HBOT and Plastic Surgery Recovery

Plastic surgery has grown in popularity over the last few years. The stigma surrounding cosmetic procedures is lessening around the world and many individuals are opting to go under the knife for a boost of beauty.

The number of procedures decreased in 2020 due to the pause in elective surgeries brought about by Covid-19. Still, a survey of 1,000 women by the American Society of Plastic Surgery found that 11% are more interested in cosmetic surgeries than they were pre-pandemic.

Many US plastic surgeons are predicting a rise in the demand for breast augmentation, nose reshaping, and rhinoplasty despite the long and painful recovery that follows the procedure.

It can take up to 4-6 weeks for the body to fully recover from plastic surgery wounds. However, research and experience suggest that the downtime for reconstructive surgery could be lessened by up to 75% with the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

The body’s natural circulation

Before delving into how hyperbaric oxygen helps reduce the recovery period after plastic surgery, it’s essential to know how it works.

To do this, we must first understand the body’s circulation process. Blood is pumped into our lungs by our heart.

Oxygen is then inhaled through the lungs and attaches to our red blood cells. As the blood undergoes circulation, oxygen separates from the red blood cells and is absorbed by our tissues and cells where it is converted into energy.

This cycle continuously happens as we breathe oxygen allowing the human body to gain the fuel it needs to perform everyday functions like healing through wounds and combating infection.

A healthy circulatory system typically saturates oxygen at almost 100% capacity.

How hyperbaric oxygen works

The difference between regular breathing compared to breathing in a hyperbaric chamber under pressure lies in oxygen absorption.

In a hyperbaric chamber, our absorption increases by 28% to 40%.

This increase in absorption allows oxygen to dissolve directly into our cells, tissues, and blood plasma which promotes further healing, quickens recovery, restores mitochondrial function, reduces inflammation, kills anaerobic infections, fuels cells, and helps the nervous system recover.

This additional oxygen provides relief for people with autoimmune and degenerative diseases and inflammatory conditions. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is also beneficial for infections like Lyme Disease, autism, dementia, and post-surgical healing.

Recovering from plastic surgery

Cosmetic surgery is considered elective, meaning it can be scheduled in advance and is not an emergency operation.

Many of these procedures are indeed invasive, and recovery needs to be treated like any other surgical operation. Healing time varies depending on the procedure and a person’s ability to heal.

Breast augmentations usually reduce swelling within two weeks and take up to three months for the procedure to settle fully.

Tummy tucks heal in five days to two weeks but need around six weeks of avoiding pressure on the abdomen.

Liposuction shows bruising for two weeks and requires wearing a compression garment for six weeks, while a rhinoplasty has significant bruising on the face that fades in about a week.

Patients need about two weeks for initial recovery after a facelift, with final results settling in a month or so. Most cosmetic procedures only require about a week of time off but need extra care for an extended amount of time as the surgery wounds fully heal.

Waiting to recover from a legitimate surgery isn’t much fun, and most patients would want to find ways to heal faster. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been studied to dramatically decrease recovery time after reconstructive surgery, allowing patients to get back to their daily routine much quicker.

HBOT and plastic surgery recovery

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy pumps additional oxygen into the blood, which boosts the body’s natural ability to heal itself.

This includes speeding up the recovery from injuries, infections, and wounds. Wound care is one of the most heavily researched benefits of hyperbaric medicine, and healing from plastic surgery is ultimately recovering from the wounds sustained from the procedure itself.

There are a multitude of reasons why hyperbaric oxygen speeds up plastic surgery recovery, and below are a few significant reasons.

Hyperbaric oxygen helps kill pathogens

Infections are common when it comes to wounds, and the same is true for those that come from plastic surgery.

These infections are normally caused by pathogens, microorganisms, viruses, and bacteria that cause disease.

Hyperbaric oxygen dramatically reduces the risk of a pathogen running its course and bringing about post-surgical infections. It keeps pathogens at bay and improves the immune system’s ability to keep healthy bacteria functioning properly in the body.

With a lesser risk of infection, post-op wounds from plastic surgery are able to heal smoothly, seamlessly, and in a faster amount of time with hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Stimulates collagen synthesis

Our bodies have their own natural ability to heal, regenerate, and recover.

Growth factors are natural proteins found within the body that promote growth, maintenance, and organization of cells and tissues.

