Carbonated drinks are not bad, at least, not if carbon dioxide — the gas that gives fizzy drinks their pop — is injected directly into you.
Ask cosmetic surgeons in the UK. It is the latest weapon available in the fight against aging — or at least aged- looking.
The gas is injected just below the skin, where it is said to work a number of wonders — from melting away excess fat and dissolving unseemly stretch marks to tightening jowls and combating those dark circles under the eyes.
Clinics generally charge £100 to £150 (between Rs. 7,000 to 11,000) per session of carboxytherapy, with up to a dozen treatments needed to tackle the deepest stretch marks or saggiest faces.
Doctors say the jabs dilate blood vessels, boosting the flow of blood and oxygen and nourishing the regeneration of skin cells.Deep injections can kill fat cells, it is claimed.Carboxytherapy could also come to the aid of the bald, with jabs reopening closed pores, potentially allowing hair to regrow.
The technique 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 it 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.Sabine Zenker, a doctor who has pioneered the use of the technique, said: “ This is quick, largely pain- free and a more natural alternative to dermal fillers and Botox.” She added: “ It takes four or five minutes.
It is not painful at all.” Patients can suffer bruising and are advised to abstain from vigorous exercise for two hours and baths for four.Some doctors are reluctant to provide carboxytherapy to patients with asthma or breathing difficulties.
Rajiv Grover, the secretary of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, cautioned that more research should be conducted into the long- term effects of the treatment before it can be considered a safer alternative to the more tradtional Botox injections or the application of dermal fillers.
Sabine Zenker, a doctor who developed the use of carboxytherapy, said: ‘This is quick, largely pain-free and a more natural alternative to dermal fillers and Botox.'
The gas is injected underneath the skin where it sets to work boosting the flow of blood and oxygen and encouraging the renewal of skin cells. Deep injections even claim to destroy unwanted fat cells.
Even bald men can benefit from this medical marvel. Injections are said to reopen closed pores, potentially allowing the re-growth of hair.
Rajiv Grover, secretary of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, has said that more research is needed into the long-term effects. But dubbed quick and painless, this new treatment could take the beauty industry by storm.
