Lasers in surgery and medicine
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Controlled Clinical Trial
The effect of topical anesthetic hydration on the depth of thermal injury from the plasma skin regeneration device.
The plasma skin regeneration (PSR) device delivers thermal energy to the skin by converting nitrogen gas to plasma. Prior to treatment, hydration of the skin is recommended as it is thought to limit the zone of thermal damage. However, there is limited data on optimal hydration time. This pilot study aims to determine the effect of topical anesthetic application time on the depth of thermal injury from a PSR device using histology. ⋯ Topical hydration influences the amount of thermal damage when applied to skin for 30 minutes prior to treatment with the PSR device. There was a trend toward decreasing thermal damage at 60 minutes, and there was no difference between treatment for 30 or 60 minutes. The data suggest that application of topical anesthetic for a short period of time prior to treatment with the PSR device is cost-effective, safe, and may be clinically beneficial.