Making strides. Jay Leno is recovering in a hyperbaric chamber after suffering severe burns on his face and body during a gasoline fire at his Los Angeles garage. 

Dr. Peter Grossman, the comedian’s doctor at the world-famous Grossman Burn Center Center, assured the 72-year-old’s condition is “good” and feels hopeful he will make a speedy recovery, including possibly returning to work one day.

“As I’m getting to learn about Jay, I don’t think it’s going to be months,” Dr. Grossman told Inside Edition on Wednesday, November 16, noting that Leno will undergo another surgery this week. “I think he’s the type of guy that’s going to move forward.”

Jay Leno Burn Injury Updates: Grafting, Scarring, Health
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Part of Leno’s recovery includes the former late night host receiving treatment in a hyperbaric chamber, where the air pressure inside the tube is increased to a level higher than normal air pressure. 

“It helps decrease swelling,” Dr. Grossman explained about the New York native’s recovery treatment. “It helps increase blood flow with good oxygenation and it helps decrease bacteria.”

As far as his injuries, the former Tonight Show host has received “skin grafts that are not his own,” Dr. Grossman said, noting, “That’s what we initially do as a first stage.”

Leno will have visible scarring for the “foreseeable future,” but Dr. Grossman’s ultimate goal is to have any marking “be minimally visible” or “maybe not [visible] at all.”

The video, which does not feature Leno’s face, shows his arms and hands completely wrapped in bandages, but the Jay Leno’s Garage host is staying in good spirits. He’s still “cracking jokes” and even “helped pass out cookies to young patients in the burn unit,” the outlet reported. 

On November 12, Leno was admitted to the burn center to be treated for the injuries he sustained during a car fire. The incident occurred while the comedian was in his expansive California garage and one of the vehicles suddenly burst into flames. 

“I got some serious burns from a gasoline fire. I am OK. Just need a week or two to get back on my feet,” the entertainer told Variety in a statement on Monday, November 14.

The Burbank Fire Department issued a statement two days later, stating that they were dispatched to an “emergency medical call” at 12:28 PM on November 12. They “assessed and treated” one adult male patient who was then taken to a local Emergency Department. 

Fans were made aware of the accident after Leno missed an appearance at a financial conference on Sunday, November 13, and the event emailed attendees about the situation. 

“His family was not able to provide us very many details, but there was a very serious medical emergency that is preventing Jay from traveling,” the email stated. “All we know is that he is alive, so our prayers go out to him and his family tonight.”

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