Intimate Carboxytherapy in Sharjah
Medically reviewed by Dar Al Kamal Team
What is intimate carboxytherapy?
Intimate carboxytherapy is a gas-based treatment for the skin and soft tissue of the intimate area. A medical device warms and filters pure carbon dioxide and releases it in controlled pulses through a very fine needle placed just under the skin.
Carbon dioxide is a gas your body makes all the time and breathes out with every breath, so the tissue absorbs it and clears it quickly. The treatment works through the body's own response to a local rise in carbon dioxide. Small blood vessels widen, blood flow to the area increases, and red blood cells release more of the oxygen they carry into the surrounding tissue, an effect known in physiology as the Bohr effect. The gas also gently separates the layers beneath the skin as it spreads, and the tissue responds with its own repair activity.
Carboxytherapy uses gas alone. There is no heat, light or energy involved, which sets it apart from laser, radiofrequency and HIFU treatments, and it leaves the skin surface intact. At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah, intimate carboxytherapy is performed in-house by the gynaecology and obstetrics team.
Who needs it
Intimate carboxytherapy is used on the outer intimate area: the outer labia (labia majora), the mons pubis above them, the perineum and the skin folds between the vulva and the thighs. Women consider it for:
- loose or thinned skin of the outer labia after childbirth, weight loss or with age
- dryness and reduced suppleness of the vulval skin around and after menopause
- uneven or darker skin tone in the skin folds of the groin
The gynaecologist first examines the area to check for skin conditions, infections or other causes that need treatment of their own, such as lichen sclerosus or eczema of the vulva. Where dryness is mainly inside the vagina, vaginal mesotherapy or menopause management may suit better, and energy-based skin tightening treatments are another route for laxity. Carboxytherapy is often chosen by women who prefer a treatment without heat and with little time away from daily life.
What happens
You change privately and lie on the examination couch, and the skin of the treatment area is cleaned. No numbing cream is usually needed, though it can be applied on request.
The gynaecologist inserts a very fine needle just under the skin at one point, and the device releases the gas in a steady, controlled flow for a few seconds before the needle is moved to the next point. You feel pressure and a spreading sense of fullness or warmth, sometimes a mild sting. As the gas moves under the skin, the area can look slightly puffy and makes a soft crackling feel when touched, called crepitus, which is a normal sign that the gas has spread through the tissue.
A session is short and you go home straight afterwards. Carboxytherapy is given as a course of sessions spaced apart, and the gynaecologist plans the number and spacing for your skin at the first visit.
Preparing for it
Tell the gynaecologist about any heart or lung condition, such as severe heart failure or long-term lung disease, because the body must clear the added carbon dioxide. Also mention blood-thinning medicines, a bleeding tendency, epilepsy, or a pregnancy or possible pregnancy.
Plan sessions away from your period. Trim the area if you wish, and leave waxing or fresh shaving until after the session, because the skin is calmer without them. Arrive with clean skin and no creams, perfumes or powders in the area, and wear loose, comfortable clothing. Sessions can be timed around Ramadan and work in whatever way suits you.
Afterwards
The crackling feel and any puffiness settle as the gas is absorbed, usually within the same day. Mild redness, tenderness or small bruises at the needle points fade over the following days. Normal daily activity, including desk work and driving, can continue straight away.
Keep the area clean and dry, and wear loose cotton underwear. Leave hot baths, saunas, swimming pools and intense exercise for the rest of the day. In the Sharjah summer, stay out of the heat where you can and change out of sweaty clothes promptly. The gynaecologist reviews the skin at your next session and adjusts the course if needed.
Contact the hospital if a needle point becomes red, hot, swollen or painful, if a discharge appears, or if you develop a fever. **Go to the emergency department straight away if you feel short of breath, have chest pain, or feel faint during or after a session.**
Cost and insurance
Intimate carboxytherapy is an elective aesthetic treatment, and UAE insurance plans usually exclude cosmetic procedures, so it is normally self-pay. Because it is given as a course, ask for the cost of the full plan at your consultation. A consultation to investigate symptoms such as vulval itching or pain may be covered by your plan. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can explain the costs on 06 599 7777.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the risks of intimate carboxytherapy?
Intimate carboxytherapy commonly causes temporary puffiness, crackling under the skin, mild redness, tenderness and small bruises at the needle points. Less often it can cause infection at a needle point or a short-lived feeling of light-headedness. The gynaecologist explains how these risks apply to you and checks your heart and lung health before treatment.
Is it safe to inject carbon dioxide gas?
The carbon dioxide used in carboxytherapy is medical-grade gas released in small, controlled amounts by a device that warms and filters it. The body already produces carbon dioxide and clears it by breathing, so the gas is absorbed and removed quickly. It is unsuitable for people with severe heart or lung disease, which is why the gynaecologist asks about both.
How is carboxytherapy different from laser treatment?
Carboxytherapy works with injected gas that increases blood flow from inside the tissue, while laser treatment uses light energy that heats the tissue. Carboxytherapy has no heat and leaves the skin surface intact, and it is used mainly on the outer intimate area rather than inside the vagina.
Does intimate carboxytherapy hurt?
Intimate carboxytherapy feels like pressure, warmth and a spreading fullness, sometimes with a short sting when the gas flows. Numbing cream can be applied if you prefer, and the gynaecologist can slow the gas flow to keep you comfortable.
How many carboxytherapy sessions will I need?
Intimate carboxytherapy is given as a course of sessions spaced apart, followed by occasional maintenance if you wish. The number depends on the area treated and your skin, and the gynaecologist sets and reviews the plan with you.
Who should not have intimate carboxytherapy?
Intimate carboxytherapy is unsuitable during pregnancy, with an active infection or skin condition in the area, or with severe heart or lung disease, poorly controlled epilepsy or a bleeding disorder. The gynaecologist reviews your full medical history before recommending it.
Can carboxytherapy be combined with other intimate treatments?
Carboxytherapy can be combined with other intimate treatments, such as vaginal mesotherapy for dryness inside the vagina or PRP injections, spaced on separate days. The gynaecologist plans the order so each treatment has time to settle.
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