Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatments are becoming more popular as the science of regenerative medicine grows. PRP injections can help enhance treatments for hair loss, wrinkles, acne scars, and many other cosmetic procedures using your own blood’s growth factors.
Because it harnesses those healing properties in your blood, it is a procedure that can work well after microneedling as well, allowing you to get more effective results. Learn more about PRP treatments and how they can help.
PRP has two main elements – the liquid portion of the blood, called plasma, and blood cells that work to provide healing throughout the body, called platelets.
Platelets have clotting abilities, but they also contain growth factors that can boost tissue regeneration and cell reproduction.
Creating PRP plasma requires collecting a small amount of your blood and processing it through a centrifuge. The centrifuge spins the sample rapidly, separating the elements within the blood and concentrating the platelets within the plasma. The PRP is then ready for injection into the targeted area.
You are a good candidate for PRP therapy if you are in good overall health and want to enhance your damaged or aging tissues. It can be useful for treating many cosmetic conditions, including:
One of the most effective uses of PRP therapy is hair restoration. By the age of 35, up to two-thirds of men and many women, experience hair loss to some degree. PRP can stimulate and even restore hair cells to help achieve hair growth and prevent more hair loss.
PRP can also help with signs of aging like wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging skin. When combined with microneedling, it can enhance the production of collagen and elastin, which are two essential proteins that help keep your skin firm, hydrated, and youthful.
This boost in the production of collagen and elastin also helps with hyperpigmentation and uneven skin texture by using the growth factors in your blood to stimulate the creation of healthier skin cells.
Once you leave your 20s, collagen and elastin production decrease by 1% to 1.5% each year. PRP therapy can stimulate collagen and elastin production, especially when combined with microneedling. When a skin cell suffers trauma, collagen gets to work repairing the damage, and PRP can enhance that process.
PRP therapy is also minimally invasive, making it a procedure that requires little downtime. This treatment is also one that continues to provide results for months. Many people also schedule a PRP procedure just once or twice a year to maintain their results.
Your initial PRP treatment is generally recommended as a package of sessions for optimal results. Hair restoration sessions range from $800 – $1200. For skin treatments, prices can range from $600 to $1500. The exact cost will depend on the size of the area you want to treat.
Because each person is unique, treatments are customized. However, there are some general guidelines on what the process can be like.
The entire process can take about an hour because it involves taking a sample of your blood and running it through a centrifuge. As part of the session, you will likely be getting a microneedling procedure as well and will need some time for the topical anesthetic to take effect prior to commencing treatment.
For most patients, we recommend three PRP sessions to achieve the desired results. These are generally performed 4-6 weeks apart. During your consultation, a treatment plan will be recommended to best meet your individual needs.
There are few side effects with a PRP procedure. You may experience some discomfort at the injection site. You may also experience some swelling after microneedling with PRP.
Because your own blood creates the PRP, you do not have to worry about allergic reactions, making this procedure safe. You always want to ensure you choose skilled and trained medical professionals, such as our Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Ashley Yannotta, or our Certified Physician Assistant, Gabrielle Russillo, to perform the procedure with sterile techniques and minimize any risk of infection.
There is no significant downtime after PRP therapy. You should avoid strenuous exercise for a few days, as well as sun exposure. You should also avoid abrasive skin products. You can apply makeup and moisturizer, but avoid anything that has an alcohol base.
PRP for hair restoration does not impede you from your regular activities but wear a hat or sun protection for a few days.
The results can take between four and six weeks to become visible and will continue to improve after your last treatment session.
The results of PRP treatments can last anywhere from twelve to eighteen months. After that, a maintenance session can continue to enhance your results.
Contemporary Plastic Surgery has years of experience offering platelet-rich plasma therapies for hair restoration and skin rejuvenation procedures. If you are interested in exploring Regenerative Medicine options such as PRP injections, schedule a consultation with us at (732) 254-1919.
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