In the hyperbaric oxygen chamber, you must wear 100 percent cotton clothing. Most professional medical institutions will provide specialized hospital cotton hospital gowns or surgical gowns. The reason is simple: we must completely eliminate electrostatic sparks, because in an oxygen-rich environment, any tiny spark may become an ignition source. You must make sure you don’t have any synthetic fibers (such as polyester, nylon or spandex), no metal zippers or buttons, and no petroleum-based products, including body lotions, hair gels, cosmetics and perfumes, on your skin. Before entering the cabin, you have to remove all jewelry, watches, hearing aids and electronic equipment. Believe me, the high-pressure environment may directly scrap these expensive precision instruments and even cause fire risks.
The Reason Why 100% Pure Cotton Must Be Worn
In hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), the primary reason for adhering to the “cotton principle” is to prevent static electricity. In an oxygen-rich environment, the risk of combustion increases geometrically.
Electrostatic prevention: synthetic fabrics such as polyester fiber and nylon are prone to electrostatic sparks after a few rubs. The 100 per cent cotton material does not accumulate electrostatic charge, which is currently the safest choice.
Special clothing provided by medical institutions: in order to ensure safety, our clinic usually uniformly distributes cotton-padded jacket for hospital use. If you want to wear your own clothes, you must go through strict verification by our staff and confirm that it is 100 percent pure cotton.
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Fabrics and Fasteners Prohibited From Entering the Cabin
In order to maintain a safe environment in the cabin, some materials are absolutely prohibited from being brought into the hyperbaric chamber:
No synthetic fibers: this includes common sportswear materials such as spandex, lycra and rayon. These materials are extremely flammable in a hyperbaric oxygen environment, and once something happens, the consequences will be disastrous.
No metal parts: No metal zippers, buttons, snaps or hooks on your clothes. Metal may not only produce sparks, but also make you feel uncomfortable under high pressure.
Steel ring underwear is strictly prohibited: Most underwire underwear not only contains metal, but also mixed with synthetic fibers, which does not meet the entry standards at all.
Stealth Threat to Petroleum-Based Products
In addition to the clothes you wear on your body, what you apply to your skin is equally critical. Petroleum-based and oil-based products have extremely high volatility and flammability in high-pressure oxygen environments.
Cosmetics and skin care products: makeup must be removed before entering the cabin. hairspray, perfume or moisturizer cannot be applied.
Ointments and antiperspirants: Many skin ointments and antiperspirants contain petroleum-based ingredients, which are ready-made “fuel” once they encounter a spark. I usually advise patients to take a bath and clean the skin thoroughly before treatment.
Electronic Equipment and Handling of Personal Items
The air pressure in the hyperbaric chamber is much higher than normal sea level atmospheric pressure. This change in the environment is simply “devastating” to personal items.
Electronic devices: Mobile phones, tablets, smart watches and e-readers are all off limits. Stress can cause batteries to fail or the screen to crack, and they are themselves a potential source of ignition.
Medical devices: Hearing aids and certain wearable medical devices must be removed because pressure can damage their internal precision components.
Jewelry and watches: All jewelry and watches must be removed. In addition to the risk of pressure damage, the metal object itself is a safety hazard.
Author: David Miller
As a veteran hyperbaric technician with years of clinical experience, my absolute priority is ensuring a safe and effective treatment environment for every patient. I have seen firsthand how critical safety protocols are in high-pressure, oxygen-rich environments. My goal is to demystify the ‘cotton-only’ rule and help patients understand why strict adherence to dress codes.
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