What is Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)?
PRP is an advanced treatment used for both medical and cosmetic purposes to promote health and healing. The blood product is specially created to concentrate platelets and growth factors that amp up healing and regeneration of tissue.
You may be familiar with platelets from the role they play in clotting blood after you scrape your knee or cut your finger. But when the platelets travel to the injured area, they also bring other proteins and growth factors to close your wound and assist in the healing.
As a medical treatment, PRP concentrates these factors to significantly increase the healing and production of new cells and tissue in the area being treated. It also has cosmetic benefits as well such as stimulating hair growth for the scalp, as well as treating scars and wrinkles on the skin.
What can PRP treat?
PRP is used to treat a number of conditions, including:
- Muscle, ligament, or tendon injuries
- Arthritis
- Surgical wounds
- Bone fractures
It’s also shown to reduce pain all around the body from the wrist to the ankle.
As a cosmetic treatment, PRP is used to:
- Minimize the appearance of lines and wrinkles
- Reduce Scarring
- Treat thinning hair/hair loss
We also use PRP combined with microneedling to rejuvenate the skin for a more youthful look.
How does PRP work?
The power of PRP lies in the platelets and growth factors. When applied or injected at the treatment areas, the PRP uses growth factors that stimulate the production of collagen, a protein that helps form skin and connective tissue, and creates new blood vessels to bring more life back to the area. The platelets and growth factors also speed up healing to enhance rejuvenation. It also stimulates hair growth by the growth factors it contains.
How do you get the blood?
To create the PRP, we draw a small sample of blood from your arm. We then spin the blood in a centrifuge to separate the liquid portion from the solid platelet-rich portion of your blood. Because PRP uses your own blood, it’s very safe, with few side effects or reactions.