Ionized Plasma Jet Therapy for the Treatment of Striae Distensae.

INTRODUCTION: Striae distensae are common linear atrophic skin lesions caused by alterations in collagen, elastin, and other components of the extracellular matrix. Available treatments often provide inconsistent improvement, particularly in mature striae albae. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ionized plasma jet therapy (IPJT) in the treatment of striae distensae. METHODOLOGY: This open-label experimental study included 30 patients aged 15-49 years who met the predefined eligibility criteria. Participants underwent four sessions of IPJT using the Jett Plasma Lift Medical device (JETT; COMPEX, spol. s r.o., Brno, Czech Republic). Ablative and non-ablative treatments were administered alternately at 15-day intervals, with two sessions of each modality. Clinical improvement was evaluated through blinded photographic assessment using a five-point scale ranging from no improvement to excellent improvement. Procedural pain and adverse effects, including edema, itching, erythema, hypopigmentation, and hyperpigmentation, were assessed during follow-up visits for up to 90 days. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 28 ± 5.4 years; 18 (60.0%) were female and 12 (40.0%) were male. Striae albae were present in 28 (93.3%) patients, whereas 2 (6.7%) had striae rubrae. Excellent improvement was observed in 5 (16.7%) patients, good improvement in 19 (63.3%), and moderate improvement in 6 (20.0%). Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation occurred in three (10.0%) patients and resolved following treatment with a topical depigmenting agent. The mean procedural pain score was 2.2 ± 0.6 on the visual analogue scale. No persistent edema, erythema, itching, scarring, hypopigmentation, or serious treatment-related adverse events were observed. CONCLUSION: IPJT demonstrated promising clinical improvement, with mild procedural discomfort and a low frequency of temporary adverse effects in patients with striae distensae. However, larger randomized controlled trials using validated assessment tools and balanced representation of different striae subtypes are required to further establish its safety and efficacy.