I released “How Vaginal Restoration with Carboxytherapy is Changing in 2023” on my Cosmetic Gynecology Newsletter on January 25, 2023. Today’s video is the longer academic version using the original slides provided by my friend Gustavo Leibashoff, MD. This is what I use in my live teaching courses and it is available to you now. I recorded this for my Alinsod Fellows when I was back in Laguna Beach a couple of years ago and its content is a CORE knowledge for my Grads. I share this to you today so that you have an option outside of hormones to get the best skin possible before any labial surgery. Or even before any vaginal surgery. It is about 39 minutes long. I am sending this free to every Labiaplasty Newsletter subscriber. Enjoy.
Red Alinsod, MD (red@gynflix.com)
CO2LiftV by Lumisque
I released these PowerPoint Slide Set on April 25, 2022 in my Cosmetic Gynecology Newsletter. Without the video: Carboxytherapy for Gynecologic Conditions. Here is what I wrote:
I went to Brazil about a decade ago to speak in Rio at the first ever Cosmetic Gynecology Congress for Latin America. Went back in 2017 to show off ThermiVa to the Latin physicians. During my visit there I was most fascinated with the injected carbon dioxide under the skin called carboxytherapy. 30 gauge needles were used under the skin of the lower lids, face, stretch marks. It was getting injected under the skin of the labia and perineum. It looked like a painful and awful procedure. I looked into it when I returned to America and found out that there was a practice in Beverly Hills and in Manhattan that had obtain the equipment to do these carboxytherapy procedures. I tried to get a machine and found out it was not FDA cleared or approved. It is still not approved in the United States. So I lost interest. Then I get an email from my friend Gustavo Leibaschoff, M.D., an OBGYN from Argentina, living in Dallas, and President of the World Society of Cosmetic Gynecology. He had a new treatment using carbon dioxide but without needles! So obviously that sparked my interest! We got together and he told me about his new baby. CO2LiftV Gel.
Traveling the world with Gustavo and preaching the word of Carboxytherapy.
I think this is an important topic because of the rapid grown of the Feminine Wellness field and huge interest in feminine restoration.
The development of Carboxytherapy became quite important because of the huge number of women entering menopause. The genital symptoms of dryness, burning, and pain drove this development.
The first paper on carboxytherapy came from Argentina decades ago.
Carbon dioxide gas was injected under the skin superficially and in deep tissues to get its intended effect.
French cardiologist injected it improve blood flow in arms and legs.
This resulted in higher localized oxygen levels! It helped with healing.
The microcirculation improved, the vessels became dilated. The Bohr effect was working. Increasing the CO2 reduced O2’s affinity for hemoglobin. This resulted in the pH decreasing or becoming more acidic. Oxygen was released, new vessel formation started. Collagen was stimulated.
The amazing this is that the effects also occurred far away from the place of injection! The vascular flow increased and vessels opened up brought more oxygen to tissues.
Here are the studies listed showing carboxytherapy’s effects:
So here is a summary of the physiologic effects of CO2:
It was safe and non-toxic. However, it hurt, feel heavy, could cause bruising, and crepitation. Imagine using this on the vulva for lichen. It would help but it hurt!
So for 25 years its use in aesthetics grew in many parts of the world such as Latin America. Since it stimulated fibroblasts new and fresh collagen would be made. Tighter and fresher skin! Wonderful for the face, saggy eyelids, lines and wrinkles. It was like a poor man’s filler.
More and more papers came out showing effectiveness for dermatologic conditions.
Here is how Collagen Synthesis occurred. It was really the creation of Procollagen that made the difference.
So injected carboxytherapy gained acceptance for wound care and healing around the world. Except the U.S. The procedure still hurt and injections were painful. The injections of carbon dioxide under the skin would cause a separation of the skin from the underlying tissue. It was actually a physical trauma that initiated the healing cascade. Carbon dioxide bubbles were being made under the skin and you were trying to create crepitis for a short while.
Then the Big Event happened. Yoshitada Sakai of Japan published a paper about a gel that caused the same Bohr Effect without having to inject anything. No needles! No more pain from the dozens of shots needed to get a clinical effect.
A company was created called Lumisque who branded the gel “CO2Lift.” The gel was now used for cosmetics and not just for burn patients and wound care patients. CO2Lift was great for the face and skin and created a fresh and vibrant look. It helped reduce wrinkles and even out the skin tone.
The product was gentle and non-irritating.
Gustavo wrote a paper with Luis Coll and Wendy Roberts and showed the increase in microcirculation using the gel.
Gustavo showed that the injected CO2 and the gel CO2 gave very similar results.
The horizontal and vertical capillaries were increased! More blood flow!
Not only more blood flow but also more density in the vascularity.
The vessel diameter even widened!
The study conclusion:
So now you wonder if this works in the genital area? A gel for GYNs perhaps! Read on to see my experience of the past few years. Go to Lumisque and get more info.
The next logical step was to see if the effects on the skin of the face could be duplicated with the skin and mucosa of the vulva and vagina. CO2LiftV was born. Made specially for genital use. Studies were done in Columbia.
Gustavo and his team were able to show a thickening of vulvar skin on histopath.
H&E Stain showed improved maturation, thicker epithelium, increased Glycogen.
They created a protocol for daily use for 5-10 days straight that definitely showed an increase in the Glycogen stores indicting active metabolic activity. The vulvovaginal tissues were waking up!
Posterior wall biopsies of the vagina showed a dramatic increase in pro collagen at day 21. The pinkish red stuff you see on the right picture.
The Vaginal Health Index shot up from 11 to 18. The FSFI scores improved in all domains in separate study done in Mexico.
Here are some of the photos the group recorded. You can see tightening effects on the majora as new tight collagen was created. This is without any RF or laser treatment.
These are what the study found:
Another study in the US and Venezuela by Gustavo found similar results.
Gustavo’s World Society of Cosmetic Gynecology did another study and found similar results. You can contact Gustavo Leibaschoff at drghl@icam-usa.com to obtain a copy of his research.
Here is the conclusion of the study.
So Lana Kerr, CEO and Founder of Lumisque created CO2LiftV for release in America with this kit shown below. 5 small packets and 5 large packets and 5 syringes.
The small packet had Glucololactone and the large packet had magnesium carbonate. You mixed them in a small shot glass or paper cup. You suck it up in a syringe. You place it inside the vagina with the syringe and any leftover you place on the external vulva. Simple. Leave alone for 45 minutes and shower or bath. 5 to 10 straight nights and it acts like jet fuel to create vascularity which brings in oxygen which brings in collagen from the awoken fibroblasts. Even elastin is improved and the genital tissues get moist and get the stretch back. This can be used alone and also used in conjunction with vaginal estrogens. Maintenance is done 1-2x per month with a single syringe as needed. Again, it is like a jump start, jet fuel to rapidly improve the tissues. I have used it now for a couple of years and have been totally impressed. I use it to maintain my ThermiVa results! A great post RF or Laser adjunct to maintain the investment your patients have just made.
Here is the list for who you may consider treating with Carboxytherapy.
Pretty impressive stuff. An option for those who want a rapid response, who are not wanting to use vaginal estrogens, who do not want to use lasers or RF. Or as an adjunct to lasers and RF and vaginal estrogens. So safe and soothing. Another product that started in the face and ended up in the vagina like PRP, Lasers, RF.
As a disclosure and disclaimer, I am a consultant for Lumisque.
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