Dermapen

Dr.Neda Moeini, ND 05 Jul 2024

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Plasma fibroblast therapy, also called plasma skin resurfacing, is a skin treatment designed to improve the look of your skin by increasing the number of fibroblasts, the collagen- and protein-producing cells in your skin. This therapy is fairly new to the facial and cosmetic treatment scene.

What is plasma fibroblast therapy?

Plasma fibroblast therapy targets fibroblasts. These are collagen– and protein-producing cells in the dermis, the layer of skin just below your outermost skin layer. Fibroblasts play an important role in helping skin wounds heal as well as maintaining skin firmness and tightness. Plasma fibroblast therapy uses a pen-like device that discharges a high-frequency electric current to small areas of the skin. The plasma tip doesn’t directly touch the skin, but instead releases a targeted current just above the skin. The hot current creates small holes, or micro-injuries, in the skin’s layer. According to a 2019 article published in the PMFA journal, the thermal disruption, or heat damage, from plasma fibroblast therapy:

breaks down proteins in the skin
encourages tissue regeneration
stimulates fibroblast activity
causes tissue contraction (tightening)

Healthcare providers may also call this approach plasma skin resurfacing.

What are the benefits of plasma fibroblast therapy?

Plasma fibroblast therapy is a nonsurgical treatment that may be used to treat the following conditions:

acne scars
photo aging, including age spots
seborrheic keratosis
wrinkled skin, including the eyelids, neck, jawline, and above the lips

Cosmetic specialists may also use plasma fibroblast therapy as an alternative to lip fillers to make the lips look fuller.

Does it work?

When plasma fibroblast therapy is performed in a safe, controlled environment, it can:

improve skin texture
offer mild-to-moderate skin tightening effects
result in some degree of skin facial contour change

According to a 2014 article published in the journal Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, the effects are expected to stimulate fibroblast production for up to 1 year after treatment.

However, there aren’t a lot of studies on plasma fibroblast therapy as it’s a relatively new aesthetic procedure.

What’s the procedure like?

While the procedure may vary slightly based on where you’re having the treatment, the basic steps typically include:

Cleansing the skin and applying a topical anesthetic (numbing) cream. You may need to wait about 30 minutes for the numbing cream to take effect.
Treating the designated skin area with the plasma pen. The pen will create small arcs of microcurrents that make small scab-like dots on the skin.
A professional will remove the numbing cream and apply a cooling gel to minimize the tingling and burning sensation whenever possible.

The procedure usually takes about 30 to 60 minutes to perform.

Recovery

Once the procedure is completed, you can expect the small dots to scab over and fall off after about 1 week. Over the next couple of weeks, as your skin heals, it should appear tighter and firmer. Some people may see benefits from one treatment, while others may require three treatments before they see results.