Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

The Benefits of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Cosmetics

All of the benefits below can be summarized as representing two major categories: enhanced healing and improved outcomes. Even when not used after a surgery or injury, hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been shown to enhance fibroblast production, which in turn enhances collagen and elastin activity. Additional benefits include, but are not limited to the following:

• Shortened Recovery Times: One of HBOT’s benefits is the reduction in recovery time following cosmetic treatments. By exposing patients to higher oxygen levels, HBOT aids in faster cell regeneration and tissue repair, leading to quicker healing post-procedure.
• Reduced Risk of Complications: Using an HBOT chamber as part of post-treatment care can decrease the likelihood of complications. The enriched oxygen environment is not only therapeutic but also reduces the potential for infections, which are a common concern after cosmetic interventions.
• Improved Scar Healing: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can reduce the appearance of scars. It increases oxygen delivery to damaged tissue, which improves the healing process and results in healthier tissue with less noticeable scarring.
• Minimized Swelling and Bruising: Swelling and bruising are common after cosmetic procedures, but HBOT can help minimize these effects. HBOT benefits include reducing inflammation and speeding up the healing of bruising for a smoother recovery process.
• Optimized Procedure Outcomes: The application of HBOT treatment can lead to enhanced results from cosmetic procedures. The overall hyperbaric oxygen therapy benefits include improved skin quality and faster healing, which contribute to more satisfactory outcomes from cosmetic interventions.

How Often Should You Do Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?

The frequency of HBOT therapy sessions depends on the specific cosmetic procedure and individual healing responses. Generally, a series of treatments, ranging from a few sessions to several over a month, may be recommended to achieve results. Your healthcare provider will tailor your HBOT schedule to support your recovery and enhance the benefits of your cosmetic treatment effectively.

HBOT is also commonly utilized as a standalone treatment, whether the patient is addressing more longstanding issues that have already been treated (like a neurological condition or brain injury, or for general wellness and skin care purposes, etc.). In these cases, the frequency of sessions and the overall duration of your plan of care can vary considerably depending on the health concern(s) being addressed. 

How Long Do the Effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Last?

The duration of benefits from hyperbaric oxygen therapy can vary, influenced by the type of cosmetic procedure and individual health conditions. While the immediate effects, such as reduced swelling and bruising, can be seen shortly after therapy, the long-term benefits, including improved scar appearance and enhanced healing, may unfold over weeks to months. Maintenance sessions in a hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber might be suggested to prolong these effects, especially for patients seeking sustained improvements in skin quality and healing.

What Do I Do After Each HBOT Session? 

Our team at Zormeier Cosmetic Surgery and Longevity Center is committed to keeping every patient fully informed of not only their treatment options, but of aftercare guidelines and expectations as well. As such, we will address any and all questions you may have relating to post-treatment best practices in person. Immediately following your session, we will first ensure your body responds to the treatment appropriately, and will then issue a simple set of aftercare guidelines that will ensure a safe and smooth recovery process.

As for what you can expect after each session, the following after-effects are among the most commonly reported:

• Lightheadedness
• Fatigue
• Popping of the ears (the most commonly reported symptom)
• Headaches

In the vast majority of cases, these symptoms are short-lived and resolve on their own. If they don’t (and/or if they worsen), it’s important to seek medical advice. 

Whether or not you are experiencing symptoms, it’s important to stay well-rested in the days following your hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatment. The body needs some time and rest to adjust to the increased oxygen saturation level, though low-intensity activities like walking are typically not discouraged. Finally, maintaining a balanced diet and staying on top of your stress levels will help both with recovery and the effects of the treatment itself. For more information on your post-treatment guidelines, contact our team for an initial consultation and get the process started. 

Who Should Not Receive Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?

Across all of its medical and cosmetic applications, hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been used by a very wide range of patients, from one-year-old infants to people well into their 70s and 80s. There is no hard age limit in either direction, assuming that younger or older patients are otherwise medically qualified to receive treatment.

On that note, there is one health condition that automatically disqualifies a person from receiving hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and several medical issues that are considered “relative contraindications,” meaning they may or may not disqualify a potential patient based on the circumstances.

Pneumothorax, which is the medical term for unwanted leakage of air into the pleural space (the area just outside the lungs), is the one hard contraindication. The pressure change caused by hyperbaric oxygen therapy could cause the trapped air in the chest to expand.

As for the relative contraindications, these include, but are not limited to the following:

• Various drugs: Doxorubicin, for example, is a chemotherapy drug that may be more likely to induce cardiotoxicity when combined with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. However, patients need only cease their use of the drug for a short time (24 hours at minimum) prior to receiving hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatment.
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): Increasing the oxygen saturation of a patient with COPD may cause slowed and/or shallow breathing, which in turn can increase the carbon dioxide concentration in the blood to unsafe levels.
• Asthma: While hyperbaric oxygen therapy may actually alleviate asthma symptoms, it can also trigger an airway spasm and/or worsen asthma symptoms. The key factor is the severity of the asthma; milder cases are often not considered disqualified from hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatment.
• Eustachian tube defects: When the small tube that connects the ear to the upper throat is not functioning properly (whether it is blocked, malformed, or for other reasons), increasing pressure within the ear can increase the risk of harming sensitive structures like the eardrum.

All of the above cases (except for pneumothorax) may or may not disqualify a person from receiving hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Anyone who presents to an initial consultation with one or more of these issues will be carefully evaluated to determine whether or not they are an ideal candidate. 

What Are the Do’s and Don’ts of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Treatment?

Every patient who receives hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatment at Zormeier Cosmetic Surgery and Medical Center is carefully monitored throughout each session to ensure safety and comfort. In addition, you will be clearly briefed on all the required safety practices well before entering the chamber. Though these vital steps in the process effectively prevent accidents from happening, it’s still important from a patient perspective to understand what can harm or help the treatment. 

