Mesotherapy" is a non-surgical, minimally invasive method of drug delivery that consists of multiple intradermal or subcutaneous injections of a mixture of compounds "melange" in minute doses. Plant extracts, homeopathic agents, pharmaceuticals, vitamins and other bioactive substances can be used, but alcohol- or oil-based substances should not be used for mesotherapy because of the risk of cutaneous necrosis.
The term "mesotherapy" is derived from the Greek words "mesos" meaning "middle0" or "mean" and "therapeia" meaning "to treat medically," i.e. injecting into the middle layer of skin or "intradermotherapy." The depth of penetration of the needle should not exceed 4 mm for it to be effective.
Despite it being available for over 50 years and the huge publicity and attention received on the Internet, definite evidence for its efficacy is lacking and the claims are not always based on well-conducted clinical trials. Mesotherapy, like corticosteroids, is claimed to have a wide array of applications especially in the field of cosmetic dermatology.