A Descriptive Study on the Applications of Plasma Exeresis in Dermatology

BACKGROUND: Plasma exeresis is an aesthetic procedure used for the non-surgical treatment of a variety of skin problems. This technology allows for the improvement of skin imperfections and wrinkles and can be used to treat certain dermatological disorders. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this descriptive study was to describe the demographics and postprocedural recovery experiences of patients who underwent plasma exeresis at a single clinic over a period of eight months. Additionally, data on patient satisfaction with the treatment was recorded. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted. Participants in the study included all individuals who underwent plasma exeresis at the Tsioumas Clinic in Greece over a period of eight months from September 2018 to April 2019. Frequency distribution tables were used to describe the types of cases and the number of patients who underwent plasma exeresis treatment each month. RESULTS: A total of 710 patients underwent plasma exeresis within 124 actual working days during the study period. Of these, 73.4% (n=528) were women, and 25.6% (n=182) were men. The most cases were recorded in January, March, November, and February, representing 15.5 percent, 15.4 percent, 15 percent, and 14 percent of the total cases, respectively. Over 33 percent and 18 percent of patients were treated in the upper and lower eyelids, respectively. With regard to patient satisfaction, more than 52.9 percent of the patients reported being extremely satisfied with the plasma exeresis treatment. CONCLUSION: The results from our study demonstrate that plasma exeresis is most popular in our clinic from November to March, and the upper and lower eyelids were the most frequently treated areas during the eight-month study period. While not all patients who were originally treated were able to be reached to report their level of satisfaction, the majority of the proportion of patients that were able to be contacted reported being satisfied with the treatment. Future research with more objective efficacy measurements are needed to support our findings.