NeoGen – Nitrogen Plasma Skin Resurfacing

Unlike laser resurfacing, NeoGen Plasma isn’t dependent on a chromophore, or color target, such as excess brown pigment. It treats the entire skin architecture everywhere on the body at once. You also won’t need eye guards or any sort of eye protection because it is not a laser device.

The treated skin forms a natural barrier to aid recovery. and treatment protocols can be tailored to meet your needs. In addition to heat, nitrogen plasma has been found to be effective at damaging biofilms, bacterial cell walls and proteins, as well as changing intracellular pH, making it an effective modality for anti-microbial therapy, treatment of acne and increased skin permeability to topical products. The treatment protocols can be tailored to meet your needs:

• High energy – corrective treatments, achieving ablative CO2 results with significantly less downtime, treatment risks, and post treatment complications compared to ablative laser devices.
• Low energy – life-long preventive and maintenance treatments, achieving substantial improvement with minimal downtime, inconvenience, or discomfort.
• Very low energy – bacterial control e.g., Acne vulgaris and increased skin permeability of skin care products including PRP or Stem Cell derivatives.

It is recommended than sun protection (SPF 30) creams should be used daily for at least two weeks daily prior to your treatment, if not already being used daily.

Professional strength skincare products with ingredients such as retinols, alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), tretinoin or any type of vitamin A derivatives should be avoided for two weeks. Anti-viral medicines may be prescribed if you are known to have a history of cold sores.

Photographs will be taken for a “before and after” comparison at a follow up appointment. Numbing cream will be applied to the treatment areas. Please advise Dr. Hernberg if you ever had a problem or allergy associated with ANY anesthesia medications or topical analgesics. During treatment, Dr. Hernberg will pass the handpiece over your skin, delivering targeted plasma energy. You may experience a feeling of heat during treatment, although with the use of the topical anesthetic it should tolerably During the procedure you will hear a popping sound and may notice the smell of your fine hair being singed. The hair will grow back.

Once you’re numb, the treatment is generally very tolerable but can become a little uncomfortable because of the heat build-up, especially at high-energy settings.  After the procedure is done, you will have the sensation of a bad sun burn.

A full-face treatment takes around an hour, while treating a small area, like around the eyes, takes 10–15 minutes.

Side effects are usually minimal from plasma skin resurfacing treatment but can include skin discoloration, shedding, flaking, scaling, crusting, and peeling. Even at high energies, NeoGen Plasma doesn’t fully remove the skin’s surface (epidermis), like an ablative laser treatment. The NeoGen treatment maintains a protective layer of skin that encourages rapid healing and reduces the risk of infection. If you have a history of oral herpes, it is important to start anti-viral medications prophylactically. The side effects typically resolve within 7-14 days. You may also experience some redness and swelling, as well as some temporary hyperpigmentation (darker areas of skin). Dr. Hernberg will review all the adverse events at the time of your evaluation.

Following treatment, you are advised not to wash the treated areas for at least 24 hours. You are advised not to pick or peel flaking skin to prevent scarring. A specific set of instructions will be provided. Additionally, Dr. Hernberg uses Stem Cell Cytokines skin care from Ante Age to facilitate your recovery and to optimize your results. You should apply daily sunscreen and take adequate precautions when out in the sun. For several months following treatment, you should also use a moisturizing sun protection cream in the treated area and use wide-brimmed hats to provide protection from the sun.

For at least the first 10 days following treatment, you should be very delicate with the treated areas of skin. To relieve itching, you can gently dab or spritz diluted vinegar onto the skin. You should also apply the provided Ant Age skin care products to the skin twice a day or until the peeling subsides.

Full recovery following a low energy treatment will take 2-7 days, while recovery following a high energy treatment will take 10-14 days. Immediately following treatment, your skin will be pinkish to red and may appear swollen. Over the next day or two, the areas that were treated will turn bronze/brown in color, a bit like suntan, before eventually flaking and peeling away. Do not be tempted to pick or manually try to peel the skin away. You should be able to return to your normal activities quickly, usually by day two following your treatment.

Results from the NeoGen are permanent and although your skin will still be subject to the potentially damaging effects of gravity and UVA/UVB rays, it can turn back the clock, smoothing out imperfections and vastly improving skin tone and texture after just one treatment. The durability of the treatment is affected by many factors including, the energy used, the number of treatments performed, genetics, and your lifestyle. Unfortunately, the NeoGen does not stop the ageing process. Low energy follow-up treatments will help your skin look great for years!

You may see some skin tightening immediately, with ongoing improvement for six months after treatment as collagen and elastin regeneration continues. Additional treatments can amplify the effects.

Skin resurfacing results appear within 10 days once you’re done peeling. The new skin that emerges after the damaged skin peels off will look smoother, more evenly toned, and more youthful.

Your new skin will be sun-sensitive, so it’s important to avoid direct sun exposure for several months following treatment and faithfully wear SPF 30+ sunscreen, to prolong your results.

It may sound loud, but the procedure is well tolerated with. Low energy treatments generally do not require any numbing cream. With a layer of numbing cream for the high energy procedures, patients usually do not feel anything except for a warm sensation.

The cost of the area is determined by several factors including, treatment area, energy level used, and number of treatments planned. Your outcome goals and your acceptance of more or less downtime are considered at the time of your consult in planning your treatment. The price will be influenced by these factors and will be fully discussed at the time of your free consultation.

Depending on the area to be treated and the issue to be treated, the number of sessions can vary. On average, clinical studies have shown that approximately 3 sessions of the NeoGen can achieve satisfactory improvement in texture and tightening. Sessions should be done 3-5 weeks apart. Results are accumulative and becomes more noticeable with each treatment.

Plasma skin resurfacing is generally suitable for most people, as it is particularly effective at treating notoriously difficult-to-treat areas such as around the eyes and around the mouth. It’s also suitable for most skin types and textures, although there are some contra-indications, listed below:

• If you have darker skin,
• If your skin is prone to scarring/keloid scarring,
• If you have any of the following: severe skin conditions, open wounds, severe acne, lupus, psoriasis, or vitiligo,
• If you have allergies or sensitivities to any of the products used during treatment,
• If you have a history of being treated with blood-thinning medications or gold therapy in the past, or Accutane in the last year,
• If you are pregnant, or breast-feeding,
• Immune-deficient or have any other auto-immune disorder.