What is platelet rich plasma - PRP therapy?

The human body has a remarkable ability to heal itself. In recent times these self-healing properties have been harnessed and used in various aspects of medicine from protracted pain treatment to rapid healing of injuries in athletes, to post-surgery and to aesthetic/cosmetic medicine. PRP therapy is a cutting edge form of regenerative medicine that has been used to rejuvenate skin, smooth out fine lines and wrinkles, helping to restore youthful skin.

platelet

How is PRP therapy done?

In PRP treatments, one’s own blood is collected, the regenerative part of the blood in the form of platelets is extracted and then re-injected as a concentrate into areas that need it. The concentrated platelets contain tremendous amounts of bioactive proteins with specific growth factors that promote tissue repair, blood vessel formation and production of collagen.

What are the uses & benefits of PRP Therapy?

  • Elimination of fine wrinkles
  • Skin rejuvenation (Vampire facial) with improvement in skin texture and tone
  • Filling deep wrinkles and providing facial fullness as an alternative to commercial fillers (vampire facelift). While fillers break down over time,
  • PRP builds up over time.
  • Speeding up the healing process after a medium depth to deep peel
  • Improving the appearance of acne scarring
  • Management of Non scarring type of hair loss

What are the side effects of PRP therapy?

Following the procedure, there may be signs of inflammation- redness, irritation and a tingling feeling within the skin- these are signs that the skin is undergoing a healing process and building collagen. These normally clear within a few hours to days. Therefore there is minimal downtime and patients can resume normal activities almost immediately. Using one’s own blood minimizes the risk of allergy or infection. However, bruising, discoloration and pain in the injected area may occur. Pain during the procedure is minimized significantly by the use of topical anesthesia.

When are results expected?

In skin rejuvenation, results are typically expected within 2 to 3 months, after which another procedure may be scheduled to consolidate on results achieved. One’s lifestyle will affect how soon results will be seen. Cigarette smokers and heavy alcohol users will take longer to see results. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (analgesics) are also avoided post procedure as they suppress the inflammatory process required to bring on the changes seen following the PRP treatments.

For anti-aging treatments, 2 to 3 treatments 2 to 3 months apart will give results that can last up to 18 months.

For hair rejuvenation, minimum of 6 treatments are required, every 2 to 3 months.