For eons of human civilization, we have been preoccupied with the idea of eternal youth.
Alas!
The fountain of youth seems to reside only in the pages of fairy tales and fiction.
However, that doesn’t limit us to spend millions of dollars in embracing anti-aging cosmetic surgeries, botox, ointments, hair dyes, vitamins, gels, and whatnot.
Sure, the blessings of medical science have come a long way to offer a temporary camouflage. Especially, for all those who are desperate to get rid of sagging skin and crow’s feet.
Little do people understand that anti-aging has a lot to do with core issues within our body system, like collagen production for instance. Knowing how to regulate the same is believed to have the desired effect on skin texture and elasticity.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy anti-aging treatment has shown positive effects, leaving behind much-improved skin texture and complexion.
So does that mean spending time inside a hyperbaric chamber can reverse the odds of your biological clock?
Well, that’s what we are set to find out in this post.
But before we do, let’s try and answer a very important question.
What Causes Wrinkles To Appear?
Wrinkles can show up for a multitude of reasons that range from pollution, eating habits, UV radiation, smoking, and more.
However, some wrinkles on your skin have their roots in your genes and is a natural process that everyone experiences over time.
In comparison, wrinkles that show up for other factors are unnatural and are referred to as signs of premature aging.
According to multiple anti-aging research studies, there seems to be a correlation between Angiogenesis and wrinkles, and are often a result of continued exposure to UV -rays.
The Correlation Between Skin and Oxygen
According to a research study dating back to 2014, oxygen was found to play a key role in rejuvenating skin texture and overall complexion.
Because hyperbaric oxygen therapy involves breathing in pure oxygen, its efficacy towards rendering an anti-aging effect formed a major part of the study.
Our skin is vulnerable when it comes in close contact with solar UV radiation. As angiogenesis increases, the extracellular matrix and its macromolecules also start to degrade.
Furthermore, the research also suggested how skin wrinkles can also stem from hypoxia that involves oxygen deficiency across major skin tissues.
As such, a hyperbaric chamber is one such environment that facilitates hyperoxia, which is known to mitigate chances of wrinkle formation.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy As An Anti-aging Treatment
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy functions across three key fronts to help alleviate skin wrinkles from appearing prematurely, or otherwise:
● By degrading HIF-1α Protein–Solar UV radiation wreaks havoc on the skin causing angiogenesis and wrinkles. However, the stabilization of HIF-1α accounts for a much lower level of angiogenesis, and reduced chance of wrinkle formation.
● By lowering the count of Neutrophils–Neutrophils are inflammatory cells within the human body that can bring about significant damage to the extracellular matrix. Blistering skin disorders are a known symptom.
As Neutrophils abundantly exist within the white blood cells, sudden tissue damage pushes them towards the affected area, ousting the bloodstream. Such a situation leads to an influx that further breaks down skin elasticity. As our skin is exposed to UV-B radiation, angiogenesis keeps occurring. As such, any hyperoxic condition is inherently taken care of, when inside a hyperbaric chamber. This, in turn, facilitates slowing down the formation of new blood vessels and further hinders the way of neutrophils infiltrating the affected area.
● By enhancing collagen formation – Collagen, by far, happens to be one of the most significant and abundantly available proteins within the human body. Apart from skin, collagen is also abundantly present across muscles, bones, blood vessels, inner linings of digestive tracts, as well as tendons.
Collagen is responsible for imparting strength and elasticity to the skin. Additionally, it also plays an important role in replacing the dead cells.
As we age, the production of collagen takes a beat leading to sagging skin and the formation of wrinkles. With hyperbaric oxygen therapy anti-aging treatment, one can significantly boost collagen production to reverse the lost elasticity and smoothness of one’s skin.
What Is It Like Inside a Hyperbaric Chamber?
For anyone considering hyperbaric oxygen therapy anti-aging treatment, the first step is to find a trained medical professional or a clinic that specializes in such a service.
Typically, a hyperbaric session lasts somewhere between sixty to ninety minutes, during which you are advised to lie down. Alternately, you might as well read a magazine, listen to music or watch a movie.
When inside the chamber, you might have to equalize the pressure across both ears, especially during the compression and subsequent decompression. A simple yawn or swallowing can help.
One can relate the feeling inside a hyperbaric chamber to that of diving in deep waters or flying in an airplane.
Wrap up
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy anti-aging treatment uses the power of oxygen to heal a multitude of medical conditions, which otherwise, wouldn’t be easy to deal with.
Currently, there are fourteen such conditions identified by the FDA, where it serves as an on-label treatment.
With numerous benefits, it is only a matter of time before hyperbaric oxygen therapy anti-aging treatment gains widespread recognition.