Carboxytherapy refers to the cutaneous and subcutaneous administration of carbon dioxide gas [CO2] for therapeutic purposes. Studies have demonstrated that carboxytherapy improves skin elasticity, improves circulation, encourages collagen repair, improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and destroys localized fatty deposits. Carbon dioxide is a natural constituent of our very being. We breathe in oxygen, and we exhale carbon dioxide. Plants take up the carbon dioxide, and in turn give us the oxygen that we need. There are no known risks associated with carboxytherapy. Carbon dioxide injection.

What Carboxy Therapy Can Do

Traditionally, the eye area has been difficult to treat but with the advent of Carboxytherapy this area can now be improved.

Carboxytherapy Improves:

• Dark Circles by increasing the oxygenation of this poorly perfused area
• Eye Bags are reduced by skin tightening and modest fat reduction ( see before & after photos)
• Crows Feet Wrinkles and sleep lines around the eye area are reduced due to collagen stimulation
• Hooded eyes are modestly lifted by tightening the forehead area with strategically placed Carboxy injections. The open brow expression and brow lift is due to new collagen remodeling and contraction of the skin on the brow down the line
• Skin texture around the eye area improves due to collagen stimulation

On the Face Carboxytherapy improves the following :

• Brow Ptosis is improved due to new collagen remodeling and contraction down the line
• Skin wrinkling improves due to collagen stimulation
• Lip wrinkling improves due to collagen stimulation
• Saggy Jowls are improved due to new collagen remodelling and contraction down the line
• Crepey necks improve due to collagen stimulation ( normally a very difficult area to treat )
• Double chin is reduced due to fat reduction and skin tightening
• Fat or Flabby cheeks are reduced due to fat reduction and skin tightening
• Wrinkled ear lobes improves due to collagen stimulation

Additional difficult to treat problems improved by Carboxytherapy include:

• Wrinkled Décolleté rejuvenation due to collagen stimulation
• Acne Scars improvement if Carboxy is used as subcision which releases the scar and promotes collagen formation under the scar.

Alternative therapies for Carboxytherapy include:

• Psoriasis improvement
• Before surgical procedures such as a surgical facelift to improve wound healing and tissue perfusion.
  

Best Candidates for Carbon Dioxide Therapy

As one ages, the skin's elasticity declines dramatically and gravity constantly pulls on our faces. Changes related to sun damage gravity become more pronounced and one of the earliest signs of facial aging is the development crow's feet at the age of thirty, a double chin and flabby jowls at the age of forty and under eye bags at the age of fifty.

Previously there was no alternative to surgical face lifts and eye lifts or blepharoplasties. The choices were fairly black and white; surgery or eye bags. Both areas were very difficult area to treat non-surgically. Now with the advent of novel devices such as Carboxytherapy and skin tightening lasers and lights ,virtually any patient in their thirties or above can be a candidate for a little tightening and firming around the eye and jowl area and the younger the patient the better the result. Eight out of ten patients get noticeable improvement in skin laxity around the eyes after the first two treatments of carboxytherapy and most will see an improvement in skin color, luminosity and texture.

If thirty-year-olds+ opt for preventative non invasive procedures such as Carboxytherapy, a new trend will develop resulting in a much different type of ageing than older generations.

Botox alternative: In addition, for those patients who are nervous about the effects of Botox® , new technologies such as Carboxytherapy offer an alternative to rejuvenation and improvement of crows feet and a more open eyed expression.

Carboxytherapy safely treats all skin types without significant pain or down-time. It can erase years off one’s face and is one of the most effective methods of achieving a significant aesthetic improvement within 2 to 6 months when the effects of collagen stimulation and remodeling become evident. A medical consultation prior to treatment is essential.

Preparing for Carboxytherapy

During the treatment the sensation can be likened to a dull throb or pressure .This mild discomfort lasts 2 to 4 minutes. CO2 is 20 times more soluble than oxygen and it is easily and quickly diffused from the injection site to the surrounding tissue. After a treatment the gas is totally reabsorbed within 5 minutes and the treated area will raise, turn slightly red as oxygen perfuses into the area which undergoes an inflammatory response which stimulates collagen production.

Carboxy Therapy Overview

Carboxytherapy takes advantage of a physiological principle known as oxygen off-loading.  Carbon dioxide is naturally present in our bodies at all times and it is essential to the life processes of both animals and plants.  With every breath, we inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide.  Plants absorb the carbon dioxide that we exhale and release oxygen back into the atmosphere. 

There are many types of cells that make up the human body—heart cells, brain cells, skin cells; even though they may have very different jobs to perform, all cells take up the oxygen that we breathe in and burn it to make energy to do their job, then give off carbon dioxide as a waste product.  Have you ever noticed that if the blood supply is cut off to your hand that it will turn a distinctive shade of violet?  What you are actually seeing is the accumulation of deoxygenated blood.  Here is why.  With each inhalation we breathe in oxygen to our lungs.  This oxygen is picked up by the red blood cells in the tiny blood vessels of the lungs. 

