Advanced Wound Therapies Compared: Compression vs. Negative Pressure vs. Cellular Tissue Products
If you're living with a wound that just won’t heal, you're probably asking:
Why is this taking so long?
Am I using the right treatment?
Is there a better option out there?
You're not alone. Many of our patients arrive at Hill Country Wound Care & Hyperbarics after weeks, or even months, of trying creams, over-the-counter dressings, or standard care with little progress. What they often need is the right advanced therapy, chosen by someone who deeply understands both their wound and their medical history.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the three most effective outpatient wound treatments available today:
Compression Therapy
Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (Wound VAC)
Cellular Tissue Products
You’ll learn what each one does, who it’s for, and how we determine the best fit at our physician-led clinics across San Antonio.
Compression Therapy: A Proven Standard for Venous Leg Ulcers
Who it’s for:
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Patients with venous leg ulcers
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Chronic swelling in the lower legs
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Those at risk of recurrence after a wound has closed
What it does: Compression therapy uses snug wraps or stockings to gently squeeze the legs. This helps move blood back toward the heart, reduces swelling, and decreases pressure in the veins, all of which are critical for healing venous ulcers.
Why it works: Wounds can't heal in flooded, oxygen-deprived tissue. Compression restores circulation, so nutrients and oxygen can finally reach the wound bed.
Patient pain point addressed: “Why is my leg wound still open even after weeks of ointments and creams?” - Because circulation, not just surface treatment, is the key.
Limitations:
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Not appropriate for patients with arterial disease (we test for this first)
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Can feel warm or tight in the heat if not properly fitted
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Needs to be applied consistently for best results
At Hill Country, we don’t guess. We test your circulation first. If compression is safe, we fit you with medical-grade wraps or stockings that work, and we teach you how to use them correctly.
Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (Wound VAC): Gentle Suction, Big Impact
Who it’s for:
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Surgical wounds that won’t close
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Large, draining wounds
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Diabetic foot ulcers or deep tissue wounds
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Wounds stuck in the inflammatory phase
What it does: Negative pressure wound therapy uses a sealed dressing connected to a small pump to apply gentle suction. It removes fluid and bacteria from the wound, promotes healthy tissue growth, and protects the wound from contamination.
Why it works: The vacuum pressure reduces swelling and increases blood flow—two critical factors for wound healing. It also encourages the growth of granulation tissue (the fresh pink tissue that builds new skin).
Patient pain point addressed: “I feel like my wound is clean and dressed, but it’s not closing.” — It may need deeper stimulation and drainage to kickstart healing.
Limitations:
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May feel cumbersome for some patients (but we offer education and support)
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Requires a trained provider to manage changes and monitor healing
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Not ideal for dry or minimally draining wounds
Our team ensures that wound VAC therapy is customized to your needs, monitored closely, and never prescribed unless we know it’s right for your wound type.
Cellular Tissue Products: Jumpstarting Stalled Healing
Who it’s for:
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Chronic wounds that haven’t responded to standard care
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Diabetic foot ulcers
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Pressure injuries or post-surgical wounds
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Patients at risk of amputation
What it does: These bioengineered products mimic natural tissue and provide the building blocks your body needs to regenerate skin and close wounds. Some contain living cells or growth factors. Others offer a scaffold for your body to grow into.
Why it works: When your body’s healing signals aren’t enough, these advanced products step in to reignite tissue growth and reduce inflammation.
Patient pain point addressed: “My wound has been like this for months, will it ever heal?” — With the right cellular support, yes. We've seen it happen hundreds of times.
Limitations:
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Often used after simpler options fail
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Typically requires multiple applications
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May require insurance pre-approval
At Hill Country, our providers carefully select from various FDA-approved cellular products based on your wound type, size, and healing response. This isn’t one-size-fits-all. We match the science to your skin.
What’s the Right Therapy for You?
There’s no single “best” wound therapy, only the best match for your wound’s needs.
Here’s how we determine it at Hill Country Wound Care & Hyperbarics:
✅ A complete wound assessment (depth, drainage, location, infection risk)
✅ Circulation testing to rule out underlying vascular issues
✅ Your medical conditions (e.g., diabetes, autoimmune disease)
✅ Past treatments and healing response
✅ Your goals (speed, mobility, comfort)
Many times, we combine therapies, like compression + cellular dressings or wound VAC + hyperbaric oxygen therapy, to get better results, faster.
Quick Comparison: Compression vs. VAC vs. Cellular
If you have diabetes, uncontrolled blood sugar:
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Feeds bacteria, raising infection risk
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Prevents white blood cells from working properly
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Slows the creation of new tissue
We know it’s not easy, but even small improvements in your glucose numbers can significantly impact wound healing.
We’ll coordinate with your primary doctor or endocrinologist, and help you track your sugars if needed.
Why Choose Hill Country for Advanced Wound Care?
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Physician-led clinics at every location
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Specialized in chronic wound healing, not just basic dressings
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On-site advanced therapies (NPWT, HBOT, cellular grafts)
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Patient-first guidance. We help you understand and succeed.
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No guesswork. No delays. Just real healing.
Whether your wound is small or complex, recent or lingering, our team builds a plan to help you walk toward healing again.
Schedule a Consultation Today
If your wound hasn’t made significant progress in 2–3 weeks, it’s time for an expert second look.
We offer same-week appointments at:
📍 Live Oak 📍 SW San Antonio 📍 Bulverde
Internal Resources You Can Explore
To learn more about Diabetic Foot Ulcer care, explore our core educational content:
Frequently Asked Questions
Advanced wound care works best when the therapy matches the problem. Use these FAQs to understand when compression, negative pressure (wound VAC/NPWT), and cellular tissue products are used, what to expect day-to-day, and how our physician-led team in Live Oak, Bulverde, and SW San Antonio selects, and often combines, the right option for faster healing.
It depends on the cause and behavior of the wound.
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Compression therapy: best for venous leg ulcers and leg swelling.
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Negative pressure (wound VAC/NPWT): for deep, draining, or post-surgical wounds that need fluid removal and stimulation of new tissue.
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Cellular tissue products: for chronic wounds stalled after standard care.
At Hill Country, we assess depth, drainage, infection risk, circulation, and your medical history to tailor a plan—sometimes combining therapies.
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Compression uses medical wraps/stockings to reduce swelling and venous pressure, restoring oxygen and nutrients to the wound. It’s not appropriate if you have significant arterial disease, so we test circulation (ABI/TBI) first. Consistent use and proper fit are key.
A sealed dressing connects to a small pump that applies gentle suction, removing fluid/bacteria and promoting healthy granulation tissue. Most patients wear it continuously, with scheduled dressing changes in clinic. You can usually stay mobile; we’ll show you how to secure tubing, protect the unit, and manage bathing. It’s not ideal for very dry or minimally draining wounds.
These advanced dressings (some with living cells or growth factors; others as a biologic scaffold) jumpstart stalled healing by supporting new tissue growth and reducing inflammation. They’re applied in clinic, often weekly or bi-weekly, after the wound bed is clean and well-prepared. We commonly pair them with compression or offloading for the best result.
Yes. Pairings like compression + cellular grafts or NPWT + HBOT are common. Most patients should see measurable improvement within 2–4 weeks; if not, we adjust the plan quickly. If your wound hasn’t improved in 2–3 weeks, schedule an expert evaluation at Hill Country Wound Care & Hyperbarics: Live Oak • Bulverde • SW San Antonio — (210) 626-8201.