Carbon Dioxide Therapy in the Treatment of Cellulite: An Audit of Clinical Practice

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The clinical practice of using carbon dioxide therapy for localized adiposities was audited over a 4-year period. METHODS: Patients receiving physical, dietary, or drug concurrent therapy were excluded from the audit. Original measurements in terms of mean +/- standard error of the mean (SEM) were compared with those obtained after five sessions. RESULTS: This series included 101 women who underwent abdominal therapy. Significant reduction (p < 0.05) in mean upper, mid, and lower abdomen circumference was experienced by all three age groups: respectively, 1.8 +/- 0.5, 1.6 +/- 0.4, and 2.1 +/- 0.3 cm in the 20- to 29-year- old group, 1.6 +/- 0.4, 2.3 +/- 0.3, and 2.1 +/- 0.3 cm in the 30- to 39-year-old group, and 2.0 +/- 0.4, 2.5 +/- 0.4, and 2.6 +/- 0.4 cm in the 40- to 50-year-old group. For 57 women who underwent localized thigh therapy (27 in the 20- to 29-year-old group, 18 in the 30- to 39-year-old group, and 12 in the 40- to 50-year-old group), thigh circumference was significantly reduced in the right versus left thigh: respectively, 1.6 +/- 0.3 versus 1.5 +/- 0.2 cm, 1.1 +/- 0.3 versus 1.1 +/- 0.3 cm, 1.6 +/- 0.3 versus 1.5 +/- 0.4. Weight loss was significant for older women who underwent abdominal therapy: 1.3 +/- 0.2 kg in the 30- to 39-year-old group (n = 43) and 1.3 +/- 0.2 kg in the 40- to 50 year-old group (n = 29). Older women who underwent thigh therapy also recorded significant weight reduction: 0.9 +/- 0.4 kg in the 30- to 39-year-old group (n = 18) and 1.6 +/- 0.3 kg in the 40- to 50-year-old group (n = 12). The results for 10 men were not significant. CONCLUSION: These results agree with those reported originally and demonstrate that carboxytherapy is safe and effective.