They aid in wound healing and cellular proliferation, which increases the body’s capacity to rehabilitate from injury. The body has natural growth factors such as brain drive, collagen, and platelet-derived growth factors.

The hyperbaric oxygen chamber’s high pressure, high oxygen environment stimulates these growth factors and leads to further healing and synthesis of tissue.

Rebuilds capillary beds and microcirculation

Hyperbaric oxygen treatment also helps rebuild capillary beds, which are essential in circulation by sending oxygen in the blood to cells and tissues and eliminating carbon dioxide.

It breaks down microvascular beds and rebuilds microcirculation that supplies nutrients and removes waste from cells and tissues. Improving blood flow immediately adds oxygen to healing tissues, which means improved healing in areas recovering from plastic surgery.

Hyperbaric oxygen for pre-surgery preparation

Many surgeries come unexpectedly due to injury or trauma, but most plastic surgery cases are elective or scheduled in advance.

There is much evidence to show that there are a lot of benefits that come with preconditioning the body through hyperbaric oxygen treatment before surgery.

The pressurized environment of the hyperbaric oxygen chamber helps build larger and more efficient capillary beds, stimulates the body’s growth factors, boosts stem cell release, and increases oxygenation in the tissues.

Doing this before the procedure preps the body and builds our healing response even before the actual operation takes place. Many patients of HBOT USA take advantage of this healing stimulus in preparation for cosmetic procedures.

Hyperbaric oxygen for pre-surgery preparation

Many surgeries come unexpectedly due to injury or trauma, but most plastic surgery cases are elective or scheduled in advance.

There is much evidence to show that there are a lot of benefits that come with preconditioning the body through hyperbaric oxygen treatment before surgery.

When to use hyperbaric oxygen for plastic surgery recovery

It’s advisable to go into the chamber 5-10 hours before surgery, and again 15-20 hours after, depending on the magnitude of the procedure.

We’ve seen a tremendous improvement in the recovery of patients who practice preconditioning and do another round of hyperbaric surgery post-surgery. It heals post-surgical much quicker, providing a lot of relief from patients after going under the knife.

HBOT and plastic surgery recovery in a nutshell

Plastic surgery involves invasive procedures with extended healing time due to wounds incurred in the operation.

Post-surgical recovery has much to do with wound healing, which has been researched, studied, and proven to be improved with hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

The high-pressure and high-oxygen environment of a hyperbaric chamber improves the body’s natural ability to heal by reducing the risk of infection caused by pathogens, improves capillary beds and microcirculatory functions, and can be used to precondition the body before surgery.

All these benefits have been proven effective at shortening the length of recovery time after a cosmetic procedure.

Summary

The body’s natural circulation process involves oxygen attaching to the blood and being released into the tissues, promoting healing and regeneration and providing the necessary fuel for normal bodily functions.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy increases the body’s oxygen absorption by up to 40%, going into the plasma, speeding up healing and improving performance.
Plastic surgeries are invasive procedures that require the same post-surgical care as procedures done for health purposes.
Recovery time from cosmetic surgery can reach up to two weeks of required rest and can take up to a year to fully settle and achieve the end result.
Post-surgical recovery has much to do with wound care, which has been heavily studied to be effective in hyperbaric medicine.
Hyperbaric oxygen kills pathogens, lessening the risk of infection from post-surgical wounds.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy stimulates collagen synthesis, improves the body’s growth factors, and improves blood flow. Improving blood flow immediately adds oxygen to healing tissues, which means improved healing in areas recovering from plastic surgery.
The pressurized environment of the hyperbaric oxygen chamber helps build larger and more efficient capillary beds, stimulates the body’s growth factors, boosts stem cell release, and increases oxygenation in the tissues. Doing this before the procedure preps the body and builds our healing response even before the actual operation takes place.
It is suggested to go into the chamber 5-10 hours before a procedure and 10-20 hours after to promote faster recovery.
The high-pressure and high-oxygen environment of a hyperbaric chamber improves the body’s natural ability to heal and recover from wounds incurred in plastic surgery.

Learn More

If you’re planning to go under the knife any time soon, you may want to consider hyperbaric oxygen therapy to improve your recovery time by up to 75%. Feel free to get in touch with us to learn more about hyperbaric oxygen and how it can help you.

For Further Reading:

Tandara, A., Mustoe, T. Oxygen in Wound Healing—More than a Nutrient. World J. Surg. 28, 294–300 (2004). https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00268-003-7400-2