Sponsored by SHEnB
Combining the power of nitrogen plasma with the safety of argon plasma facilitates relatively painless non-invasive procedures for a range of indications – from acne, rosacea and melasma to facial resurfacing, atopic dermatitis and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH). A new device, PlaDuo from SHEnB (Seoul, South Korea) combines argon and nitrogen plasma sources to balance safety and efficacy.
“Using two plasmas is the greatest strength of PlaDuo,” said Gwahn Woo Cheon, MD, owner of Maylin Clinic in Pangyo, South Korea. “With a single plasma, one cannot treat a variety of lesions effectively.”
Aesthetic physicians use existing nitrogen plasma devices mainly for facial resurfacing. Dr. Cheon said that when he treated a Korean patient with one such device, using manufacturer-suggested parameters, resolving the resulting PIH proved very challenging.
According to Dr. Cheon, “PlaDuo is the only device that solves skin troubles and regenerates the skin with very little or no pain using two types of plasma based on various chemical and optical principles of plasma,” Dr. Cheon mentioned.
Both argon and nitrogen plasma can kill bacteria because the 309 nm light they generate maximizes production of hydroxide, which is a reactive oxygen species. Because plasma application produces more hydroxide in wet skin, SHEnB recommends gently misting the treatment area with water before treatment.
Even at low energy levels the device offers potent antibacterial and anti-candidal activity1 and effective tissue remodeling, Dr. Cheon reported. “In addition, argon-driven plasma produces light at 700 nm, so it can brighten the face.”
Key to a successful treatment is using low energy levels such as 0.53 J to 0.65 J for argon plasma and 0.5 J to 1 J for nitrogen. “For non-invasive acne treatment or selective plasma delivery to sebaceous glands, the argon plasma pulse is mainly used,”2 Dr. Cheon shared. With argon plasma vacuolar changes occur in the epidermis and follicular epidermis without excessive thermal damage to the upper dermis. This thermal modification destroys the sebaceous glands,3 he continued.
“If the operator increases the level of nitrogen plasma gradually,” Dr. Cheon began, “change in thermal-damaged sebaceous glands in the upper dermis is relatively reduced.” Conversely, dramatic energy increases melt sebaceous glands but generate tissue carbonization and scarring.
This treatment is well-suited for people
whose jobs require wearing makeup, which can cause skin reactions, and for entertainers who need no-downtime acne treatment. Other good candidates include young acne patients who cannot tolerate painful procedures such as extrusion and peeling, and patients in whom photoallergy or phototoxicity causes hypersensitivity to intense pulsed light (IPL) and lasers, Dr. Cheon added.
Changes in inflammatory acne lesions and rosacea start appearing three days post-treatment. “More obvious changes start appearing after about a week,” Dr. Cheon mentioned. Maximal results can appear after the third treatment. “I normally recommend five treatments, performed one to two weeks apart, so that patients can maintain treatment effects longer than after three treatments,” he continued. Applying skin boosters such as growth factors, exosomes or polydeoxyribonucleotide before treatment can achieve synergistic effects.
Because most patients want pain-free treatment, Dr. Cheon shared that repeat visits significantly increased since he began using PlaDuo. Most patients are satisfied with the treatment and recommend it to their friends and family.”
References:
- Kim CK, Kim H, Kim HJ, Cho SB. Antibacterial and anticandidal effects of atmospheric-pressure, non-thermal, nitrogenand argon-plasma pulses. Dermatol Ther. 2022;35(2):e15222. doi:10.1111/dth.15222
- Cho SB, Kim H, Kim H, Yoo KH. Argon plasma: a new approach for the effective treatment of inflammatory acne vulgaris and enlarged pores in Asian patients. Medical Lasers. 2018;7:97 101. https://doi.org/10.25289/ ML.2018.7.2.97
- Kim H, Kim HJ, Kim HK, Hong JY, Cho SB. Effects of argon and nitrogen plasma pulses on the skin and skin appendages in an in vivo animal model. Skin Res Technol. 2020;26(1):81-90. doi:10.1111/srt.12767
