The Latest anti-ageing treatment to arrive in South Africa is ...
carbon dioxide.
Described as the biggest breakthrough in beauty therapy since Botox, it is
said to eradicate stretch marks, fade scars, melt fat and take years off your
skin.
What is this non-surgical miracle? Injections of carbon dioxide gas.
The treatment is huge in the U.S. and is now available at the Chelsea
Aesthetic Centre, Wynberg, Cape Town, South Africa.
We are the first to bring Carboxy therapy here, in the form of the Brazilian
Rio-Blush rejuvenation system.
It really is the most important anti-ageing therapy since Botox 13 years
ago. Carboxy therapy can treat areas such as jowls, bingo wings, stretch marks
and the decolletage, as well as cellulite.
"Nothing else works like it for loose skin and stretch marks. It means there
is no need for surgery in many cases. The effects are revolutionary."
So how does it work? Carbon dioxide, the invisible, odourless gas that is
part of the air we breathe, is injected just under the surface of the skin
using a fine needle.
According to many studies, it diffuses into the surrounding tissues and
causes blood vessels to dilate.
Wider vessels mean a stronger blood supply, which brings a rush of oxygen
and nutrients to the treated area.
Evidence shows the carbon dioxide kills fat cells by causing them to
distend, the extra oxygen eliminates fluid build-up between cells, and the
skin is stimulated to produce more collagen.
The result, say practitioners, is fewer fat cells and firmer, younger skin.
Medical studies have long shown carbon dioxide stimulates circulation.
It has been used in France since the Thirties to treat patients suffering
from poor circulation, blocked arteries and heart problems.
More recently, research by the University of Siena in Italy showed Carboxy
therapy is effective at smoothing skin and reducing fat.
In the study, 48 women had six sessions over three weeks. On average, their
thighs reduced by 2cm, and they lost 1cm from each knee and 3cm from their
stomach. At the same time their skin became thicker and their cellulite
smoother.
The results on stretch marks and scars are permanent, but doctors suggest
that to maintain reduced cellulite levels, you should have boosters every six
months.
Carbon dioxide is a natural gas, produced by the cells in our bodies.
Nontoxic and routinely used to inflate the abdomen for laparoscopic surgery,
it is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and expelled via our breath and
kidneys.