The Physicians Coalition for Injectable Safety this week issued a consumer warning about carboxytherapy and mesotherapy injections. These products, touting everything from cellulite treatment to weight loss, are not FDA approved and do not have clinical data that demonstrates results or safety.
Carboxytherapy uses carbon dioxide gas injected under the skin to reduce the look of cellulite, treatment of dark under-eye circles, and stretch marks and is also touted for fat sculpting on the face and the body.
“Although many Web sites or providers claim carboxytherapy is safe and FDA approved, it has not been clinically tested or FDA approved for these purposes,” says Coalition leader Robert Weiss, MD of Baltimore, MD. “Carboxytherapy for use around the eyes is especially dangerous. It could potentially release gas bubbles into blood vessels causing blindness. In addition, the risks of putting carbon dioxide in your body are currently unknown.”
Mesotherapy, also known as injection lipolysis, is a mixture of vitamins, drugs and enzymes that are compounded (mixed together) to make the injected substance.
“There is no conclusive, authoritative information that exists, such as unbiased, peer-reviewed clinical studies that meets the standards of an accepted medical journal, measuring both the efficacy and safety of mesotherapy,” says Coalition leader Mark Jewell, MD, Eugene, Oregon. “We don’t know the safety or efficacy of these compounds and, until there exists credible evidence, consumers are advised not to have these injections.”
[Source: Original press release]
