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Plasma Technology Explained - How Ionized Gas Has Revolutionized the Science of Skin Regeneration

Unless you wanted to be a doctor or a scientist when you were growing up, the only thing you probably know about plasma is that it is a component of blood or that it's the hottest thing in TVs. Therefore it will probably come as a surprise to discover that 99% of all visible matter in the universe-including the sun and the stars-is made up of plasma, a highly charged ionized gas. So are a lightning strike and the Northern Lights.

The application of plasma technology

It's been a long time, however, since plasma occurred only in nature. Thanks to the development of plasma technology, its man-made uses have become widespread. According to the Coalition for Plasma Science, plasma plays a key role in everything from fluorescent lights to radio transmission. Right now, scientists working on fusion to create a cheap, clean energy source are experimenting with plasma. And let's not forget those plasma TVs, which are known for producing sharp images and vibrant colors.

An exciting breakthrough in plasma technology, the Portrait® procedure is unparalleled for wrinkle reduction, tightening, and improvement in skin tone and texture-all of which are achieved with a low risk profile in which your own skin acts as a natural biological dressing during the healing process. No other procedure treats more conditions at the same time.

Portrait® works by delivering millisecond pulses of nitrogen-based plasma to the skin's surface via the system's novel hand piece. Nitrogen is a colorless, odorless gaseous element. You'll remember from high-school chemistry that nitrogen is a part of all living tissues and makes up 80% of the atmosphere. When introduced to ultra-high frequency energy, the nitrogen is converted into a highly energized state, or plasma. Because nitrogen is so inert, the amount of energy needed to turn it into plasma is very high; therefore, the amount of energy you can get out of it is equally high-enabling the efficient delivery of energy to the skin. When directed from the hand piece, the plasma transfers its energy onto the skin without any direct contact or heat charring, causing a very controlled heating of tissue and a unique thermal profile.

Unlike other skin-rejuvenation treatments that ablate the skin, Portrait® does not ablate leaving the skin surface intact. It works via an entirely different mode of action, one that thanks to the unique thermal profile is effective both at and below the skin's surface.

It stimulates the body to regenerate the damaged structural elements of the skin not affected by other technologies and treatments. The results seen following treatment get better over time, with clinical studies showing continuing improvement a year later-a unique and significant advantage that distinguishes Portrait® from all other skin treatments.

A simple procedure that can be used on the face and is being developed to treat other parts of the body, Portrait® is available in three levels of treatment. The treatment protocol selection is based on certain criteria including the patient's skin condition, the patient's expectations for results and the patient's expectation of downtime. The patient and physician will also consider whether the treatment is being used in conjunction with other procedures and how much post-treatment care a patient is willing to accept.

At the low end is PSR1; a treatment that's repeated three times over the course of nine weeks, it's accompanied by a few days of mild redness and flaking. The most intense treatment, PSR3, delivers a gold-standard outcome-typically a 50 - 70% improvement in sun damage including deep wrinkles after 90 days-with a week to ten days of downtime.

Portrait® PSR3 is FDA-cleared for treatment of wrinkles and superficial benign lesions. Backed by three years of clinical research before it was brought to market, Portrait® PSR3 is safe and effective, giving patients the results they want without the lengthy downtime or risks associated with other treatments.