What exactly is a Plasma or Fibroblast treatment?

What is Plasma?

Plasma is a gas made up of positively charged ions from the air. It’s generally created through a cloud of gas (mostly nitrogen) that is magnetized into a beam transmitted from the device. Picture those fun electric balls you have seen as a kid and how it jumps from the base to your finger as you touch the glass.

How is Plasma gas used?

Places like fluorescent light bulbs, neon signs and plasma televisions. And now, also as a beauty treatment to reduce aging!

How do these beauty pens create Plasma?

Electric energy converts gas from the air into “diatomic molecular nitrogen,” mostly oxygen and nitrogen. It is then transmitted to the skin’s surface in a non-contact way. It literally will not fire if it’s too far away or if it touches the skin.

What does Plasma do for you?

Plasma heats and disrupts all the way down to your dermal layer of skin to create micro-trauma to the tissue. The surface is lightly ablated with a “fanning” technique, at which  time the technician creates the little dots in the tissue. Those dots are tiny blood clots with a small scab over the top, which means that unlike with CO2, the tissue is completed closed. This prevents the likelihood of infection risks, making it safer even than Microneedling.

This damage especially targets the “fibroblasts” in the inner part of your dermis. I know, lots of biology here… but keep reading!

Why do you care about Fibroblasts?

Do you remember when you were younger and your face was supple and rounder than it is now (regardless of your age)?

That all comes from this beautiful collagen called type I. It’s a collagen you have TONS of in your youth but is slowly replaced by type III collagen over time. Picture type I collagen as well organized, supple and hearty, while your type III is loose, disorganized and smooshy.

When you stimulate fibroblasts, they get to work creating white blood cells to repair the tissue damage on the surface and recreate lots of nice, healthy collagen type I, transforming you back to your youthful self! They won’t do this work on their own. Most of them lay dormant until you have a wound that needs repair, so the plasma gas actually creates their activity.

It’s in this way that a Fibroblast treatment reverses aging. It also:

  • Forms fresh new surface skin
  • Increases elastin production
  • Removes cellular trash
  • Releases growth factors
  • Actually INCREASES the thickness of skin

 

Folks who should NOT have the service:

  • No treatment on a port wine stain or birthmark
  • Breastfeeding
  • If you are a Fitzpatrick Skin Type V or VI
  • Hemophiliacs
  • Hepatitis/HIV/AIDS
  • If you hyperpigment/hypopigment easily
  • Lupus
  • Epileptics
  • If you’ve ever had Gold Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Pregnancy
  • Hypertrophic or Keloid Scarring occurs
  • No eye treatments if you have Retinal Detachment
  • Vitilago
  • Currently using Accutane, Cortosteroids, Blood Thinners, Antabuse

Folks who CAN have the service but may heal slower:

  • Folks who are anemic
  • If you bruise/bleed easily
  • If you’ve had cataracts
  • You’ve had a corneal abrasion
  • Diabetics will heal slower but can have the procedure
  • If you get cold sores you will want to pre-treat with medication
  • If you have kidney or liver disease you’ll heal slower
  • Same with mitral valve prolapse
  • You shouldn’t treat an area with active eczema or psoriasis

Folks who can have the treatment with a time delay:

  • Recent Botox or Filler treatments should wait 21 days after to have Plasma Pen
  • There’s a 3 month wait after Bleph surgery or Facelifts/Browlifts
  • If you’ve had chemo or radiation there is a 5 week wait
  • Wait 12 weeks after eye laser surgery
  • If you’ve had Shingles, wait 6 months for treatment
  • There’s a 6 month wait after Accutane use

Before and Afters From Proper Plasma/Fibroblast Treatments

These are single treatment before and after pictures.

Plasma-Pen-St-Louis