Low-energy plasma wrinkle treatments reduce healing time

Chestnut Hill, Mass. - A new study shows that a series of low-energy treatments with a plasma skin-regeneration tool can be as effective in treating wrinkles as a single, high-energy blast - but that less healing time is required, HealthDay News reports.

Researchers at SkinCare Physicians here write that the nonsurgical procedure is accomplished with “plasma,” a state of matter in which electrons are stripped from atoms to form an ionized gas. The plasma energy is delivered to skin tissue in 1 ms pulses through a device called the Portrait PSR (Rhytec), approved by the Food and Drug Administration for multiple low-energy treatments and single high-energy treatments to remove wrinkles and treat superficial skin lesions such as acne.

According to the study, which appeared in the February issue of Archives of Dermatology, healing time averaged approximately five days per treatment.

The researchers enlisted eight volunteers and administered three full-face, low-energy treatments every three weeks. Three months after treatment, participants had 37 percent fewer wrinkles, as judged by the researchers, and a 68 percent improvement in overall facial appearance, as judged by the patient.

The study was funded by Portrait PSR manufacturer Rhytec Inc., Waltham, Mass.