Plasma Pen is a new and revolutionary non-surgical treatment to lift and tighten loose, wrinkled skin with results lasting up to three years! It is particularly effective for the face and neck areas that were traditionally treated with plastic surgery or dermal fillers.
What is a Plasma Pen?
The Plasma Pen is an FDA approved device that produces tiny points of trauma to tighten and regenerate the skin and stimulate the production of new collagen. The pinpoint accuracy of the Plasm Pen allows areas such as the upper and lower eyelids that were previously unreachable by non-surgical methods to be lifted and tightened.
What is Plasma?
Plasma is often described as the fourth state of matter and is actually a hot, ionized gas. Unlike ordinary gases, plasma conducts electricity, creates magnetic fields, and has coherent characteristics that allow it to be controlled and concentrated, which is key to the effectiveness of Plasma Pen treatments. Plasma is used all around you in plasma TV’s, neon lights, and many other applications. Inside the Plasma Pen, a voltage between two electrodes is released to produce an arc of ionized nitrogen plasma about 1mm above the skin.
What does Plasma do to my skin?
The energized plasma introduces a tiny trauma at the surface of the skin that heats the deeper dermis tissue. This heating stimulates structures known as fibroblasts to produce new collagen that forms the scaffolding of our skin and provides support and elasticity. As the micro-traumas heal, skin fibers contract, shorten, and tighten to eliminate wrinkles and produce a more even complexion. The production of new collagen firms and plumps the treated area to provide smoother, fuller skin.
What areas can be treated?
Any area of the body can be treated, particularly the face and neck. These include:
- Smile lines outside the mouth,
- Acne scars,
- Crow’s feet around the eyes,
- Forehead lines,
- Jowl or jawline tightening,
- Marionette lines (vertical creases between the corners of the mouth and the chin),
- Turkey neck line,
- Smoker’s lines or lipstick lines (vertical lines above and below the lips),
- Upper and lower eyelids (bags and hoods).
When will results appear?
The healing process normally takes 7-10 days and tighter skin with more even complexion will be seen immediately. The longer lasting results from the generation of new collagen begin to appear in 2-4 weeks, continue to improve for about three months, and can last up to three years.
How many Plasma Pen treatments are needed?
This depends on the treatment area, the extent of existing skin damage, and the desired amount of improvement. In many cases, a single treatment will produce the desired results. One of the great advantages of Plasma Pen treatments is that the results are cumulative. Additional treatments may be performed at 2-3 month intervals to achieve the desired or possible level of improvement.
Are Plasma Pen treatments painful?
Plasma Pen treatment are mildly to moderately uncomfortable. We apply a potent topical anesthetic prior to the treatment to reduce or eliminate discomfort but each person tolerates discomfort differently and some treatment areas will be more sensitive than others. We also offer inhaled nitrous oxide for minimal conscious sedation to help you relax. Nitrous oxide normally wears off and allows you to drive after 15-20 minutes.
Do Plasma Pen treatments require downtime?
There are very few restrictions following Plasma Pen treatments but the effects of the treatment are normally visible for 7-10 days. As you can see in the example below, the treatment involves tiny points of trauma that cause redness, swelling, and scabbing. Alcohol consumption, smoking, picking or scratching, failure to follow post-treatment instructions, and variations in the healing time experienced by each person can extend the normal healing time and negatively affect your results.
What are the risks of Plasma Pen treatments?
Plasma Pen treatments are safe and effective but produce redness, swelling, scabbing, and flaking in the treatment area that normally lasts 7-10 days. In very rare cases, scarring, hyperpigmentation, or hypopigmentation have occurred.
Darker skin tones (African American, African, Latin, Native American, Indian, Middle Eastern, Asian ancestry and people of mixed ethnicities) may not be good candidates for Plasma Pen treatments. Skin Care By Design is committed to safe, effective treatments for every client and we do not perform Plasma Pen treatments on Fitzpatrick types 4, 5, or 6.
Are all Plasma Pens the same?
Like most great products, the Plasma Pen produced by Louise Walsh has knockoffs but, unlike a fake designer purse or dress, Plasma Pen knockoffs can be dangerous. Many devices marketed as Plasma Pens are nothing more than cheap hyfrecators, devices that produce a low energy electrical spark designed to destroy tissue (the name hyfrecator originates from the term High Frequency Eradicator). We use hyfrecators in our practice to remove skin tags, warts, and moles but, while they do cause tiny points of trauma, they do not actually produce plasma or the beneficial effects of plasma. Look for the Louise Walsh Plasma Pen logo on the treatment device:
Plasma Pen treatments do have contraindications and many technicians performing knockoff Plasma Pen treatments are not professionally trained. Before undergoing any Plasma Pen treatment, ask to see the training certification of your technician.
What do Plasma Pen treatments cost?
Plasma Pen treatments are performed by area and some of the most common areas are listed below:
Plasma Pen Example
The three images below illustrate upper eyelids, lower eyelids, and crow’s feet before treatment, immediately after treatment (each ‘dot’ is a micro-trauma resulting from a single discharge of the Plasma Pen), and three weeks after one treatment.
