Assessing the Thermal Effects of Noble Gas Plasma Therapy: A Preclinical Investigation

Gas plasma treatment is an emerging technology in skincare that uses ionized gas to treat various skin conditions. This treatment involves generating plasma, a state of matter where gas is energized to a point where it becomes highly reactive, with the ability to kill bacteria, promote healing, and stimulate skin regeneration. The test device "PlazMagik" is a noble gas plasma device that utilizes helium or argon gas to generate cold-temperature plasma energy. It offers the flexibility to utilize either helium, argon, or a combination of both gases. We evaluate the thermal image area, the maximum temperature, the time to reach basal temperature, and tissue necrosis using, skin, liver, and femoral muscle tissue collected from mini pigs. The results indicate that higher output energy levels of a device expand the area of tissue impact under standardized test conditions. The continuous-wave (CW) mode generates significantly more thermal effect than the pulse mode at the same energy levels. The triple-tip device causes thermal effects two to three times greater than the single-tip device. Peak tissue temperatures depend on energy levels, reaching 32 °C, 50 °C, and 70 °C at increasing levels, with higher temperatures causing quicker tissue damage. Recovery time to baseline temperature increases with higher temperatures. Higher energy levels increase the likelihood of tissue necrosis, especially in hepatic tissue. CW mode is more likely to cause tissue necrosis than pulse mode. Variations in the settings (output level, mode, or tips) are the cause of changes seen in the thermal imaging area, maximum temperature, time to reach basal temperature, and findings of the histopathological examination. Gas plasma devices can be used safely and moderately without endangering the body. Thermal effects of plasma therapy: The study evaluates the thermal effects of a noble gas plasma device (PlazMagik) on skin, liver, and muscle tissues from mini pigs, focusing on parameters like thermal imaging area, peak temperature, and tissue necrosis. Impact of device settings: Higher energy output levels, continuous-wave (CW) mode, and triple-tip devices lead to greater thermal effects, higher peak temperatures (up to 70°C), and increased likelihood of tissue necrosis compared to pulse mode and single-tip devices. Tissue-specific response: Liver tissue is more susceptible to plasma-induced necrosis than skin or muscle. Recovery time to baseline temperature increases with higher energy levels. Safety and clinical implications: Controlled and moderate use of noble gas plasma therapy is safe, but standardization of treatment protocols is necessary for clinical applications. The therapy shows promise for noninvasive skin treatments, wound healing, and dermatological applications. Level of Evidence III This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .