Carboxytherapy
Carboxytherapy is the injection of medical-grade carbon dioxide (CO2) gas just beneath the skin through a fine needle, used in aesthetic medicine on areas such as stretch marks, cellulite, scars, and under-eye skin. Its proposed mechanism is a local blood-flow response (the Bohr effect) that may stimulate collagen turnover; the supporting data cited are largely from animal studies (Zelenkova & Wollina 2023).
Key facts
- Delivery: CO2 gas, injected subcutaneously or intradermally; absorbed within minutes. Repeated sessions are generally needed.
- Evidence: A 2023 systematic review of 8 studies (299 people) found improvement in cellulite and stretch-mark outcomes, but rated most studies low quality and found no standard parameters (Martignago et al. 2023).
- Common effects: Pain, bruising, redness, swelling. Rare complications reported in case reports include subcutaneous emphysema and hygiene-related mycobacterial infection.
- Not for everyone: Contraindications listed in the literature include pregnancy, severe cardiovascular disease, clotting disorders, and acute infection.
Full evidence discussion: Does Carboxytherapy Work? What the Evidence Shows for Stretch Marks and Cellulite.
Sources
Zelenkova H, Wollina U. “Carboxytherapy in esthetic medicine – A review.” CosmoDerma 3:108, 2023.
Martignago CCS, et al. “Carboxytherapy on the treatment of managing cellulite and striae distensae: A systematic review.” Research, Society and Development 12(8):e3612842520, 2023.