Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsBenefitsSide EffectsWhat to ExpectResultsFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Benefits
Side Effects
What to Expect
Results
Frequently Asked Questions
Carboxytherapy is the injection of carbon dioxide gas underneath the skin. This treatment is used to reducecellulite, stretch marks, anddark circles under the eyes. It can also be used as part of treatment for wound healing. Carbon dioxide brings additional oxygen into the area and dilates the blood vessels where it is injected to improve the overall appearance of your skin.
This article discusses the benefits, side effects, and results that can be achieved from carboxytherapy. You’ll also learn what to expect during a treatment session.
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What Are the Benefits of Carboxytherapy?
Carboxytherapy can also reduce the appearance of stretch marks. Injection of carbon dioxide stimulates cells called fibroblasts that make collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid.These substances decrease the size of your stretch marks and can help them fade, so they match your skin tone more closely.
Carboxytherapy is also used with other treatments to help heal chronic wounds that can develop with conditions such as diabetes andperipheral artery disease.It can also be used to help treatalopecia(an autoimmune disorder that causes hair loss).
Home Remedies for Dark Circles Under the Eyes
What Are the Side Effects of Carboxytherapy?
Carboxytherapy is a painless treatment with minimal or no side effects. You might feel “pressure” as the gas is injected under your skin. In some cases, bruising can occur in the area of your injections, but this usually lasts less than a week.
After a carboxytherapy session, your skin might feel warm, itchy, and/or tingly as blood circulation increases and the gas begins to work. This can last for up to 24 hours after treatment. The injected area might also be puffy (particularly under the eyes), but this will improve within a few days as your body absorbs the gas.
What to Expect During a Session
Typically, there’s no special preparation required before a carboxytherapy session. During treatment, your healthcare provider will insert a tiny needle underneath your skin and inject a small amount of gas that comes out of a machine called a flow regulator.
Treatment time ranges depending on the area being treated. Sessions typically range from 15 to 45 minutes and are performed once or twice weekly.
Contraindications for CarboxytherapyCarboxytherapy isn’t safe for everyone. Avoid this treatment if you have any of the following:Currently pregnant or breastfeedingBlood clotting disordersSevere heart diseaseStrokeHigh blood pressure (untreated)Active infectionFeverGangreneKidney failure
Contraindications for Carboxytherapy
Carboxytherapy isn’t safe for everyone. Avoid this treatment if you have any of the following:Currently pregnant or breastfeedingBlood clotting disordersSevere heart diseaseStrokeHigh blood pressure (untreated)Active infectionFeverGangreneKidney failure
Carboxytherapy isn’t safe for everyone. Avoid this treatment if you have any of the following:
What Results Can I Expect From Carboxytherapy?
Results from carboxytherapy treatments aren’t immediate and they won’t last forever. Depending on the area of the body being treated, it can take between six to eight treatment sessions for you to notice a difference in the shape of your body. For conditions like alopecia or wound healing, it can take 15 to 30 sessions to show positive changes.
Carboxytherapy treatments must be repeated every three to six months to maintain your results.
Summary
Carboxytherapy is a treatment that involves injecting a small amount of carbon dioxide gas underneath the skin. It can be used to treat stretch marks, dark circles under the eyes, cellulite, and excess fat in specific areas of the body.
Carboxytherapy is a relatively safe procedure with minimal side effects. However, multiple treatments are needed for significant results. Improvements are temporary, and treatment needs to be repeated every three to six months to maintain results.
A Word From Verywell
Carboxytherapy is a relatively pain-free way to improve the appearance of your skin and reduce unwanted stretch marks and other cosmetic changes. While it isn’t very time-consuming, this treatment can put a dent in your wallet—particularly since it can take several weeks of treatment, once or twice a week, to see results. Consult a skin care professional to see if you are a good candidate for carboxytherapy.
Multiple treatments are needed to see results from carboxytherapy, which can take several weeks (or more).
Yes, carboxytherapy can destroy fat cells.
5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Lee GSK.Quality survey on efficacy of carboxytherapy for localized lipolysis.Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2016;15(4):484-492. doi:10.1111/jocd.12242Lokhande AJ, Mysore V.Striae distensae treatment review and update.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2019;10(4):380-395. doi:10.4103%2Fidoj.IDOJ_336_18Sarkar R, Ranjan R, Garg S, Garg VK, Sonthalia S, Bansal S.Periorbital hyperpigmentation: a comprehensive review.J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2016;9(1):49-55.Macura M, Ban Frangez H, Cankar K, Finžgar M, Frangez I.The effect of transcutaneous application of gaseous CO2 on diabetic chronic wound healing—a double‐blind randomized clinical trial.Int Wound J. 2020;17(6):1607-1614. doi:10.1111%2Fiwj.13436Zelenková H.Carboxytherapy - a non-invasive method in aesthetic medicine and dermatology, and the combined usage of carboxytherapy and PRP in the periorbital area.Glob Dermatol.2019;3(5):42-48. doi:10.15761/GOD.1000202
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Lee GSK.Quality survey on efficacy of carboxytherapy for localized lipolysis.Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2016;15(4):484-492. doi:10.1111/jocd.12242Lokhande AJ, Mysore V.Striae distensae treatment review and update.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2019;10(4):380-395. doi:10.4103%2Fidoj.IDOJ_336_18Sarkar R, Ranjan R, Garg S, Garg VK, Sonthalia S, Bansal S.Periorbital hyperpigmentation: a comprehensive review.J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2016;9(1):49-55.Macura M, Ban Frangez H, Cankar K, Finžgar M, Frangez I.The effect of transcutaneous application of gaseous CO2 on diabetic chronic wound healing—a double‐blind randomized clinical trial.Int Wound J. 2020;17(6):1607-1614. doi:10.1111%2Fiwj.13436Zelenková H.Carboxytherapy - a non-invasive method in aesthetic medicine and dermatology, and the combined usage of carboxytherapy and PRP in the periorbital area.Glob Dermatol.2019;3(5):42-48. doi:10.15761/GOD.1000202
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Lee GSK.Quality survey on efficacy of carboxytherapy for localized lipolysis.Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2016;15(4):484-492. doi:10.1111/jocd.12242Lokhande AJ, Mysore V.Striae distensae treatment review and update.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2019;10(4):380-395. doi:10.4103%2Fidoj.IDOJ_336_18Sarkar R, Ranjan R, Garg S, Garg VK, Sonthalia S, Bansal S.Periorbital hyperpigmentation: a comprehensive review.J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2016;9(1):49-55.Macura M, Ban Frangez H, Cankar K, Finžgar M, Frangez I.The effect of transcutaneous application of gaseous CO2 on diabetic chronic wound healing—a double‐blind randomized clinical trial.Int Wound J. 2020;17(6):1607-1614. doi:10.1111%2Fiwj.13436Zelenková H.Carboxytherapy - a non-invasive method in aesthetic medicine and dermatology, and the combined usage of carboxytherapy and PRP in the periorbital area.Glob Dermatol.2019;3(5):42-48. doi:10.15761/GOD.1000202
Lee GSK.Quality survey on efficacy of carboxytherapy for localized lipolysis.Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2016;15(4):484-492. doi:10.1111/jocd.12242
Lokhande AJ, Mysore V.Striae distensae treatment review and update.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2019;10(4):380-395. doi:10.4103%2Fidoj.IDOJ_336_18
Sarkar R, Ranjan R, Garg S, Garg VK, Sonthalia S, Bansal S.Periorbital hyperpigmentation: a comprehensive review.J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2016;9(1):49-55.
Macura M, Ban Frangez H, Cankar K, Finžgar M, Frangez I.The effect of transcutaneous application of gaseous CO2 on diabetic chronic wound healing—a double‐blind randomized clinical trial.Int Wound J. 2020;17(6):1607-1614. doi:10.1111%2Fiwj.13436
Zelenková H.Carboxytherapy - a non-invasive method in aesthetic medicine and dermatology, and the combined usage of carboxytherapy and PRP in the periorbital area.Glob Dermatol.2019;3(5):42-48. doi:10.15761/GOD.1000202
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