The Plasma Pen is today an internationally recognized device that delivers precise skin rejuvenation. It can significantly reverse, repair, and mitigate the effects of aging without physically touching the skin. And at the office of Launa Stone, RN, in Calabasas, CA, we ensure natural-looking results that complement your facial features.
How Does Plasma Pen Treatment Work?
We first want to say the Plasma Pen (Pen) is not a pen at all but an advanced handheld device that can quickly treat wrinkles and refresh dull, sagging skin. It’s approved by the FDA to perform fibroblast therapy, a treatment designed to target fibroblasts. These cells are located in the dermis, the layer of skin just below the surface, and produce collagen and other proteins.
Fibroblasts play key roles in helping skin recover from wounds. They’re also integral to maintaining skin’s frim, taut nature. The Pen emits a high-frequency electric current to specific areas of the skin. That current ionizes atmospheric gases between its tip and the skin’s surface. The ionization then forms a plasma stream comprised of oxygen and nitrogen.
A Sophisticated Therapy
When we mention plasma, we’re talking about a state of matter created by the tool and not the blood. The plasma stream heats the skin’s layers to the point of inflicting controlled microtrauma. By microtrauma, we mean small holes in the skin’s surface that jumpstart the body’s natural healing responses.
Keep in mind these effects are achieved without the Pen ever touching your skin. The damage that ensues is twofold: it shrinks collagen and elastin fibers that already exist within your skin’s tissues and likewise stimulates new collagen production. These effects ultimately tighten and smooth skin in a way similar to facelifts.
A More Youthful Appearance
According to a study published in the PFMA journal in 2019, thermal disruption, or heat damage, caused by the Pen can:
- Break down proteins in the skin
- Simulate fibroblast activity
- Encourage tissue regeneration
- Promote tissue contraction (tightening)
These effects provide a more youthful appearance – even if you’ve previously tried other treatments to no avail. Skin tightening and elasticity will continue to improve with time as your skin further heals. Many patients use therapy to correct acne scars, photo aging, wrinkles, and sagging skin. Some even choose treatment with the Pen as an alternative to lip fillers. Doing so can make the pout look fuller and sexier.
What Areas Can Be Treated?
The Pen can successfully treat the neck as well as many different areas of the face. It’s an ideal way to erase necklines that can add years to your appearance. Treatment can also whisk away forehead lines, crow’s feet around the eyes, and tighten the jawline. And if you’re looking to correct the following, treatment can indeed do so:
- Post-acne scars and marks
- Accordion lines that form around the mouth
- Marionette lines
- Nasolabial folds
- Lipstick lines
- Bags and hoods on the upper and lower eyelids
- Stretchmarks
What To Expect
Treatment may vary based on your specific needs, but in general, we’ll start by cleansing your skin. We may also apply a topical numbing cream to ensure you remain comfortable. The cream takes effect in about 30 minutes. Once you feel ready, we’ll begin treating the designated area with the Pen.
Again, this will create small arcs of microcurrents that force the body’s natural healing responses to take over. Once treatment is complete, we’ll remove the numbing cream and potentially apply a cooling gel. This is another measure that simply safeguards your comfort. You’ll be free to leave as soon as we’ve handed over your post-treatment instructions. Altogether, you can expect treatment to take 30 to 60 minutes.
A Note on Our Treatment
It’s important you exercise caution when researching providers who administer treatment with the Pen. Many are not properly trained to use this sophisticated device, and some offices employ tools that are simply subpar.
We use a device with interchangeable tips that allow us to customize your treatment. We can target specific facial areas with a single tip or a 25-headed tip. In turn, you’ll enjoy a shorter treatment time with more dependable results.
A Treatment Unique from Others
Compared to more temporary treatments, such as fillers, the Pen can deliver results that last up to three years. It’s ideal for use on small patches of the skin, whereas neurotoxins like Botox are best used to erase fine lines. This means treatment with the pen can deliver broader results.
Unlike surgery, the Plasma Pen does not involve bruising, bleeding, or stitching. We don’t cut skin with a scalpel, nor do we need to administer anesthesia prior to treatment. Results appear more immediately, it’s nearly painless, and it doesn’t thin the skin. The Pen also delivers more consistent results than those provided by ablative resurfacing lasers.
Reasons To Consider the Pen
Let’s face it; our skin changes with time. The outer layer, known as the epidermis, thins even as the number of cell layers stays the same. Likewise, the number of cells containing pigment (melanocytes) decreases while those that remain increase in size. These effects cause aging skin to appear paler and thinner. In addition, pigmentation commonly referred to as age spots often develop in sun-exposed areas.
It’s not just the appearance of skin that changes. Connective tissues also weaken and reduce the skin’s integrity and elasticity. This is known as elastosis, a condition that commonly causes skin to look weather-beaten and leathery. Sailors, farmers, and others who spend a great deal of time outdoors are especially susceptible to elastosis.
Additional Changes Caused by Time
Our list of changes is already fairly extensive, and we’re not even done yet. You likely know that collagen production wanes with time. In fact, this can start as early as age 25, meaning it’s not a concern reserved for “old age.” It is this phenomenon that makes skin vulnerable to lines and wrinkles. In addition, tissues become dryer (thanks to changes in hormones) while elastin fibers that provide elasticity wear out.
Essentially, the scaffolding that supports skin collapses and leads to sagging, bags, discoloration, and folds. But these effects can be reversed with Plasma Pen, designed to significantly repair and revive skin using state-of-the-art technology.
Anticipated Results
Although end results depend on many different factors, including your adherence to post-treatment recommendations, you can expect to see immediate and dramatic skin improvements. These develop soon after treatment and are owed to the contraction of surface skin tissues. Meanwhile, old skin cells are shed and replaced with healthy new cells.
With a little more time, increased collagen and elastin production promote stronger, lifted skin tissues and a restructured scaffolding. The activation and release of crucial proteins in skin’s deeper layers help regulate cell maturation and support tissue repair. This long-term regeneration continues long after treatment is complete, delivering significant improvements that last well into the future.
Preparing for Treatment
Before your appointment, we recommend you avoid spray tans, sunbeds, and suntanning for several weeks. Ideally, you should wear sunscreen of at least SPF 40 two to four weeks before treatment to adequately prepare your skin. We also recommend you skip any other cosmetic treatments – such as chemical peels – starting four weeks before your appointment. You should additionally:
- Discontinue the use of topical products formulated with Retin-A at least 10 days before treatment
- Stop using Retinol products at least three days before treatment
- Remove eyelash extensions the day of your appointment
- Arrive at our office with a clean face
Post-Care Recommendations
Immediately after treatment with the Pen, you should not exercise or go into hot tubs, saunas, or other places that will cause you to sweat. It’s best to avoid excessive sweating for about 10 days as your skin moves through the healing process. Staying out of the sun is also key to helping skin repair itself.
You should additionally keep your skin bare for 10 days, meaning no makeup. A daily dose of vitamin C may support the healing process and give your immune system a boost. Finally, it’s a good idea to sleep on your back with your head elevated for several nights. Again, this allows skin to recover more quickly so you can see your gorgeous results.
Write Your Own Story with the Plasma Pen
The Pen is an incredibly effective way to rejuvenate your appearance. It can undo lines, wrinkles, and discoloration by encouraging new collagen growth. Some effects develop immediately, while others take a little more time. The end results, however, point to a more youthful-looking you with a smoother, softer canvas. Schedule your consultation today by contacting the office of Launa Stone, RN, in Calabasas, CA.
