Abigail Klein Leichman
December 29, 2016

Dermatologists have two options for improving the appearance of skin marred by scars and wrinkles: energy-based devices using laser, radio frequency or ultrasound; and injectable compounds like hyaluronic acid and Botox.

A novel skin rejuvenating product from Israel, EnerJet (Airgent in the United States), was designed with the idea of taking the best of both those approaches and improving end results.

The latest version will be introduced next March at the annual congress of the Association of American Dermatologists, says Ayellet Bar, marketing director for the parent company, PerfAction Technologies of Rehovot.

On the market since 2013, EnerJet uses a non-thermal, no-needle, high-pressure jet stream to introduce any kind of healing agent or skin-enhancement material, such as hyaluronic acid, deep into the dermal layer of the skin anywhere on the body for a wide range of aesthetic indications including acne scars, stretch marks and facelifts.

Enerjet 2.0
Enerjet 2.0

PerfAction says the procedure is safe even for delicate areas such as décolletage, neck, cheeks, around the eyes, lips, forehead and chin.

“The technology takes the active compound, which is formed in a syringe that you install on the device, and blasts it deep inside the skin,” Bar explains. “The blast gives an even, wide spread of the active compound and the compound itself creates micro-trauma — just as energy-based devices do — to trigger the normal rejuvenation process.”

The procedure triggers collagen synthesis and skin thickening for a remodeling effect.

The devices are made in Israel and currently available through direct sales in Italy, Portugal, UK, Belgium, Germany, Austria and France; and through distributors in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, China, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam, and soon in Uruguay, Mexico, Colombia and Ecuador.

Dr. Tapan Patel, medical director of PHI Clinic in London, said EnerJet “repairs scars, lifts facial tissue and can remodel the skin to give it a refreshed, more youthful look. EnerJet is not only a safe and non-invasive therapy, but the results achieved are long-term and lasting.”

Plastic surgeon Dr. Daniel Cassuto in Milan, Italy, said he has been using the technology for a few years. “It is the most effective treatment for stretch marks,” he said. “It is also the first line of treatment for deep acne scars that would not improve with any other type of technology.”

Most patients see results after two to three treatments, says Bar.

“In relation to scar repair, you’re breaking fibrotic tissue and enabling the normal rejuvenation process to occur,” she says. “No other device in the market does this. There are simple injectors that transform the injection procedure to something mechanical but won’t create micro-trauma and breaking of fibrotic mass.

PerfAction, founded in 2008, received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval on an earlier device, Airgent, which is still being used in the United States.

Airgent 2.0 will be introduced in March 2017. Photo: courtesy
Airgent 2.0 will be introduced in March 2017. Photo: courtesy

“We are now working on our new innovative system, Airgent 2.0,” says Bar. This system will be launched to the American market at the AAD Congress on March 4, 2017.

“It’s more advanced in user experience — easier to use and faster,” he asserts. “The new applicator is lighter and its design enables a clear view of the treated area. It is also equipped with a new dosing system that enables accurate administration regardless of compound parameters.”

The system was designed by Rogel Engineering in Haifa, while the new applicator was re-designed by Taga in Tel Aviv.

PerfAction Technologies has about 15 employees and is planning to expand. It has been funded up until now by the ProSeed Venture Capital Fund in Tel Aviv and now is in its second round of investment. CEO Shy Zyman came to the startup with more than two decades of experience in business development, sales and marketing in the high-tech and medical devices.

For more information, click here.

More on Innovation