Regardless of the reason for a patient’s hair loss, he/she has two goals in mind: stop hair loss and induce hair growth. PRP is a hot topic in the aesthetics world, and it’s becoming an increasingly popular option for hair restoration and rejuvenation. With standard PRP protocols, results can be seen as early as 2 months, but typically between 4-8 months, continuing up to 1 year.
Carboxytherapy is another successful aesthetic application that can be used in conjunction with PRP hair rejuvenation treatments. Combining the two treatments stimulates as much growth and blood flow to the affected areas, giving you faster, longer-lasting results.
What is Carboxytherapy?
Carboxytherapy is the administration of carbon dioxide gas for therapeutic relief. Carboxytherapy is most commonly used in the aesthetic field to help with deep scars and stretch marks.
Carbon dioxide is the signal for poor blood circulation in the body. Like we learn in our elementary school science classes, we inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. Think of this as the release or detox of our body’s cells – heart, brain, skin, etc. When the body has high carbon dioxide levels, oxygen molecules are released and pick up the carbon dioxide to be exhaled. When carbon dioxide gas is injected on and below the surface of the skin, the cells are tricked into thinking there is poor blood circulation.
Circulation at the Root
When we pair PRP hair restoration treatments with carboxy, we are dilating the blood vessels and circulation in the treatment area. That means, oxygen and nutrients from the platelet-rich plasma are delivered much more quickly and effectively. When carbon dioxide gas is injected into the hair follicle, the target is the “bulge” of the root. The bulge contains a cluster of stem cells waiting to be activated. The stem cells found in this bulge are responsible for sending signals to hair follicle cells to grow.
Is it safe?
Just like PRP, carboxytherapy is a safe treatment for practically any patient because carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring substance in the body. Hearing the phrase “carbon dioxide gun” may seem daunting or scary, but the device safely injects controlled, small amounts of carbon dioxide in a very particular way to reach the stem cell bulge. Carbon dioxide gas is administered at the same injection site at the PRP injections. Carboytherapy and PRP treatments should only be performed by licensed medical professionals trained on these advanced techniques.