Space research, up close.

Phlas is based on one of the most successful research programs ever carried out on the International Space Station. Starting in 2001, Prof. Dr. Gregor Morfill – Director at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics – led experiments on "complex plasmas" under microgravity: a research effort that spanned more than two decades and resulted in over 100 peer-reviewed scientific publications.

This led to a practical discovery: cold plasma, cool to the touch, inactivates bacteria within seconds and promotes wound healing. In 2011, Morfill and his daughter, biophysicist PD Dr. Julia Zimmermann, founded terraplasma GmbH to bring this science to Earth – initially for professional wound treatment.
The same properties that made cold plasma so suitable for wound healing also make it an ideal basis for skincare: no heat, no chemicals, just gentle precision. In 2025, this led to Phlas – with patented Surface Micro-Discharge (SMD) technology.

Specifically developed for sensitive and reactive skin, Phlas reduces impurities and refines pores and skin texture.
The result: Twenty years of space and medical research, packaged for daily use.

Plasma - the fourth state of matter.
01 SOLID
  • Particles are tightly packed in a fixed structure.
  • Fixed shape and fixed volume.

02 LIQUID
  • Particles are close together but can move and flow.
  • Fixed volume, takes the shape of the container.

03 GASEOUS
  • Particles are far apart and move freely in all directions.
  • No fixed shape or fixed volume
04 PLASMA
  • Particles are ionized, with free electrons and high energy.
  • Conducts electricity and responds to magnetic fields.

WHAT IS COLD PLASMA?
Hot Plasma
  • Hot plasmas are fully ionized.
  • All atoms are split into electrons and ions.
Cold Plasma
  • Cold plasmas are only partially ionized.
  • Only one in a billion atoms is split into an electron and an ion.

For the plasma nerds among you.

In cold plasma ionization, a strong electric field is applied to the air without significantly heating it. This releases electrons from the air molecules, creating charged particles (ions and electrons), while the air itself remains at near room temperature.

These free electrons collide with oxygen, nitrogen, and water molecules in the air, initiating a small chain reaction: reactive particles such as ozone, atomic oxygen, hydroxyl radicals, hydrogen peroxide, nitric oxide, and other natural compounds are formed.

Since electrons are much lighter than ions, they absorb the energy from the electric field and heat up, while the gas itself remains cool. This is precisely what makes cold plasma so special: energetic enough to be effective, yet gentle enough to care for the skin.

Plasma ≠ Plasma.

However, not all plasmas are the same – and this is precisely where the real challenge lies. Whether reactive particles like nitric oxide or hydrogen peroxide are harmful or beneficial depends solely on the dose: too much is toxic, too little has no effect.

Only within the correct range do the particles act like a gentle wake-up call for the cell – stimulating blood circulation, cell movement, and the body's own repair processes.

Finding this precise balance was the core of years of research during the development of Phlas. Because only the right plasma dose activates the cell's own protective mechanism Nrf2 – the skin's internal repair and defense program – without irritating or damaging it.

The result: a technology that delivers exactly the dose that stimulates the skin's regeneration – demanding enough to provide a training stimulus, yet gentle enough not to burden it.

What's behind SMD technology?

Phlas is based on terraplasma's patented SMD technology for generating cold plasma. The Phlas SMD cold plasma source was specially developed for impure, sensitive, and acne-prone skin.

Unlike classic plasma devices, with SMD, the plasma is not generated as a spark that jumps through the air to the skin, but as a wafer-thin, uniform layer directly on the device surface. This makes the application particularly gentle and reliable:

  • Maximum safety: Your skin never becomes part of the electrical circuit – for a reassuring feeling during application.
  • Uniform effect: The plasma is evenly distributed over the entire surface, without any localized overstimulation.
  • Gentle care: The active ingredients are evenly delivered to the skin – for an all-round balanced result.
  • Pleasant application: Since the plasma is generated at low power, the treatment remains mild and gentle, without any heat or voltage peaks.

That's precisely why SMD is establishing itself as the technology of choice for modern cold plasma applications for the skin – whether to support clear skin, soothe irritated skin, or protect the natural skin barrier. Uniformity and skin-friendliness are at the core of this.