Carboxytherapy is a non-surgical cosmetic medicine treatment for dermatology. Carboxytherapy employs injections or transdermal application to infuse gaseous

carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide (chemical formula ) is a chemical compound made up of molecules that each have one carbon atom covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It is found in the gas state at room temperature. In the air, carbon dioxide is transpar ...

below the

skin Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation. Other cuticle, animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have diffe ...

into the subcutaneous tissue through a needle or skin. It has a necrotizing effect on fat tissue

fat In nutrition science, nutrition, biology, and chemistry, fat usually means any ester of fatty acids, or a mixture of such chemical compound, compounds, most commonly those that occur in living beings or in food. The term often refers spec ...

cells, stimulates

blood Blood is a body fluid in the circulatory system of humans and other vertebrates that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells, and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells. Blood in the c ...

flow, improves the skin's elasticity and reduces the appearance of

cellulite Cellulite is the herniation of subcutaneous fat within fibrous connective tissue that manifests as skin dimpling and nodularity, often on the pelvic region (specifically the buttocks), lower limbs, and abdomen. Cellulite occurs in most postpube ...

. It has also become a popular treatment for

stretch marks Stretch marks, also known as striae () or striae distensae, are a form of scarring on the skin with an off-color hue. Over time they may diminish, but will not disappear completely. Striae are caused by tearing of the dermis during periods of r ...

. It is non-toxic and less invasive than operations like liposuction. Carboxytherapy leads to a temporary decrease in subcutaneous fat but has shown to reoccur again after a 28 week period. It can be applied for those with androgenic alopecia or

alopecia areata Alopecia areata, also known as spot baldness, is a condition in which hair is lost from some or all areas of the body. Often, it results in a few bald spots on the scalp, each about the size of a coin. Psychological stress and illness are pos ...

. As of 2018, Carboxytherapy has not approved by the FDA. Risks include inadvertent lipolysis and emphysema. Carboxytherapy was discovered in 1932 in Royat, France after patients had been soaking in carbon-rich pools with wounds healing and circulatory diseases improving such as Raynaud's syndrome. In the 1950s French doctors began injecting carbon dioxide for treating cellulite.

Uses

*Alopecia *Cellulite *Morphea *Scars *Skin rejuvenation *Skin laxity deficiency *Stretch marks *Striae distensae

Uses

See also

References

Further reading