Aesthetic mesotherapy: Laboratoires FILORGA's origins

• Mesotherapy was invented by a French doctor in 1952 to treat joint and muscle pain.

• The technique was subsequently used for cosmetic purposes, most notably by Laboratoires FILORGA’s founder, Dr. Michel Tordjman.

• Mesotherapy works on a simple principle: the doctor uses a needle to inject a revitalizing solution directly into the area requiring treatment.

• NCEF [New Cellular Encapsulated Factors] is Laboratoires FILORGA’s flagship complex. It contains the same active ingredients as those found in mesotherapy injections.

Originally, mesotherapy treatments were used to relieve pain

The first techniques applied in mesotherapy (from the Greek mesos, “middle,” and therapeia, “therapy”) were developed by French doctor Michel Pistor in 1952. While seeking an alternative to rheumatic pain medication, which often carries unpleasant side effects, he had the idea of reducing the distance between where the treatment was administered and the site of the pain as much as possible. 

His technique involved injecting small doses of medicine directly into the painful area. Dr. Pistor’s method was an overnight success and was quickly embraced by healthcare professionals.

Mesotherapy is still widely used today to treat conditions including:

• Tendinopathies, such as those affecting the knee, elbow, and shoulder.

• Contractures and muscle pain.

• Periostitis.

• Early osteoarthritis and, of course, rheumatism.

The main advantages are:

• It is a minimally invasive technique involving shallow injections into the skin.

• It’s fast-acting on pain and inflammation.

• There is no need to take oral anti-inflammatories.

• For athletes, there’s less downtime.

Mesotherapy injections tend to be well tolerated, free of unpleasant side effects, and with no contraindications other than possible product intolerances or allergies.

The emergence of aesthetic mesotherapy

In the late 1970s, mesotherapy’s scope expanded as the first aesthetic injections were developed by the man who would go on to found Laboratoires FILORGA (we’ll come back to this major breakthrough in aesthetic medicine a little later). These products were no longer simple pain relievers but also skin biostimulators.

The active ingredients are the same as those found in today’s cosmetic treatments: non-crosslinked hyaluronic acid, vitamins, antioxidants, collagen boosters, amino acids, growth factors, and more. They stimulate skin cells to revitalize the skin and improve firmness, evenness, and radiance.

The benefits of aesthetic mesotherapy

Before getting too technical, let’s make something clear. Many different terms are used to describe aesthetic mesotherapy: aesthetic injections, skin biostimulation, skinboosters, and Mesolift, to name but a few. It’s confusing, but all these terms actually mean THE SAME THING.

The underlying principle of surface micro-injections hasn’t changed since the 1990s. The objective is always to deliver the active ingredients mentioned above precisely where they are needed in the skin. These ingredients stimulate fibroblasts, the dermal cells that make collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid. The areas most commonly treated are the face, upper chest, hands, and neck.

With these targeted contributions of active ingredients, and depending on the ingredients used by practitioners, micro-injections can:

• Prevent skin aging.

• Improve skin quality and boost glow.

• Provide intense moisturizing and plumping benefits.

• Smooth out wrinkles and fine lines.

• Help combat acne, stretch marks, or hair loss.

Modern aesthetic mesotherapy techniques

People of all ages can benefit from aesthetic injections. A complete protocol generally requires 3–5 sessions at 2–3-week intervals. Results are visible after 2 or 3 sessions and must be repeated with another micro-injection every 6 months to 1 year.

Aesthetic doctors employ 3 different techniques, depending on:

• The way the needle is inserted into the skin, which affects the depth of the injection.

• The way the product is delivered, either continuously in a single application or drop by drop, forming small nutrient cocktail reservoirs that cells can draw from according to their needs. 

As mentioned above, it was Dr. Michel Tordjman, a doctor in aesthetic medicine with a passion for cell biology and the future founder of Laboratoires FILORGA, who, back in 1978, was the first in France to create a polyrevitalizing mesotherapy solution capable of improving skin quality.

Thanks to this solution for aesthetic injections, FILORGA became the 1st French laboratory in aesthetic medicine*.

Dr. Tordjman’s ambition was to make his expertise available through a range of cosmetics capable of delivering optimal effectiveness. Subsequently, to satisfy the needs of customers who preferred to avoid injections, Laboratoires FILORGA sought to incorporate the same active ingredients as those used in Dr. Tordjman’s injectable solution into creams.

NCEF is a complex that encapsulates the same active ingredients as those used in aesthetic injections [amino acids, vitamins, minerals, coenzymes, hyaluronic acid, and antioxidants], and acts as a powerful cellular booster. It improves skin quality and corrects the signs of skin aging while respecting and maintaining the skin’s natural functions. 

To ensure precise delivery and action, FILORGA encapsulates its active ingredients in tiny spheres consisting of numerous microscopic layers. These spheres are able to cross the skin barrier thanks to the phospholipids contained in their outer layers, which are molecules with a special affinity for epidermal cells. Once this barrier is crossed, the active ingredients are released into the skin, where they can deliver their regenerative benefits.

NCEF is featured in all FILORGA** treatments, but it’s our NCEF-REVITALIZE range that contains the most.

Specifically formulated for people who feel their skin is getting tired and wish to improve its quality, NCEF-REVITALIZE treatments are a great alternative to injections, with visible results in as little as 7 days.

*Founded in 1978. **Except our cleansers, sheet masks, and TIME-FILLER SHOT 5XP.