Mesotherapy is a form of medical therapy popular in Europe and South America. It is used for treating a variety of medical conditions, including the treatment of localized fat deposits and cellulite. Phosphatidylcholine/deoxycholate injections are a popular technique to treat localized fat accumulations and have recently become synonymous with mesotherapy, although their history and technique are distinct. To treat localized fat deposits, phosphatidylcholine (PC) and deoxycholate (DC) are utilized. To date, there have been no published histological studies that explain the mechanism of action of PC and DC.Method. In this study the authors have obtained skin biopsies from a patient who had undergone mesotherapy with PC and DC. Punch biopsies were taken at one and two weeks after the procedure.Results. Each of the biopsies taken at one and two weeks after treatment with PC and DC showed a normal epithelium and dermis, with a mixed septal and lobular panniculitis. The fat lobules were infiltrated by increased numbers of lymphocytes and, in particular, macrophages. The macrophages consisted of conventional forms, foam cells, and multinucleated fat-containing giant cells. The inflammation was associated with serous atrophy and microcyst formation.Conclusion. This study demonstrates that mesotherapy with PC and DC affects the subcutaneous fat. We theorize that the reduction of subcutaneous fat likely follows inflammatory-mediated necrosis and resorption.

Hair restoration is a highly sophisticated subspecialty that offers significant relief to patients with hair loss. An improved understanding of the aesthetics of hair loss and cosmetic hair restoration, hair anatomy and physiology, and the development of microvascular surgical instrumentation has revolutionized the approach to surgical hair restoration since the original description. Additional elements that contribute to the current state of the art in hair restoration include graft size, site creation, packing density, and medical control of hair loss. The results of hair restoration are natural in appearance and are provided with a very high level of patient satisfaction and safety. This aspect of cosmetic surgery is a very welcome addition to a traditional aesthetic practice and serves as a tremendous source for internal cross-referral. The future of hair restoration surgery is centered on minimal-incision surgery as well as cell-based therapies.

BACKGROUND Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment may encourage hair growth by promoting cellular maturation, differentiation, and proliferation. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of PRP as a treatment for androgenetic alopecia (AGA). MATERIALS AND METHODS A literature search combined with meta-analysis was used to calculate the overall standardized mean difference (SMD) in hair density in patients treated with PRP injections in comparison with baseline and placebo treatment. Chi squared analysis and Fisher exact test were used to investigate variation in protocols. RESULTS The overall SMD in hair density was 0.58 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.35–0.80) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.23–0.80, p < .0004) in favor of PRP treatment when compared with baseline and placebo treatment, respectively. CONCLUSION Platelet-rich plasma is beneficial in the treatment of AGA. It is recommended that 3 monthly sessions of PRP (once monthly ×3 treatments) be used followed by a 3- to 6-month maintenance period.

Previous attempts at classifying small graft transplants have focused mainly upon graft size and have not taken into consideration other technical factors involved in graft production that may influence the outcome of the surgery. The proposed classification attempts to consider these factors by including various technical aspects of harvesting, dissection, and placement, all of which impact the quality and quantity of the small grafts used in the procedure. By standardizing the nomenclature, as well as the description of the other factors involved in the surgery, communication between physicians and patients may be facilitated. In addition, different procedures may be more accurately studied and compared.

DO, New York, NY, for the Roundtable Consensus Meeting of the 9th Annual Meeting of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery background. Over the last decade surgical management of hair loss has become an increasingly popular and satisfying procedure for both men and women, as innovations in donor harvesting, graft size, and hairline design have resulted in consistently natural-appearing hair restoration. objective. In addition, a better understanding of the regulation of the hair-growth cycle has led to advances in the pharmacologic treatment of androgenetic alopecia. methods. Currently there are two U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved agents that promote hair regrowth: over-the-counter topical minoxidil solution for men and women and prescription oral finasteride tablets for men. In October 2001, a group of 11 international experts on hair loss and hair transplantation convened to review the physiology and effects of