Devices and methods for treating skin tissue using cold plasma

A system for treating skin and nails with cold plasma, the system comprising a discharge device, which comprises a handle and an applicator, and control infrastructure, which comprises a waveform generator;

• wherein the applicator comprises an elongated tube, extending from a tube proximal end to a tube distal end, and a cathode housed within the tube, the tube being mounted, via the tube proximal end, on a distal tip portion of the handle;
• wherein the handle comprises a flyback amplifier functionally associated with the waveform generator and electrically associated with the cathode, the waveform generator being configured to induce the flyback amplifier to apply a voltage at the cathode;
• and
• wherein at least a range of the voltage produced by the flyback amplifier is configured to generate a self-sustaining Townsend avalanche when the tube distal end is positioned near a target site on a skin surface or a nail of a subject, such that a cold plasma discharge is produced and directed at the target site, the cold plasma discharge having an average electrical current amplitude in the range of about 0.1 mA to about 10 mA and an average power in the range of about 0.1 μW to about 10 μW, the system being thereby configured to treat the target site without heating thereof;
• and wherein the applicator is configured to couple to a vacuum system configured to reduce the pressure within the elongated tube such that, during application of plasma to the target site, the plasma is applied directly to the target site.