Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and the Wellness-Tech Trend: What the Research Actually Says
Written by Becky Lumsden, founder of PURE Spa & Beauty · Updated July 2026
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy used to live in hospitals and elite sports clinics. In the last few years it's turned up in wellness spaces, recovery studios and spa menus — part of a broader "wellness-tech" wave alongside infrared saunas, red-light therapy and cold plunges. As a spa that offers it, we think it's worth being honest about what's genuinely known and what's still being explored.
The balanced view: HBOT has a long, well-established clinical history for specific medical uses delivered in hospital settings. Its newer role in general wellness — for recovery, energy and relaxation — is where interest has exploded, and where the research is still developing. Promising, but not settled. People increasingly use it as one calm, low-effort part of a wider recovery routine rather than a miracle cure.
Why HBOT caught the wellness world's attention
A few things came together. Recovery and "longevity" became mainstream wellness topics. Home and studio wellness-tech — saunas, red light, compression, cold — got easier to access. And HBOT itself is an appealing format: you're not doing anything strenuous, you just rest in a chamber for half an hour to an hour. For people already building recovery into their week, it slots in neatly.
Where HBOT sits among recovery tech
| Modality | What it involves | Typically used for |
|---|---|---|
| Hyperbaric oxygen (HBOT) | Resting in a pressurised chamber breathing 90–95% oxygen | Recovery, energy, relaxation |
| Infrared sauna | Radiant heat warming the body directly | Warmth, relaxation, unwinding |
| Red-light therapy | Exposure to specific wavelengths of light | Skin, recovery routines |
| Compression / cold | Compression boots or cold exposure | Post-exercise recovery |
None of these is a substitute for the others — people tend to mix and match. At PURE, HBOT sits within our wellness-technology services, and plenty of clients pair it with a massage or another treatment on the same visit.
What the research actually says — honestly
Here's the part a lot of marketing skips. Hyperbaric oxygen is a genuinely established medical treatment for certain specific conditions, delivered clinically. Its use in a general wellness context — the way most spas offer it — is much newer, and the evidence base there is still building. Some early studies and a lot of anecdotal experience are encouraging; large, high-quality wellness trials are still limited. So we deliberately don't make health claims about it. What we can say is that people enjoy it, use it as part of a routine, and tell us how they get on.
We keep a running, plain-English log of research updates and real client experiences on our HBOT news & research page — worth a look if you like to make up your own mind from the sources.
The sensible way to approach it
Treat HBOT as one enjoyable, low-effort part of a wider wellness routine — not a shortcut, and not something to overspend on before you know you like it. Try a single session, see how it fits your week, and go from there.
Try an HBOT session from £45 →
Where to try HBOT in the UK
HBOT is available at four PURE spas: Edinburgh (Lothian Road), Glasgow (West Nile Street), Aberdeen (Union Square) and Witney Lakes, Oxfordshire. Sessions start at £45 for 30 minutes.
Your questions, answered
Why is HBOT becoming popular in wellness?
It's moved from clinical settings into the recovery and longevity "wellness-tech" trend, alongside infrared saunas, red-light therapy and cold exposure. It's a calm, low-effort session people can fold into a routine. Research into its wellness role is ongoing but still developing.
Is there scientific evidence for HBOT?
Hyperbaric oxygen has long-established clinical use for specific medical indications in hospital settings. Its general-wellness use is newer and the research there is still developing — promising but not settled, which is why we don't overstate it.
What does HBOT go alongside in a routine?
Often infrared saunas, red-light therapy, compression, massage and cold exposure. At PURE it sits within our wellness-technology services and many clients combine it with other treatments.
Where can I try HBOT in the UK?
At four PURE spas — Edinburgh (Lothian Road), Glasgow (West Nile Street), Aberdeen (Union Square) and Witney Lakes, Oxfordshire. Sessions start at £45 for 30 minutes.
Read next: what happens in an HBOT session →, how many sessions people have →, or the full HBOT guide →.