Do the following:

Be as transparent as possible in the pre-treatment phase, including the consultation appointment, providing all requested information about current medications, medical history, and other relevant details. Report any sudden developments affecting your health on or near the day of treatment to our staff, including a cold or flu, medication change, new diagnosis, etc.

Remove all jewelry, dentures, and other personal effects that can be safely removed prior to entering the hyperbaric chamber. (You will be reminded to do so.) Wear comfortable clothing that will allow you to relax comfortably for an extended period of time.

Do not to do the following:

You will be advised not to wear any perfume, cologne, lotion, aftershave, or similar products into the chamber, as these often contain ingredients that are flammable in oxygen-rich environments. On that note, do not bring any matches, lighters, cigarettes, or other flammable materials into the hyperbaric oxygen chamber.

If you are a smoker, do not smoke during your treatment plan, as smoking directly counteracts the effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, impeding the body’s oxygen transport capacity. Do not consume caffeinated, alcoholic, or carbonated beverages immediately before your treatment. 

Can Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Treatment Be Combined With Other Cosmetic Treatments? 

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatment not only works around other treatments, but actually enhances the treatment itself and/or the recovery process depending on the case. Here are some. Going beyond the above-described mechanisms of improved scar healing, shortened recovery times, etc., here are a few specific examples of treatments that pair perfectly with hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy and body contouring procedures: Both surgical and non-surgical body contouring procedures, including liposuction, radiofrequency treatments like Venus FreezeTM, and more, can be supplemented with hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatment to great effect. Namely, hyperbaric oxygen therapy helps to reduce post-treatment swelling and pain, enhance circulation for improved (and faster) healing, and even decrease the appearance of scars.
• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy and facial skin resurfacing treatments: Chemical peels, facelifts, laser skin resurfacing, microneedling, and other popular facial rejuvenation treatments, while safe, still carry a small risk of infection and/or complication following the procedure. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy helps to further minimize the risk by helping the immune system more effectively fight off infections.
• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy and weight loss: While there is still much to be researched as it concerns the connection between hyperbaric oxygen therapy and weight loss, multiple contemporary findings have in fact demonstrated how this treatment can enhance metabolism, suppress inflammation, and possibly improve insulin sensitivity. All three of these mechanisms are essential (though can vary in relevance and importance depending on each patient) to weight loss. Still, hyperbaric oxygen therapy isn’t a replacement for a healthy diet or steady exercise routine.

Essentially, any procedure that involves swelling, bruising, potential scarring, and inflammation may be supplemented by hyperbaric oxygen therapy for enhanced recovery and, in some cases, improved overall outcomes. If you have any questions regarding how hyperbaric oxygen therapy may affect any other treatments you receive, cosmetic or medical, our team at Zormeier Cosmetic Surgery and Medical Center is happy to provide guidance and support.

Does Insurance Cover Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?

Every insurance plan is different, so we are only able to provide a general idea of which instances of hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatment are covered most frequently and which are not. The best practice in every case is to consult with your particular carrier before committing to treatment, and if you are covered, to carefully follow through with any coverage requirements (pre-authorization, documentation from healthcare providers, etc.). 

That said, the most reliable way to bucket covered and non-covered cases when it comes to hyperbaric oxygen therapy is to draw a line between medical necessity and elective treatments. If you intend to undergo medical oxygen therapy to treat carbon monoxide intoxication, poorly healing diabetic ulcer or infection, and other more medically necessary uses, you are significantly more likely to have your care covered. If your justification for receiving the treatment involves speeding up healing and/or reducing the appearance of a scar after liposuction, however, you are less likely to be covered.

More Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy FAQs

Can I eat on the day of treatment?

As HBOT does not require anesthesia, there is no restriction against eating on the same day as your treatment. In fact, it is generally recommended that you eat within 2 hours of your treatment to ensure your blood sugar remains stable. However, ensure that the meal is light, and avoid foods that are more likely to cause any gastrointestinal discomfort or similar issues.

Will I be able to drive myself home after HBOT treatment?

Yes, you can drive home from hyperbaric oxygen therapy if you have no other conditions or concerns keeping you from driving safely. If you are lightheaded, or hesitate to drive home for any other reason, our team is happy to help you. 

What’s the best way to manage popping ears after HBOT?

There are several simple methods you can use to clear clogged and/or crackling ears after HBOT treatment, including yawning widely, chewing gum, gently blowing air from the nose with the mouth closed, and swallowing.

What can I do during HBOT treatment? 

Patients often sleep, rest quietly, watch television, listen to music, and/or read during HBOT treatment sessions. While there isn’t enough room to stand up, you are free to reposition yourself for comfort.

Can I fly by plane following my HBOT session?

Your medical status and the parameters of your particular treatment plan may affect how long you are advised not to fly by plane after treatment. Typically, post-treatment flying restrictions are more strict for those who are receiving HBOT for decompression illness, but in almost all cases, at least a short waiting period of several days is recommended. 

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy at Zormeier Cosmetic Surgery & Longevity Center

At Zormeier Cosmetic Surgery & Longevity Center, our passion for helping patients feel better both inside and out drives everything we do. We go the extra mile for each individual who walks through our doors because we genuinely care about their well-being and outcomes. Dr. Michele Zormeier, one of the best plastic surgeons in the country, brings her expertise and double board certification to each procedure, providing the highest standards of care and results.

If you’re exploring options for enhancing your recovery and outcomes from cosmetic procedures, let us show you how hyperbaric oxygen therapy can be a part of your wellness and beauty regimen in Noblesville, IN. Discover more about how we can support your goals by visiting our

Contact us page or calling us directly at (317) 699-8848.