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Healing Benefits of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy After Plastic Surgery

Published Jan 30, 2009

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Fresh oxygen plays an important role in healing wounds and reducing the risk of infection; since the incision site after plastic or cosmetic surgery can be particularly vulnerable to damage, patients need to exercise extra care to ensure the scars and tissues receive enough oxygen during the healing process. 

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (also known as HBO therapy) is an innovative treatment that can treat a number of conditions and help with the healing process. The treatment is designed to treat infections and reduce swelling after surgery and is performed in an isolated chamber. 

How Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Works

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is performed in an air-tight chamber; oxygen is pumped into the room to start raising the fresh oxygen concentration in the air. The high-pressure chamber directly affects the central nervous system and every breath taken in the room results in increased oxygen flow throughout the entire body. 
 
The chamber itself causes a highly flammable condition, so patients are required to enter without any perfume, cosmetics or clothes that may be flammable. Problems with vision, rising blood sugar levels and increased blood pressure are natural outcomes of a treatment session. 
 
Most people need to commit to a 90-minute session once per week to start experiencing positive effects. The oxygen is forced into the tissues and helps to stimulate healthy cell production and enhanced tissue growth. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is also effective at reducing swelling; many people undergoing extensive procedures experience swelling around the treatment area and in their joints; a healthy dose of oxygen can help to reduce swelling and improve cardiovascular functioning.

Key Benefits of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Increased oxygen to traumatized skin is essential for adequate healing, and oxygen applied under high pressure results in up to 20 times the normal blood oxygen concentration. This helps the white cells fight off infection and encourages healthy healing. Key benefits of HBO therapy include:
  • Reducing the effects of burns
  • Reducing excess blood loss
  • Treating decompression sickness
  • Increasing the wound healing process
  • Improving the texture of the skin around the incision site
  • Reducing the risk of infection by closing up wounds rapidly

In addition to treating plastic and cosmetic surgery patients, researchers have found that hyperbaric oxygen treatments can help with radiation ulcers, ischemic wounds and wounds that result from diabetes (Source: eMedicine.com) 

Still, there are some drawbacks of this procedure; side effects may include blocked ears, abdominal pain, dizziness, hearing loss or a collapsed lung from the pressure. Some people may suffer from a condition known as oxygen toxicity; this may include hallucinations, dizziness, sweating and vomiting.
 
Oxygen therapy offers several benefits overall, and may be especially valuable for those who are undergoing major cosmetic or plastic surgery procedures such as liposuction, breast augmentation or a body lift.
 
A consultation with a cosmetic or plastic surgeon can help you decide if Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is a good match for you, and if your health condition makes you a good candidate for this type of recovery treatment.

 

 

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Published: 01/30/2009, Last Updated: 01/30/2009

By LocateADoc.com Medical Staff Writers

Our writers strive to present an objective, upfront and open view of the medical procedures you're interested in. We present you with both the good and bad, and work to represent both doctors' and patients' points of view. Our articles contain facts and statistics from medical associations, medical and surgical journals, and through doctor and patient interviews.





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