Portrait®, a non-invasive treatment for wrinkles

Procedure Summary

Unlike most other wrinkle treatments, plasma skin rejuvenation does not involve surgery, laser, radio frequencies or light-based therapy. It is a new technology that uses energy available from ionised gas to affect both the surface of the skin and its underlying structure so that new, revitalising collagen will be generated.

Highly charged ionised gas has been utilised by the scientific and medical communities for many years. Some go as far to describe it as a fourth state of matter (after solid, liquid and gas). With Portrait, the plasma is generated by stimulating nitrogen gas into an ionised state. The energy produced is then released from a handset in the form of controlled pulses. As one patient remarked, “I was delighted to discover an effective cosmetic facial treatment that involved nothing more than holding a device near my skin – no cuts, scrapes or burns. As I understand it, the ionised energy that is used is similar to what occurs when you rub a balloon on your pullover, a bit like static electricity. The idea of being able to get up and walk out of the room with just minimal recovery time really appealed to me.”

Are you a candidate for plasma skin rejuvenation?

As the we age and the years of sun exposure take their toll, the skin becomes thinner, blemishes become more visible and collagen, vital for firm skin, is gradually lost. The revitalising properties of plasma skin rejuvenation can help to reverse this process. Portrait is effective on a variety of skin types and is best performed during the early signs of aging such as fine lines, deep wrinkles, nose/mouth creases, sun-damage, skin discolouration (hyperpigmentation), loose skin including the onset of jowls, pre-cancerous lesions as well as acne scarring. Please note that Portrait cannot alter pore size or remove deep scars. Your suitability for the procedure will be discussed during your initial consultation with the practitioner.

Undergoing plasma skin rejuvenation

Portrait can be applied at varying energy levels to achieve differing results. All levels repair fine lines and skin discolouration, though higher energy treatments appear to be more effective at tightening the skin. The lower energy treatments will involve more than one session and require a topical anaesthetic cream to be applied 1 hour prior to the start of the treatment. The higher energy treatments are completed in a single procedure and require an additional oral anaesthetic.

During the procedure, a handpiece is held about 5mm from the skin’s surface to deliver millisecond pulses of nitrogen-based plasma to the skin. The heating action of the energy removes photodamaged epidermal cells (outer skin) and promotes collagen growth in the dermis (below the skin’s surface). As dry skin absorbs more energy, the anaesthetic cream will be wiped off with a dry gauze immediately prior to applying the device to each area. The procedure is quick and painless with a full-face treatment usually taking less than 15 minutes and causing only an awareness of heat in the area being treated. “I was amazed at how quick and comfortable the whole procedure was,” said one man after receiving Portrait treatment. “It was like having a shave at the barbers – just a bit of tingling and some warmth, and that was it!”

Following treatment there may be some redness for 2 or 3 days and, where higher energy levels have been used, it may turn brown for a few days until the top layer of skin is shed. You will be able to shave or apply make-up and return to work soon after treatment, depending upon the condition of your skin. It is important to protect the skin from the sun using high-factor, moisturising sunblock for several months after treatment. Results are usually instantly apparent following the treatment, with further improvement becoming noticeable as collagen begins to form. The developers of the Portrait system claim that the improvements may last for up to one year.

Who should carry out plasma skin rejuvenation?

The people behind the Portrait plasma skin rejuvenation equipment recommend that you should initially consult your doctor and then only accept Portrait treatment from operators who have been specially trained to operate the machines. As for the price of the treatment, a full facial procedure should cost around £1,000. If plasma skin rejuvenation is something that you are considering, you can discuss all of the issues mentioned here in greater depth during a consultation with an experienced practitioner.

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