FAQ
Will it hurt?
The procedure is comfortable for most people provided the area is well covered with local anaesthetic cream which is given sufficient time to numb the skin. For the first few days after the treatment, the area may be swollen and sore. It’s best to apply nothing to avoid damaging the scabs, although soreness can be soothed by gently patting an antiseptic cream such as Savlon onto the area.
What will I look like afterwards?
The treated area of the skin will have a matrix of small carbonised dots which will shortly scab over (see “Eye Lift” for photos). It is important not to damage the scabs or pick them off as they are protecting the new skin beneath. Once the scabs fall off on their own, at around days 5-7, makeup can be applied. If you have a job where your appearance is important you may want to take a little time off while the area heals, or wear dark glasses to cover your eyes if that is the area that has been treated.
How long does it take to see the results?
The skin often looks much tighter directly afterwards, but this can be due to dehydration of the skin and is not necessarily a representation of the final appearance. After a few days, the skin will start to look tighter but the “fibroplast proliferation” (renewal of the skin cells) does not occur until 4 – 6 weeks after treatment and it can take up to 8 weeks to see the final result. Often, when you look in the mirror, you see slight improvements that you hadn’t noticed before – it’s the gift that keeps on giving.
What areas are suitable to be treated with plasma pen?
Plasma pen is great for lessening lines and wrinkles, in some cases removing them completely, and works well on the upper and lower eye lids for both eye lid and eye-bag reduction (where the eye bags are caused by loose skin), naso-labial folds, smoker’s lines, marionette lines, crow’s feet, forehead lines, the neck, the decolletage, the abdomen and other areas where there is excess loose skin. It can also be used for the removal of warts and skin tags and other skin imperfections. Note that for safety reasons, it is our policy not to remove moles.
How long does the treatment last?
What are the side effects of plasma pen treatment?
Plasma pen is a mildly invasive treatment that can cause severe swelling to the areas being treated. This is especially the case with the eyes, and for this reason I will not treat upper and lower eyelids in the same sitting as they could swell so much you wouldn’t be able to see.
Plasma pen causes pinprick scabs, or “spots”, which are visible for up to 14 days after treatment. They fall off around 5 – 7 days after treatment.
Sometimes the scabs can bleed or weep.
If the client is prone to cold sores, plasma pen can trigger an outbreak if the peri-oral area (the area around the mouth) is being treated. In such a case, it may be worth discussing whether it’s worth taking antiviral medication with your doctor before treatment.
Are there any people for whom this treatment is not suitable?
It is not suited to people with olive skin or darker due to the risk of hyperpigmentation of darker skin. It is also not suitable for clients taking blood thinners, being treated for severe diabetes or having certain skin conditions in the area to be treated.
What is the aftercare for plasma pen?
All clients are provided with full details of aftercare which must be adhered to. This includes wearing Factor 50 sunblock to the treated area for three months post treatment. The full aftercare instructions are available here.
Are the results guaranteed?
Results vary depending on multiple factors such as how much loose skin there is to begin with, lifestyle and how well the skin responds to treatment. The goal of the treatment is improvement. Sometimes more than one treatment will be required to get the desired effects.