Accelerate Wound & Surgical Healing with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)

Have you recently undergone surgery or find yourself with a wound that’s taking longer to heal than expected? At Expand Health, we recognise that while your body is equipped for repair, sometimes it needs a high-performance boost. That’s where Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) comes in - a sophisticated, clinical yet wellness-driven treatment that harnesses enhanced oxygenation to support tissue repair deep at the cellular level.

HBOT is increasingly recognised as a powerful adjunct treatment for accelerating healing post-surgery or in challenging wound cases. The principle is simple: breathe 100 % oxygen under increased pressure (typically 2–3 atmospheres absolute, ATA) so that your blood carries far more dissolved oxygen. That oxygen fuels reparative processes - reducing inflammation, promoting new blood-vessel formation (angiogenesis), encouraging collagen synthesis and supporting tissue regeneration.

Below we explore key applications, the science behind them, and how Expand Health brings HBOT into your personalised recovery journey.

Key Applications of HBOT in Healing & Recovery

Non-healing / slow-healing wounds
Ulcers and wounds that have stalled often suffer from hypoxia (insufficient oxygen). HBOT improves oxygen delivery, supports fibroblast and endothelial cell activity, and may accelerate closure of difficult wounds. A meta-analysis found HBOT significantly improved healing of diabetic lower-limb ulcers and reduced major amputations (RR ~0.54) in certain patients.

Post-surgical recovery, flaps and grafts
Surgery often disrupts circulation and places pressure on tissues. HBOT enhances graft and flap survival, improves reperfusion injury outcomes and accelerates tissue repair. In one study, adjunctive HBOT improved outcomes in complicated acute wounds, flaps and grafts.

Traumatic wounds, burns and radiation-induced injury
In cases of crush injury, compartment syndrome, thermal burns or radiation damage, HBOT supports healing by improving oxygenation, reducing edema, mitigating reperfusion injury and enhancing microvascular recovery.

How HBOT Works: The Cellular & Physiological Mechanisms

1. Increases tissue oxygenation
   By elevating ambient pressure and providing 100 % oxygen, HBOT boosts the amount of oxygen dissolved in plasma, enabling oxygen delivery into poorly perfused tissues. This supports healing in zones where standard perfusion is compromised.

2. Stimulates angiogenesis & collagen synthesis
   Oxygen-rich environments promote growth factor expression, endothelial progenitor cell mobilisation, and collagen formation - all key to restoring structural integrity in damaged tissue.

3. Reduces inflammation & supports immune function
   HBOT can reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines, support neutrophil and macrophage activity, and improve micro-circulatory function, assisting in both healing and infection resistance.

4. Mitigates reperfusion and hypoxic injury
   After surgery or trauma, tissues may suffer from reduced blood flow or oxygen deprivation. HBOT helps restore function and limit secondary damage from hypoxia.

Our Approach

At Expand Health, we integrate HBOT not as a standalone treatment, but as a key component of a personalised, wellness protocol designed to support recovery and optimise longevity.

• For wound care in particular, each client is encouraged to do an initial consultation with our integrative medical doctor, who will assess wound status, surgical history, and recovery goals.

• Our health consultant or therapist will then tailor how many sessions you might need and the session pressure and the length best recommended to your healing journey.

• HBOT is paired with complementary therapies: advanced nutrition (to support collagen, micronutrients & repair), other modalities such as PEMF, red light therapy and compression/lymphedema support when necessary, boosting the effect of the hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

• Our serene environment creates an optimal space to relax and recover.

What This Could Mean for You

• If you are recovering from surgery, especially reconstructive, orthopaedic or cosmetic surgery and want to optimise healing HBOT offers a scientifically backed boost.

• If you have a wound that has stalled (diabetic, vascular, flap/graft site), adjunctive HBOT may significantly increase your healing odds and reduce risks of complications.

• If you value wellness, vitality and holistic recovery, integrating HBOT into your rehabilitation journey helps you optimise not just “wound healed”, but “wellness enhanced”.

In Summary

Your body’s healing apparatus is remarkable, but it doesn’t always perform at peak when challenged by surgery, chronic wounds or impaired circulation. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy brings enhanced oxygen, precision and support to that process. At Expand Health, we merge advanced therapy with personalised care, helping you recover faster, more completely and with the support of a team of practitioners.

If you’d like to explore whether HBOT may be right for your recovery and longevity plan, please reach out to our team in Cape Town for a tailored consultation.

——
References

• Bouachour G, et al. “Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for wound healing and limb salvage.” Systematic review. J.Pulm Med. 2009.

• Wang C-J, Wu R-W, Yang Y-J. “Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for treating wounds: A systematic review.” JAMA Surg. 2003;138(4):391–396.

• Idris O.A., et al. “Hyperbaric oxygen therapy: accelerated epithelialization, angiogenesis & reduced inflammation.” Med Clin Rev. 2024.

• Zhou D., et al. “Evaluating the role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in wound healing.” J Wound Manage Res. 2023.

• Bhatani S., Verma R. “Hyperbaric oxygen therapy in non-healing wounds.” J Indian Mar Med Soc. 2010;12:89-92.

• “Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT): What it is & Benefits.” Cleveland Clinic. 2023. ([turn0search26])

• Frontiers in Medicine. “Adverse effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy: systematic review.” 2023.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Cape Town | Hyperbaric Chamber Cape Town | HBOT for surgery recovery | wound recovery Cape Town | Scar therapy Cape Town | De Waterkant | Longevity Clinic Cape Town | Expand Health Longevity Hub