Patient Quote:
"I came to St. Louis Skin Solutions after much research and felt so relieved and excited by the fact that Dr. Amy Miller and her staff were so great. Every one of them has been very considerate to my needs and are all personable and know their stuff. I originally went in for lipotherapy, but have had other procedures done based on the atmosphere at St. Louis Skin Solutions.
The lipotherapy experience at St. Louis Skin Solutions has been wonderful, I have enjoyed my results and the procedure was easy and relatively painless. Dr. Amy Miller was always up to date on the latest and greatest where lipotherapy is concerned. I have been fortunate enough to benefit from the changes she has made in the procedure and have gotten greater overall result as time went on and much less discomfort.
I had treatment on several areas at once and noticed a difference that was visible after my second treatment, and it only got better from there. I have noticed an overall weight loss that I am so pleased with, and I have noticed a sculpting effect that is due to the Dr. Amy Miller's wonderful techniques, all that I am so pleased with. After trying everything under the sun to get rid of medication induced weight gain, this did the trick. Overall, my results have been astonishing; I have gone from a size 14 to a size 8 and have lost over 30 pounds.
While I know that everyone may not have the results I did, you can at least get the caring service, knowledge and expertise of the St. Louis Skin Solutions Staff."
C.T. age 29
The newest craze in the US is using injections to destroy localized fat and minimize the appearance of cellulite. This is what everyone terms Mesotherapy, yet, most mean Lipotherapy. For those who workout consistently and still have stubborn areas, this is the treatment for them, now offered through the staff at St. Louis Skin Solutions.
Do you know where that extra piece of pumpkin pie from last thanksgiving wound up? Did it settle on your love handles or maybe that annoying pooch on your abdomen? What about that left over chocolate cake-need I go on? We all know what we should do. We should eat a healthy well balanced diet and exercise regularly. This of course is the best way to maintain weight and a healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately, it is really hard, and sometimes it just isn't enough. Most of us get those irritating pockets of fatty tissue that just don't go away, no matter how many sit ups or curls we do. This is why liposuction has become such a popular procedure. Until recently liposuction or other surgical treatments have been the only way to get rid of this excess tissue, but what if you don't want to go under the knife and general anesthesia? Girdles, camouflage dressing and sucking it in just doesn't cut it anymore.
When diet and exercise have failed you, and you don't want to resort to surgery, think about Lipotherapy. It is quick, relatively painless and requires little to no down time. Treatments can be done in 15 minutes or less. It is another option available for those stubborn fatty pockets, but not an excuse to eat that second piece of pumpkin pie!
Dr. Miller and Adrienne have been trained at the International Seminars and Training Events with Pioneers and World Authorities in both mesotherapy and Lipotherapy by Dr. Le COZ, MD, Dr. Patricia Rittes, MD & Dr. Roman Chubaty, MD. Dr. Miller is also a member of Members of the International Meso-Lipotherapy Society.
What is Lipotherapy?
Lipotherapy is a treatment that has been used in Brazil for over 10 years by Dr. Patricia Rittes. The Europeans have also been using this trick for many years. It involves injections of phosphatidylcholine /sodium deoxycholate (PCDC). Phosphatidylcholine is a medication that has been used intravenously for more than 30 years to dissolve fat emboli in the blood stream, along with plaque from the heart. This drug is actually a soy lecithin, like in many of the foods we eat and it also already exists in the human bile. Sodium deoxycholate also present in the bile acts like a detergent to remove fat. Injecting this medication, which is already in your body, into the subcutaneous layer of fat literally dissolves and kills fat cells locally.
It is just starting to catch on in the US and will no doubt become a popular, outpatient procedure with little downtime.
Usually 6 to 7 injections are given per side of an area, with some intense stinging and burning for about 15 to 30 minutes afterward. The area does get sore, and will rarely but sometimes bruise, but these are transient effects. Most often people need 4 to 6 sessions, 2 to 4 weeks apart. It is best to limit each session to four areas of the body, each area being approximately 80 cm squared of skin surface. The results are long lasting because the fat cells are truly destroyed, but if you gain a lot of weight the body will store it somewhere.
Common questions are:
What about loose skin?
Well, the nice part is that with the inflammation and edema that occurs, skin goes into fibrosis and tightens with the area. We do ask that you do not ice the area or use anti-inflammatories such as Advil and Alleve so that this response is able to occur.
Are there any side effects?
A temporary side effect beyond the edema, are nodules that form under the skin. The nodules are usually pea to marble sized. They are invisible to the surface of the skin, yet can be felt when pressure is applied to the skin. The nodules do resolve or dissipate on their own within weeks or up to 6 months.
Are there any guarantees?
In all medicine and science there are never any absolute guarantees. We have had many successes, everyone has seen results. Some patient's responses are just quicker, or greater than others.
How long have you been doing this?
Dr. Amy Miller along with Adrienne Van Camp both trained with the pioneers of Lipotherapy and Mesotherapy in the first months of 2005.
Is it safe?
Absolutely; in moderation. Problems can occur if an abundant amount of medication is used. This is why at St. Louis Skin Solutions we only do up to 5 areas at once, and have patients wait 2 to 4 weeks between sessions. This waiting insures that the body has had enough time for the kidneys to absolve all of the PCDC.
When will I see results?
Unfortunately; not over night. Lipotherapy is a process. We treat 2 to 4 weeks between sessions with a series of 4-5. Once the series is done, we like to wait 10-12 weeks to insure the body has completely processed all the fat cells. At this point we re-evaluate and "tweek." Most patients start to see results after the 2nd or 3rd treatment, although a few patients have noticed a difference after one treatment.
 Before - a series of 4 Lipotherapy treatments on the chin. |
 You can see the patients jaw line, and notice the concave of the chin. |
 Before |
 After |
 Before |
 After - 5 treatments to 5 areas size 14 to a size 8 |
What is Mesotherapy?
Mesotherapy is a technique pioneered in Europe in the 1950's by Dr. Michel Pistor. It was recognized in 1987 by the French National Academy of Medicine and today is a course studied in European medical schools. Here in the United States it is not a procedure known to practicing physicians, although that is rapidly changing largely in part to Dr. Lionel Bissoon. Dr. Bissoon is credited with bringing mesotherapy to the states, by performing the techniques with outstanding results on his own patients and teaching physicians around the country how to perform it. Mesotherapy involves microinjection of medications into the fat layer. In embryonic development this layer originates from the mesoderm (ectoderm and endoderm are the other layers) and this is where the term mesotherapy is derived.
Mesotherapy is used to treat cellulite. Different medications are used to eliminate the fibrous bands that contribute to the bumpy appearance of cellulite. Traditional mesotherapy is used for this treatment. Mesotherapy involves painless, extremely quick "multipricking" to deliver the medication to the dermal layer of the skin. Traditional Lipotherapy is also administered to deeper fatty layer. This helps eliminate the rolling, hilly appearance of the cellulite.
Here at St. Louis Skin Solutions we use a cocktail with:
- Collagenase, to help with the disruption and vasodilatation of fibrous bands.
- Coumarin for lymphatic drainage.
- Calcium Pyruvate for metabolic conversion of cells.
- Pentoxifylline for vasodilatation.
- Lidocaine for pain control.
 Before |
 After |
Please call to set up a consultation if you are interested, or feel free to call or email with any questions or concerns.
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