who, due to misinformation, possess a quite unjustifiable rejection of the treatment, even though we may make strident efforts to rationalise the process and the technique itself to them.

Thanks be to God, I believe I have been endowed with a sufficiently rational frame of mind to be able to see clearly that stagnation and ultraconservatism are quite anathema to the scientific spirit, and that I, given my curious and wondering nature, can in no way be said to fall within such a category. Therefore, I must not only accept, but as far as possible collaborate with all of those technical and scientific advances that will enable me to adhere to any therapeutic action that presents the minimal risks to the health of my patients.

As I write these lines (at the end close of 2003) I feel it incumbent upon me to provide a brief review of the latest medical advances concerned with the penetration of therapeutic substances transdermally, and in a localised manner, without the need for the dreaded puncturing. Basically, there are three different apparatus available to us: HYDROELECTROPHORESIS, CRIOELECTROPHORESIS, and the one which I find most convincing, namely, the TRANSDERMAL ELECTROPORATION SYSTEM.

This is not an electrotherapy manual, thus, I will leave it to the specialists in Physical Medicine and Electromedicine to explain the intricate electronic mechanisms involved in the operation of these apparatus. I will just mention the fact that, either operating iontophoretically, or with new electronic concept, this system is capable of generating and emitting an electromagnetic wave (hectometric, pressed and modulated in turn, produced by high voltage currents), and does not have side effects. Moreover, it is capable of introducing any substance through the skin, in a short time, without the electrochemical condition of the latter being of any importance.

I also wish to include in this section a series of classic techniques, which I referred to in a previous chapter, and which are extremely useful for the practice of Aesthetic Medicine. Armed with a new therapeutic arsenal specifically to be administered by means of Electrotherapy, they are perfectly complementary, thus making their results much more effective, they are: IONTOPHORESIS, ULTRASOUND THERAPY, THERMOTHERAPY, and VACUOTHERAPY OR DEPRESSOTHERAPY.

The products that are used are in keeping with exactly the same philosophy as the classic homeopathic products that we have mentioned extensively throughout the previous chapters. They cannot be injected, given that their use is transdermal, but not parenteral. Extracts of active principles with which we are already familiar, given that their therapeutic activity has been sufficiently demonstrated, are added to these products, thus, in accordance with the scheme that we spoke of as regards Mesotherapy, we have:

METABOLITES ION – SERUM: on the same qualitative basis as classic Metabolites, is complemented with: Fucus, Caffeine, Green Tea Extract, Coenzyme Q and Laminaria Extract. Obviously, its action is purely lipolytic. We will use to tackle localised obesity areas.

LIPOTROFIN® ION – SERUM, the same indications and effects as Lipodistrofin, to which the following are added: Ruscus, Horse Chestnut, Hamamelis, Ginkgo Biloba, Field Horsetail, Ivy and Asiatic Pennywort. Its effects are more or less microcirculatory, lymphokinetic, anti-oedematous, fibrinolytic and vascular protective. Clearly, we use it to tackle any cellulitic problem.

MUSCLEBIG® ION-SERUM is based on the well-known Musclebig. Nevertheless, a series of components are added which serve to boost its reaffirming capacity: Collagen, Elastin, Vitamins B-1, B-2, B-6, Cystein, Prolina and COENZYME Q-10. We will use it for any localised flab problem.

“ION – SERUM” products are a therapeutic novelty designed to be used by means of the most up-to-date “electrovehiculisation” transdermal vehiculisation systems, and also with the classic electromedicine systems applied in Aesthetic Medicine treatments.

In all of these, we can design a specific therapeutic mixture for the correct treatment that we might wish to apply. All are hydrosoluble, ionizable at the negative pole (-) and can be perfectly combined among each other, in accordance with out therapeutic needs.

HYDROELECTROPHORESIS

Mix one, two or three vials (depending on the treatment in question) of “ION – SERUM” with the vehiculising gel, until it is completely dissolved. Apply a necessary quantity of the product in accordance with the technical indications.

CRIOELECTROPHORESIS

In the freezing container, mix the necessary amount of vials, fill up with physiological serum, then place in the freezer and follow the technical instructions for application of same.

TRANSDERMAL ELECTROPORATION SYSTEM

This is a very simple technique and gives excellent results. We mix the required amount of each of the relevant vials in a large syringe (20 cc). We let it slide drop by drop onto the area to be treated while at the same time with slowly apply, in round or circular movements, the system terminal. It is amazing to witness the rapidity with which the mixture in question is absorbed into the skin.

DEPRESSOTHERAPY - VACUOTHERAPY

Spread a thin layer of the vials indicated to treat the problem in question over the area where we are going to apply the vacuotherapy technique with a gentle circular massage.

IONTOPHORESIS

Wet the sponge corresponding to the negative pole of the iontophoresis apparatus with vial or vials required by the treatment (they can be dissolved in water in order to obtain greater homogenisation). Follow the intensity indications in accordance with the surface of the electrode (it is recommended not to ever exceed 0.05 mA / cm2 of the plate, for no longer than 30 minutes).

ULTRASOUND THERAPY

Mix the vial or vials with the necessary amount of conductivity gel required for application. Keep in line with the time of use recommended in the specifications of the apparatus being used.

THERMOTHERAPY

Apply the vial or vials with a gentle circular massage in the areas to be treated, after having applied the heat.

In all of the cases where involving cellulitis treatment, I finish the session with the application of a thing layer of VACIRTON – GEL – ANTICELLULITIC by means of circular movements in the area undergoing treatment.

ACTION PROTOCOL

All “ION – SERUM” products can work in perfect combination with each other, which provides us with a wide range of possibilities of action for the majority of the problems that we tackle in AESTHETIC MEDICINE:

PURE CELLULITIS: