Information about Plexr Soft Surgery and consent
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This information has been prepared to help you make a decision about whether to have treatment with Plexr Soft Surgery, its risks and benefits and expected outcomes.
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PLEASE READ AND INITIAL EACH PAGE.
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What is Plexr?
Plexr is a very safe, minimally invasive and effective type of treatment that utilises plasma technology. Plasma consists of ionised particles which are charged. Plexr uses plasma to modify the skin by sublimation (turning the surface into gas). This beam generates heat and causes sublimation of the outermost part of the epidermis (outer layer of the skin), without damage to the surrounding or deeper structures of the skin. In doing so, the tissue underneath is protected from heat whilst the surface of the skin contracts and heals in order to effect results. Healing is quick and scar-free, improving skin elasticity and resulting in smoothness. Plexr is a very precise treatment which gives good correction with minimal downtime. The results are long lasting.
Plexr is still a relatively new treatment.
The following areas are commonly treated:
o UPPER / LOWER Blepharoplasty (eye bag/ eye lid)
o Wrinkle reduction / saggy or folded skin such as on the neck and sides of the face
o Perioral lines / smokers lines
o Scar tissue including acne scar treatment
o seborrhoetic keratoses (age spots), fibromas, dermal naevi (skin coloured moles), lentiges (sun spots) and sun-induced skin lesions
o Tattoo removal
The treatment
Local anaesthetic gel is applied to the treatment area, after which the area is treated with the appropriate Plexr device.
For the eyes, a local anesthetic nerve block is given.
Immediately, small brown patches will appear where the skin has been treated and in the case of wrinkle treatment, the area will show some immediate contraction. As mentioned, in certain cases, injected local anaesthetic (Lidocaine/Mepivacaine) will be used to give a more profound numbness. We will advise you of which anaesthetic is best suited to your procedure.
The brown spots are known as carbon crusts, which take around 5-10 days to fall off. They will look burnt and brown before falling off on their own. In this time you will be instructed to apply GF-1 spray every 30 minutes for the first day, then concealer to the area in order to conceal the treatment area and allow healing under this medical grade foundation.
Please only use the Defence Colour Mat-zone from Bionike, available at Dischem for +-R225.
In this time you must not apply any other makeup. For 2-3 weeks after this there will be redness, flaking and itching of the treated area.
In the treatment of the eyelids (Blepharoplasty), you should expect swelling which may last up to 7 days. The eye is a very delicate area and different patients will react and swell differently - it is difficult to predetermine the extent of this. You may well be very swollen after treatment, and in the case of eyelid treatment, the extent of the swelling can be severe for several days.
Multiple treatment sessions may be required and your practitioner will inform you of this. Treatments will be scheduled 6-8 weeks apart, and a maximum of three treatment sessions are used to obtain a result.
How should I prepare?
Please advise your clinician of any medication you may be taking. You must tell us if you are taking Antibiotics, blood thinners or Isotretinoin. We also need to know if you suffer with cold sores. You may not receive treatment if you have active infections or open wounds on the area for treatment.
You must be prepared to take time off work. After treatment, you will be swollen for several days. You will also have black/brown crusting on the treated area which will persist for up to two weeks after treatment. It will not look great and we suggest you prepare for this by taking time off work and informing your friends and family that you are having treatment as you will not be able to “get away with it”.
IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT YOU ARE TREATED WITH SPF 50 AND A MEDICAL GRADE PIGMENT BLOCKER FOR 14 days prior to treatment.
This is to decrease the risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
Your doctor will advise on this.
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What should I do after treatment?
Aftercare is as important as your treatment. If you do not perform good aftercare your results will be severely affected.
You will notice little crusts on the treated area. These may be covered with concealer/base but ONLY the Bionike from Dischem.
You must not wash off the base, and you must not pick or scratch these crusts, otherwise scarring will result.
You must wash the area with GF-1 spray twice daily and pat dry.
You must also protect the treated area from sunlight, and so from day three the use of a high factor sunscreen (at least SPF50) is mandatory for at least two months after treatment.
You must not use sunbeds in this time. You may exercise, swim and apply your normal skincare when all the crusts have come off and the wound has settled down.
The crusts can crack and ooze - if this happens, do not pick them. Apply your aftercare products and leave the area to heal.
Smoking can cause problems with the blood flow to wounds and treatment areas. We advise you to quit.
