Plasma for Wrinkles: Possbily Effective, but Early

Implications: This technique may have implications as an alternative to lasers or Thermage treatments. Heating tissues with can cause shrinkage, much like meat does on a griddle. The key is heating deeper tissues but not burning the skin or melting the underlying fat.

Analysis: Arthrocare (ARTC) had a plasma product for wrinkles. ARTC product was like a laser. Turned out to be too time consuming and the unit costs were too high. ARTC product burned the skin off to smooth out the wrinkles.

This product is used to deep heat the skin, thereby contracting and stimulating the collagen.

Heating the deeper skin, the dermis, without damaging the epidermis is the key.

Thermage (THRM) has had some issues with melting the deeper fat and causing atrophy. Newer generations of the Thermage device may not do this.

Price and need for repeat treatments seems similar for Plasma versus laser or Thermage.

Heating collagen to shrink it and stimulate new buildup is a valid scientific concept.

Too early to tell, and I have seen nothing in the trade magazines yet.

Aesthetic Plastic Surgery meeting is in NYC in April.
Most docs will check it out in the booths first.