Each red blood cell has holding space for precisely four molecules of oxygen. The oxygen-laden red blood cells are carried from the lungs via tiny blood vessels that lead to the heart. The heart beats, forcing the blood into the arteries so that the red blood cells can carry their oxygen-rich cargo to the hard working cells of the body.  When the red blood cells encounter an area that has a high level of carbon dioxide, the waste product of cellular metabolism, the red blood cells become distorted, the oxygen is released to the needy tissues and the carbon dioxide is picked up by the now empty red blood cells.

The carbon dioxide is carried back to the lungs, we exhale to get rid of the carbon dioxide, we inhale more oxygen, and the entire process begins again. Dark under-eye circles, cellulite, and scars are believed to caused, at least in part, due to poor blood-flow to the region. By injecting a small amount of carbon dioxide gas into the area, we are “tricking” the body into increasing the oxygen flow to the area by compelling the red blood cells to pick up all of the excess CO2that we injected so that it can be carried back to the lungs for elimination from the body with the next exhalation.

There are several machines that are used to administer the carbon dioxide gas, but the basic components are the same. There is a tank of carbon dioxide gas that is connected by plastic tubing to a flow-regulator. The flow-regulator slows down the speed of the gas according to the rate selected by the physician. The gas emerges from the flow-regulator into sterile tubing that has a filter connected at the exit to remove any trace impurities before the gas is run through a tiny needle attached to the opposite side of the filter. The pure gas is now ready to be injected beneath the skin via the tiny needle.

Carboxy Therapy Results

Carboxytherapy is used for the treatment of dark under-eye circles, stretch-marks, cellulite reduction, and non-surgical fat sculpting on the face and the body. Carboxytherapy can be used to treat the eyelids, face, neck, arms, stomach, buttocks, and legs. In addition to increasing oxygenated blood-flow to the region injected, carboxytherapy also increases collagen formation in the skin, giving it a more youthful appearance.

Dark Under The Eye Circles

One major cause of dark under eye circles is vascular pooling. The capillary network of the lower eyelids can become congested for a variety of reasons. Normally, the tears drain from the eyelids into the nose, but if there is some obstruction due to chronic nasal congestion from seasonal allergies, previous nasal fracture, or a deviated septum, the drainage doesn't function well, and the blood flow to the lower eyelids becomes sluggish, giving rise to the boggy blue tinge known casually as "allergic shiners." The lack of appropriate oxygenation to the lower eyelid skin allows the bluish cast to show through the thin skin of the eyelids. Carboxytherapy works to improve the capillary network of the lower eyelids, as well as to increase the dermal collagen layer in the lower eyelid skin. By injecting a small amount of carbon dioxide gas into the affected areas, blood flow is increased and improved capillary networks are formed for longer lasting circulatory benefit. The bluish cast is replaced with a healthy pink tone. Once a series of treatments is completed, the skin has a more luminous appearance that lasts approximately six months.

Stretchmarks

Stretchmarks (striae distensae) occur when the skin is stretched to the point where the dermal collagen ruptures. Carboxytherapy causes the formation of new collagen and subsequently thickens the skin to improve the appearance of the stretchmarks by rebuilding the collagen matrix.

Cellulite and Fat Reduction

When injected via a specific technique, carbon dioxide gas is directly toxic to fat cells. The fat cells literally burst and are eliminated by the body.

Carboxytherapy Recovery

Carboxytherapy doesn't hurt; it just feels a little "weird." Because of differences in the techniques used to treat the eyelids, stretch-marks, scars, and fat deposits, the sensation is slightly different depending upon what is actually being treated. I use numbing cream for all of my patients to diminish any discomfort associated with the pin-prick of the needle itself. When treating the lower eyelids it will feel puffy, but that will subside once the gas is absorbed over the next five to ten minutes.

The treatment of stretch-marks and scars is relatively painless because this skin doesn't have the same ability to sense pain. Some pressure from the gas may be felt as the stretch-marks are distended, and they can feel a bit itchy, but again this subsides in about five minutes once the gas is absorbed by the body. Scars generally feel no pain because there are no nerves in scar tissue. The treatment of cellulite and fatty deposits on the arms, abdomen, and legs has a unique sensation of its own. This is because a larger amount of the gas is injected directly into the offending fat deposits and allowed to expand. While the gas is expanding, you may feel some pressure in the area being treated that feels similar to when the arm is squeezed by a blood pressure cuff. The areas will feel warm and tingly for up to 24 hours after the treatment as the circulation to the area is improved.

The amount of treatments you will require depends upon the severity of the problem being treated. Usually, six to twelve treatments spaced one week apart yields an excellent result.

Possible Risks of Carboxy Therapy

The only real possible side effect of carboxytherapy is the potential for a bruise at the injection site. Usually, the eyelids can be treated without leaving any marks, making it a truly "no-downtime" procedure. Bruising is very common when treating the arms and legs, so carboxytherapy might not be a good idea if you plan on wearing a bikini the following week during vacation.

There are no known risks associated with carboxytherapy. Carbon dioxide injection has been safely used for years to facilitate endoscopic surgeries of the abdomen. Carbon dioxide is also being injected directly into the bloodstream by invasive cardiologists for certain diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.