You must not use products other than those we tell you to apply in the healing period. This includes moisturisers, shower gels and perfume to the area that has received treatment. Do not cover the area with plasters, it will scar!
Failure to comply with aftercare instructions can result in diminished results and poor outcome, incomplete healing, skin textural changes, scarring or pigmentation. You may think that it is better if you don’t apply the aftercare products or follow your instructions but you will get a bad result. If you are worried at all or need our reassurance then you must call us at Body360MedicalAesthetics immediately.
Your review appointments are mandatory. These will be scheduled 7 days and then 14 days after your treatment. You must attend these. Failure to attend your follow up appointments means that we cannot assess, reassure and possibly help you should you need it.
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Possible risks and complications
Plexr is a relatively safe treatment. After the initial swelling and crust formation, both of which is normal, there will be pink “baby” skin which will initially be itchy and then slowly achieve normal colouring.
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The risks include:
Purpura (red-purple discolouration, bruising)
Swelling (this is profuse and may last up to 7 days, especially on treatment of the eyes)
Scabbing & Crusting (so-called Carbon-crust, which usually resolved within 5-10 days but can take significantly longer)
Skin Color and/or Textural Changes (skin can remain pink for up to 4 weeks) Hyperpigmentation/hypopigmentation (darkening/lightening of the skin; transient or
long term)
Scarring (rare, possibly permanent if the proper after care instruction are not upheld).
Reactions to local anaesthetic gel
Infections at the treatment site
Reactivation of cold sores (around the mouth) - should you suffer with cold sores please let your clinician know
These are all complications which are usually associated with poor aftercare. However, some patients may experience these even when good aftercare is exercised.
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Things to consider before commencing with treatment
The Plexr is a new treatment and the procedure is relatively safe. However, complications can occur in the aftercare period if proper care is not taken.
You must take it easy for two weeks. You will need to take time off work and the scabs on the treated area look brown and scabby for up to two weeks, which can look a bit scary. You will not be able to cover these fully and this is not a no downtime procedure.
If your eyes feel gritty after the procedure, please make sure you rinse them thoroughly with running water and get in touch with us.
If you have your upper eyelids treated, you will also get swelling of the lower eyelid pos- operatively. You will look very, very swollen and it can potentially take a whole week for this to resolve. This is in line with normal healing. We suggest you take an adequate amount of time off work and warn your friends and family that you will be looking less than great in the healing period.
Please do not go decorating your house, cleaning your house, on holiday, on sunbeds, swimming in the Mersey, or going out doing sports as this will disrupt your healing and irritate the skin.
If you pick the scabs they will weep. If they are weeping, please continue with the wound care and disrupt the area as little as possible.
Plexr treatment is not for the faint-hearted. The results are fantastic, but there is significant downtime. It’s not no surgery, it’s SOFT surgery. Please do not be under any illusions about it being a magic wand.
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Consent to treatment with Plexr
I have been advised of the treatment procedure with PlexR and its intended benefits, including the need for potential anaesthetic use, aftercare and the possible risks and complications during and after treatment.
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We have discussed my presentation for treatment, my medical history and any factors that are significant for treatment, including realistic expectations for treatment outcome. I have disclosed all medical conditions and we have explored the relevant risk factors to my treatment.
I have received, read and understood the information leaflet about PlexR treatment and post- operative care.
I am aware that there is no guarantee to the success of any medical treatment, including PlexR. I have been advised that in order to achieve the desired result I may need several treatment sessions and that complete resolution may not be possible.
I am happy to have treatment with PlexR that has been described to me using the treatment methods that I have been told about. I have had adequate opportunity to make this decision and have no further questions about the procedure, having had time to ask any questions before treatment and had them adequately answered so that I can understand. I have read and understood the patient information leaflets. I am happy to pay the fees that have been outlined to me for this treatment.
I understand that it is impossible for the clinician to inform me of every possible complication that may occur and results can be variable. I accept that during the course of treatment unforeseen circumstances may arise that may require medical treatment other than that outlined. I therefore authorise the treating clinician to perform such treatment in the exercise of their professional judgement and for my benefit as is necessary in case I require it.
I have been given aftercare instructions and I understand it is my responsibility to follow them. Failure to do so may result in a poor outcome and may worsen the treatment area and cause complications.
