Intradermal therapy, known as mesotherapy, is a technique used to inject a drug into the surface layer of the skin. In particular, it involves the use of a short needle to deposit the drug in the dermis. The intradermal microdeposit modulates the drug’s kinetics, slowing absorption and prolonging the local mechanism of action. It is successfully applied in the treatment of some forms of localized pain syndromes and other local clinical conditions. It could be suggested when a systemic drug-sparing effect is useful, when other therapies have failed (or cannot be used), and when it can synergize with other pharmacological or nonpharmacological therapies. Despite the lack of randomized clinical trials in some fields of application, a general consensus is also reached in nonpharmacological mechanism of action, the technique execution modalities, the scientific rationale to apply it in some indications, and the usefulness of the informed consent. The Italian Mesotherapy Society proposes this position paper to apply intradermal therapy based on scientific evidence and no longer on personal bias.
Drugs injected intradermally spread slowly into the underlying tissues and produce a drug-saving effect. The Italian society of mesotherapy suggested that intradermal therapy obtains analgesic effect on localized pain, with a lower risk of systemic drug interactions. We report a case of post-herpetic pain successfully treated by this technique. This case confirms that the intradermal administration technique (mesotherapy), which is based on the pathophysiology of the disorder, according to the recommendations, can contribute to the management of patients who do not tolerate standard therapies.
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