This kind of “injury” sustained after medical aesthetic procedures can be treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy!

Everyone has a desire to be beautiful—especially in an era where looks really do matter. Having a stunning face is like having a life that’s been given an unfair advantage.

Hyaluronic acid is a commonly used cosmetic injectable drug, and in China, nearly one million people undergo hyaluronic acid injections each year. As hyaluronic acid filler injections for cosmetic purposes become increasingly popular, so too do the associated complications—complications that can have devastating consequences for those seeking “beauty.” Vascular occlusion, edema, infection, and necrosis following hyaluronic acid injections are becoming increasingly common, and these complications are gradually attracting greater attention from medical professionals.

Vascular embolism is one of the serious complications associated with hyaluronic acid injections. Common sites of embolism include superficial blood vessels in various areas of the face, which can lead to necrosis of the facial skin and soft tissues, and even disfigurement of the face. Embolism of the ophthalmic artery or the central retinal artery can result in blindness. Additionally, embolism of intracranial arteries may cause cerebral infarction, degeneration and necrosis of brain tissue, or hemiplegia. Pulmonary vascular embolism can lead to respiratory distress or failure, and in severe cases, even pose a life-threatening risk.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy demonstrates clear clinical efficacy in treating vascular occlusion following hyaluronic acid injection; the earlier the treatment is initiated, the better the outcome! Its primary mechanisms of action are as follows:

1. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can rapidly increase arterial blood oxygen content, elevate oxygen partial pressure, expand the effective oxygen diffusion distance, improve hypoxic conditions in soft tissues, restore aerobic metabolism in cells, and enhance cellular energy supply, thereby preventing ischemic facial soft tissue degeneration and necrosis.

2. Hyperbaric oxygen constricts blood vessels, reduces vascular leakage, alleviates the compression of local blood circulation caused by tissue swelling, and thereby improves microcirculation.

3. Hyperbaric oxygen can enhance immune responses, control inflammatory reactions by inhibiting neutrophil adhesion, and alleviate immune responses triggered by hyaluronic acid allergy.

4. When a wound experiences severe ischemia and hypoxia, fibroblast proliferation slows down or stops, and the quality and quantity of collagen also decline, thereby impairing wound healing. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can promote fibroblast proliferation, collagen release, and epithelial cell growth, thus enhancing wound healing and reducing the growth of scar tissue.

5. Hyperbaric oxygen enhances the phagocytic activity of macrophages and neutrophils toward necrotic tissue, improves the ability to clear lesions, and accelerates tissue repair.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can reduce the inflammatory response following hyaluronic acid injections, improve local ischemia and hypoxia, and promote tissue recovery, demonstrating remarkable therapeutic efficacy.