Dielectric barrier discharge devices tailored to specific skin treatments

Cold atmospheric pressure plasmas (CAPs) have shown great potential in skin disinfection and wound healing [1]. Now the next step should be taken in developing CAP devices tailored to specific skin treatments. To allow fast and effective treatment of larger skin surfaces, larger plasma sources that can follow the shape of the skin are preferred. Therefore, two types of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma devices are being developed. Both are flexible and will be used to decontaminate skin. One is aimed at not harming the intact skin whereas the second DBD should stimulate healing of wounded skin. These DBDs will be characterized by extensive plasma diagnostics, including mass spectrometry [2] and electrical field measurements and modeling [3]. Together with the biological experiments on bacteria, skin cells and skin this should lead to optimal configurations and settings for the specific application of these plasma devices as well as more insight into the mechanisms of the effects of CAPs on bacteria and skin cells. Acknowledgment This work is part of the program Koers Noord, which is funded by the Samenwerkingsverband Noord-Nederland (SNN). References [1] Th. von Woedtke, S. Reuter, K. Masur, and K.-D. Weltmann, Phys. Rep. 530 (2013). [2] J. Benedikt, A. Hecimovic, D. Ellerweg, and A. von Keudell, J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 45, 40 (2012). [3] J. van Dijk, K. Peerenboom, M. Jimenez, D. Mihailova, and J. van der Mullen, J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 42, 19 (2009).