Topical Oxygen

Excerpt

Oxygen boosts vitality to support increased demand during healing. Oxygen is required for multiple intracellular processes, including synthesis and transport. Increased oxygen levels aid the natural capacity to fight infection and are essential for respiratory burst. This production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is used by neutrophils and macrophages in removing cellular debris and bacteria. Oxygen levels directly affect the rate and the quality of new blood vessel growth in the wound bed. Angiogenesis or new blood vessel formation is essential to the growth and repair of wound healing tissue.

Oxygen levels also directly affect the rate and quality of collagen formation. Oxygen is required by multiple enzymes for the proper formation of fibers and cross-linking of collagen fibers to form organized structures, resulting in better strength with reduced recidivism and improved appearance with reduced scarring. Increasing oxygen levels results in faster cell proliferation, reepithelialization, and collagen formation, all of which accelerate wound healing. Oxygen has been shown to initiate various signaling cascades, including the signaling processes of growth factors. The integral process of recruiting leukocytes, creating angiogenesis, and extracellular matrix formation in diabetic foot ulcers are also affected by oxygen levels.