Opus Plasma: What You Need to Know

Pros

• Treatment sessions are quick. Providers say the combination of RF and microplasma energy allows them to complete a full-face treatment in about 20 minutes, much less time than most other fractional skin resurfacing treatments.
• The device can treat both face and body, with different tips for large or small areas and a range of settings (light, moderate, or aggressive) that can be adjusted to suit your skin type and desired results.
• Downtime for treatments with light to moderate settings is relatively brief: just one to two days with skin looking like it has a bad sunburn. If you want a more significant improvement, your provider can treat you with higher settings. In that case, you can expect about one week for recovery, though it’s usually possible to look presentable with good mineral-based makeup after 24 hours.

Cons

• Though you’ll start seeing improvements after your initial treatment, most patients need 2–5 treatments, spaced 2-4 weeks apart, for optimal results.
• Because the technology is relatively new, there aren’t yet many studies on its efficacy and results (beyond manufacturer-funded research).
• Opus Plasma reviews on RealSelf are mixed: the treatment has a 68% Worth It Rating. While many say they see smoother, tighter, and more evenly toned skin, others who had more aggressive treatments report more wrinkles and laxity post-treatment. Like other energy-based treatments, this one is very technique-dependent, so it’s essential to find a provider who has extensive experience and can appropriately customize your treatment to your concerns and skin type.

RealSelf Tip: A manufacturer’s study of 33 patients was conducted only on those who had Fitzpatrick skin type III to IV. However, Dr. Gandhi says that he has treated patients with Fitzpatrick skin types I to IV "safely, with good outcomes and no serious side effects." Alma, the manufacturer of Opus, has presented treatment results for patients with skin types all the way up to VI (deeply pigmented brown skin). The key to safe, successful outcomes for brown and very deep skin tones is using low-energy settings; this may require more treatment sessions to see a significant improvement.

• Average Cost:
• $1,350

• Range:
• $1,100 - $2,500

The price you pay for your Opus Plasma treatment will depend on your provider’s credentials, level of experience, and practice location, as well as the details of your treatment, including how many sessions you need to see your desired results. 

Some providers offer special package pricing if you pay for a series of treatments up front, to help ensure you see the kind of results you want. “I am a firm believer that more advanced outcomes are achievable when energy-based treatments, including Opus Plasma, are paired with effective pre- and post-treatment skin care regimens, and the patient plans for several sessions to maximize their outcome,” says Dr. Gandhi.  

Treatment of the entire face can be performed in approximately 20 minutes. Here’s what to expect:

• First, your provider will cleanse your skin and apply a topical anesthetic, to minimize discomfort during your treatment session. 
• More experienced providers may also offer injectable anesthetic nerve or field blocks to increase your comfort level, according to Dr. Gandhi.
• Mild oral sedation can also be helpful in certain settings.
• When you’re sufficiently numb, your provider will place the handpiece lightly against your skin and roll it across the entire treatment area, using settings suitable for your skin type and concerns.
• Your provider may also use focus tips for stamping heat energy into smaller areas.
• Once your fractional plasma treatment is complete, your provider will apply a balm to your skin to protect it as it heals.

How painful Opus Plasma is varies by patient, the intensity of the treatment, and the type of anesthesia that's provided. 

For patients being treated at lower settings, the topical anesthetic that’s applied prior to treatment may be enough to make it tolerable, with some heat and mild pressure during the treatment session. 

However, some reviewers on RealSelf who had more aggressive treatments say it was so painful that they didn’t want to do a second treatment session.

According to Dr. Gandhi, this situation is entirely avoidable if practices "take the time and care to adequately numb patients and keep them comfortable." A "firm believer in patient comfort and safety," he says that his practice has a pre-treatment protocol that involves full topical anesthesia, injections of local anesthesia, and oral sedation. "Some patients wince a bit or move at times, because it is normal to feel some patchiness in local anesthetic effects, but it's certainly more effective than topical alone. And patients still say that overall, they were comfortable for the procedure."

During your initial consultation, ask your provider about the intensity level of your treatment plan and how they plan to ensure your comfort during the procedure.

How much downtime you’ll need will depend on how aggressive your treatment was and how your body heals. 

• For light to moderate treatments, the most common side effects are swelling and redness for 24–48 hours post-treatment, as if you had a bad sunburn. After that, most people can return to their normal activities and cover any residual redness with mineral-based makeup.
• More aggressive treatments typically involve 3-5 days of recovery time, but some patients have significant swelling for up to a week.
• As you go through the healing process, your skin tone may change from red to brown, before the new skin starts to show.

You’ll be given post-procedure skincare instructions to keep your skin moist, protected, and well-hydrated

Your skin will be especially sensitive to UV rays, so you’ll need to stay out of direct sunlight and use a broad-spectrum, high-SPF sunscreen for at least the next two weeks, as your skin heals. “These precautions will reduce your risk of developing hyperpigmentation during the healing process,” notes Dr. Gandhi. “You should discuss your individual treatment risks, benefits, and alternatives with your provider before you proceed.”

Remember that you’ll need to be patient, as you await your results: it can take up to three months after your last treatment session for the new collagen to form before you see optimal results.

Opus Plasma results can last for a year or more. “After that, it is advisable to consider annual maintenance treatments, to build upon your initial results,” says Dr. Gandhi.