News that many were waiting for
PLEXR (plasma EXeResis) is a plasma generator. In order to understand what that means, we have to understand its use, working mechanism and applications, some of them shared with laser and radio scalpel. This will explain its uniqueness.
Plexr is neither a laser, not a radio scalpel, nor a radiofrequency device. It would be a mistake to try and understand Plexr’s mechanism through these three other technologies.
From a physical point of view, “Plasma” is defined as the fourth state of matter (in addition to solid, gaseous and liquid), and it can be thought as “liquefied gas”, according to physicists. It is actually ionized gas, in which ions are free to move. The “ionized” term indicates that a significantly large population of electrons was torn by the respective atoms, creating an active radius of microplasma that, thanks to the electromagnetic potential difference between the device tip and the human tissue, “deconstructs” the components of epidermis (keratinocytes), subliming them.
The Sublimation is the physical term for the direct transition from the solid to the gaseous state. At the same time there is also a biostimulation of the dermis, due to the selective and focused heat transfer during the impact of the microplasma beam on the affected tissue. During treatments, visible smoke is produced, as a result of the sublimation process. The subsequent scab on the treated part will fall in about a week, leaving no bruising or scarring, thanks to the very superficial action of Plexr.
The safety of the treatment made with Plexr is immediately clear: it works on the epidermis (from the outside) and it doesn’t go beyond the dermal papilla layer (unless the doctor desires to do so). There is no passage of electricity and no thermal damage. For example in case of periorbital rejuvenation treatments, there is no damage to the optic nerve, nor to the adjacent areas, thanks to the precise and focused action, and the absence of leakage currents.
PLEXR applications: periorbital rejuvenation (upper – lower eyelid, the so-called “non-surgical blepharoplasty”), perioral rejuvenation (barcode), wrinkles and skin laxity of neck treatment, cheek wrinkles peeling (micropeeling), genital rejuvenation, removal of discoloration (hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation), treatment of scars and acne (active and non active phases), stretch marks and scars (above all hypertrophic) treatment in combination with other treatments, removal of tattoos and micro-pigmentations (difficult to treat with other techniques because of its location such as lips, eyelids, eyebrows, etc.) and elimination of benign skin lesions (warts, fibroma, keratosis, xanthelasma etc.).
Differences between Plexr and other devices:
Radio scalpel or radio frequency devices, whose working mechanism through electromagnetic current is well known, use the human body as part of the circuit, and operate by cutting and/or coagulating, producing in some cases diffuse inflammation, bruising or scarring. The thermal damage is difficult to control given that electricity is conducted through the ions naturally present in both the tissues and the liquid component. Moreover, the low resistance offered by the nerve endings (optic nerve) to the passage of electric charges is a limit, especially for safety.
Because of these reasons, Plexr can be considered safer, more accurate and above all more versatile.
In fact, it makes little sense to compare it to radio scalpel solely based on the fact that they both perform excision of skin lesions.
Laser works on a different basis, because it uses photons, a coherent, monochromatic and collimated light beam. This energy is partially absorbed, refracted and reflected by the tissue in a selective manner, in accordance with the different coefficients of absorption and refraction.
The function and therapeutic response depends in a complex way by the choice of the wavelength, the duration of irradiation and the laser power. Different combinations of these parameters transform light energy into mechanical, thermal or chemical energy. The temperature increases in the first cells layers, and then in the underlying layers. These layers suffer of the so-called thermal effect, that results in a collagen warming, thus a beneficial effect of skin contraction and a stimulation of new fibers formation. If the thermal effect is excessive though, it can cause damage to the skin and produce burns or alterations in scarring.
Plexr is not light, so wavelength, specific chromophores or absorption and refraction coefficients do not have to be taken into account.
This means being able to work on any tissue including those in risky areas (mucosa, cartilage, hairy skin), without any risk of producing scarring or damage to adjacent tissues. Any skin type, regardless of its level of melanin, can be treated.
Comparing for example Plexr with CO2 / Erbium (they share some therapeutic indications), lasers have water as primary chromophore, and therefore act on dermatological lesions causing the evaporation of the tissue. Hence the tissue is modified, passing from a liquid into a gaseous state (from water to vapor). On some skin with a thick stratum corneum or hyperkeratotic skin lesions, lasers cannot work without a very high thermal damage risk.
On the contrary, Plexr acts on both good and poor conductors, thanks to sublimation (from the solid state to the gaseous state without passing through the liquid state) regardless of the water content of the skin.
To summarize the differences between Plexr and laser: Plexr does not produce thermal damage in unwanted areas, the recovery time is less because there is less inflammation, less difference between treated areas and not, less risk of producing discoloration (hyper- or hypopigmentation); there is no need to use glasses or goggles (for patient nor doctor). There are also no contra indications (patients have to stop isotretinoin six months before considering laser treatment) nor danger of developing immunological or collagen diseases. There is not even the need of a herpetic prophylaxis of acne, and there will not be post-treatment consequences, which may occur after the use of laser.
Plexr is not a laser, not a radio scalpel, nor a radio frequency device, but a device that generates plasma. It is highly secure, accurate and non-invasive. It does not release heat or parasitic energy in the tissues surrounding the treated area and works exclusively on the superficial skin of the patient, without exceeding the basal lamina or causing damages in the dermis.
GMV’s PLEXR is a internationally patented technology and it works with a methodology thought by Prof. Fippi and developed over many years of study and researches by him and by medical professionals, in Italy and abroad.