An unavoidable part of any cosmetic surgery procedure is trauma to the body. Tissues and cartilage subjected to the surgeon's scalpel suffer damage to the blood vessels that carry vital oxygen to the surgical site. Swelling and edema (accumulation of excess fluid in connective tissue) are the body's natural reaction to trauma, and they too can impede the delivery of oxygen to damaged tissues. Mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy speeds healing by delivering oxygen to cells that might otherwise be deprived of this vital element. Patients who undergo hyperbaric oxygen therapy before and after a surgical procedure heal up to 80 percent more quickly than those who do not use oxygen therapy, and they have greatly reduced scarring because the body has all the oxygen it needs to repair the surgical site.
The surgical cutting of skin and cartilage severs tiny blood vessels and causes natural swelling and edema in the tissues surrounding the surgical site. Until the body can repair the damaged blood vessels, blood flow to the tissues and cells they feed is disrupted. Swelling and edema compress healthy blood vessels, further restricting the flow of blood and oxygen. Cells deprived of sufficient life-sustaining oxygen are slow to heal and may die, further hindering the healing process.
The pressurized environment of the hyperbaric chamber allows up to a tenfold increase in the oxygen level of the blood plasma. Hyperoxygenated plasma and red blood cells travel to compromised tissues so that cells and tissues receive the oxygen they need to regenerate and heal. Oxygen saturation also greatly increases the ability of blood cells to modify their shape so that they can pass through restricted blood vessels and swollen tissues to deliver healing oxygen to the surgical site. As a result, healing is faster and more thorough.
Mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy also helps the body heal by giving the immune system a needed boost. Any type of surgery depresses the immune system, which increases the chance of infection. When the cells responsible for protecting the body against infection encounter a bacterium, they require additional oxygen to fight off and kill the harmful agent. If the immune cells have insufficient oxygen to carry on the battle, bacteria quickly overwhelm the immune system, and infection occurs. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy ensures that the immune system and its infection-fighting cells have all the oxygen necessary to keep the surgical site and the body healthy.
Mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy prior to surgery increases the body's ability to respond to the trauma of surgery and fight off the infection-causing agents that can quickly proliferate in a wound. Smokers who plan to have cosmetic surgery are advised to quit at least four weeks prior to undergoing a procedure because the toxic qualities of tobacco smoke impede the healing process. Mild hyperbaric therapy before surgery floods the body with oxygen to help the body eliminate carbon monoxide and other harmful gases introduced by tobacco smoke.
Hyperbaric therapy after surgery increases the availability of oxygen to damaged tissues and cells, speeding healing times, and greatly reducing the chance of infection. Enhanced delivery of oxygen to the surgical site allows the body to regenerate cells quickly, which reduces scarring and improves the appearance of a cosmetic procedure's final result.
If you are planning to undergo cosmetic surgery or a surgical procedure of any kind, we urge you to consider mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy. This outstanding treatment enhances the body's ability to tolerate surgery and recover after the procedure is complete. Mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy in our hyperbaric chambers is so comfortable that many of our patients describe it as "soothing." Once you enter one of our roomy hyperbaric chambers, you will be able to read, listen to CDs, watch a movie on one of our portable DVD players, or simply relax and perhaps even slip into a delicious nap. You will feel better after your mild hyperbaric treatment, and your body will have all the oxygen it needs to repair itself and recover more quickly. Contact Hyp02 today to learn more about the benefits of having mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy as part of any surgical procedure.