Table of Contents
Introduction
The transdermal or subcutaneous delivery of carbon dioxide (CO2) gas for medicinal purposes is known as carboxytherapy (CT). It first appeared in Royat, France, in 1932. It involved using hot carbonated water baths or directly applying water saturated with carbon dioxide to the skin. These applications enhanced wound healing and restored abnormal vascular (arterial) functions, as those seen in Raynaud's syndrome (decrease in blood flow to the extremities).
What Is Carboxytherapy?
Carboxytherapy is a medical procedure in which sterile carbon dioxide gas is injected beneath the skin. This treatment has drawn attention due to its capacity to cure a wide range of medical and cosmetic issues. It helps to promote wound healing and is frequently used to reduce cellulite, stretch marks, and dark circles under the eyes. Carboxytherapy is a noninvasive procedure. It is also believed that carboxytherapy increases skin circulation and softness and minimizes wrinkles and lines.
How Does Carboxytherapy Work?
Carbonic acid is formed inside the tissue as a reaction between carbon dioxide and water. This reaction lowers the tissue pH or potential of hydrogen. This sets off the Bohr Effect, in which a lower pH weakens the oxygen-hemoglobin link, boosting the release of oxygen during carboxytherapy. In addition, capillary walls become more permeable at pH values of 6.8 or below. Collagen fibers become less hard and more flexible at lower pH values, approximately 6.0 to 5.0.
Additional chemical reactions involve the dissociation of carbonic acid (H₂CO₃) into hydrogen (H⁺) and bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻) ions, as well as the reduction of divalent calcium ions (Ca²⁺). Calcium hydrogen carbonate (Ca(HCO3₃)₂), sodium hydrogen carbonate (NaHCO3₃), and potassium hydrogen carbonate (KHCO3₃) are the products of these processes.
These interactions raise the pH to alkaline, eventually producing analgesic and spasmolytic effects. These alkaline reactions also decrease the tonus of capillaries and arteries, and skin temperature increases by 33.8 degrees Fahrenheit. The treated areas' overall health and nourishment improve due to this rise in temperature. Furthermore, several researchers have suggested that the activation of fat oxidation from adipocytes has a direct lipolytic effect on adipocytes. The lungs expel any leftover CO2. Bradycardia (slower heart rate), lowered blood pressure, and coronary artery dilatation are additional systemic effects of carboxytherapy.
How Long Does Carboxytherapy Last?
It is crucial to remember that the benefits of carboxytherapy are temporary, and it takes time for the results to be noticeable. Depending on the area being treated, different timeframes apply for noticeable results. Usually, six to eight therapy sessions are required before noticeable changes in body form are seen. On the other hand, a longer treatment plan of 15 to 30 sessions would be required to see improvement in disorders like alopecia (hair loss) or wound healing.
People frequently require recurring maintenance sessions to sustain these outcomes over time. Usually, this maintenance regimen calls for repeated treatments every three to six months to maintain the intended results. Thus, although carboxytherapy can have many benefits, these effects are temporary, and regular treatments are usually needed to maintain the intended outcomes.
What Are the Contraindications of Carboxytherapy?
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Advanced age and the patient's unreasonable expectations.
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Severe ischemic heart disease (less blood supply to the heart muscles).
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Untreated high blood pressure.
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Stroke (decreased blood flow to the brain).
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Pregnancy and breastfeeding.
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Gangrene or tissue death due to lack of blood supply or infection.
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Phlebothrombosis or blood clot formation without inflammation of the vessel wall.
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Thrombophlebitis or blood clot formation is preceded by vein wall inflammation.
What Are the Side Effects of Carboxytherapy?
Carboxytherapy is typically regarded as a painless procedure with negligible to no adverse effects. Bruising at the injection site is rare; however, it resolves within a week. Some people might experience a pressure sensation as the gas is administered within the skin.
Patients may experience warm, itchy, or tingly skin after a carboxytherapy session as the gas starts to work and blood circulation increases. After therapy, these feelings may linger for up to 24 hours. Furthermore, there can be some puffiness, especially beneath the eyes, although this normally goes away in a few days as the body absorbs the gas.
What Is Expected During a Carboxytherapy Session?
Carboxytherapy, a nonsurgical, minimally invasive procedure, requires very little preparation. Before a session, patients can typically carry on with their usual activities without requiring extra precautions. During the procedure, a medical professional will inject a small quantity of carbon dioxide (CO2) gas just under the skin using a tiny needle. A device called a flow regulator ensures precise control over the amount and flow rate of CO2.
Each carboxytherapy session requires a different time duration based on the ailment being treated and the area being treated. Treatment sessions typically run from fifteen to forty-five minutes. The required number of sessions varies as well. They are typically arranged once or twice a week. The intended outcomes and each patient's unique reaction to therapy determine the frequency and length of sessions.
Patients may feel slight discomfort during the injection, although this normally passes rapidly. Redness or swelling at the injection sites may occur after the session, but these side effects usually disappear quickly. After treatment, patients can usually return to their regular activities without major interruption.
Which Combinations Are Possible with Carboxytherapy?
Light skin preps such as hydro abrasion or microdermabrasion (dead skin cell removal) can be done before a carboxytherapy (CT) session. Options such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) mask (stimulates the synthesis of collagen and growth factors using one’s blood) or soft laser therapy are feasible after CT. After that, between two and ten days after the carboxytherapy, several operations can be considered, such as chemical peels ( top layers of skin are removed by using a chemical solution), injection lipolysis (fat reduction technique), mesotherapy (nonsurgical, long-term solution for skin aging and hair loss in addition to body sculpting and fat reduction), micro-needling (skin is pricked using small needles to stimulate collagen production), cryotherapy (low temperature is used to destroy cell tissues), cell stimulation, dermal fillers (implants that can be used to assist give the face a smoother, fuller appearance), botulinum toxin, PRP, or thread treatments. Notably, combining CT with PRP or fillers has a lot of potential.
Conclusion
Carboxytherapy is a minimally invasive treatment for cellulite reduction, stretch marks, and under-eye dark circles. Through increased circulation and collagen formation stimulation, carboxytherapy results in firmer, more rejuvenated skin. It is a useful choice in medical and cosmetic dermatology. Though the treatment is generally considered safe and effective, more research is required to fully evaluate its long-term advantages and potential risks to guarantee its efficacy and safety for wider clinical application.
