Plasma Skin Resurfacing

Plasma skin resurfacing is another device which can also be used for rejuvenation of not only the face and neck, but also the chest, arms, and hands. This treatment is considered non-ablative because the epidermis remains intact after the treatment. The changes seen with plasma include:

• Reduction in appearance of wrinkles
• Tightening of the skin, including the upper and lower eyelids
• Decrease in hyperpigmentation (brown spots in the skin)
  

The plasma device, however, uses nitrogen gas instead of light. Plasma, a super-heated form of gas, is the fourth state of matter in addition to solid, liquid, and gas. During the patient’s treatment, the nitrogen plasma is formed in the hand piece of the device and directed onto the patient’s skin. When the nitrogen plasma comes in contact with the skin, the energy in the plasma is transmitted into the skin and nitrogen plasma becomes nitrogen gas again. The treatment with the plasma device is performed under a topical anesthesia only.

The heat energy of the nitrogen plasma forms a line of cleavage within the skin. As noted above, the epidermis remains intact until the skin heals below. The old epidermis then peels off 4-5 days after the treatment to reveal the new layer of epidermis. The results seen with the plasma device continue to get better over the next 6 to 12 months.

Plasma skin resurfacing can be done as a free-standing procedure and is often done in conjunction with a face lift.

Microdermabrasion

This is a gentle sanding procedure using salt. It is used for smoothing the outer layers of the skin and helping accelerate the removal of areas of hyperpigmentation. This is often used in conjunction with glycolic peels and non-ablative laser resurfacing procedures.