WHAT IS PRP?

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy belongs to the category of regenerative treatments.

PRP therapy is a well-established treatment modality, used to improve a host of skin conditions and can be used in isolation (in those wanting to avoid other injectable treatments) or in conjunction with other therapies to offer a holistic, multi-modal approach to boosting skin and hair health.

In addition to its growing popularity in the world of aesthetic medicine over the last 10 years, it has been widely used in fields such as sports medicine and dentistry over many years. Therefore it is backed by a good body of evidence as to its effectiveness and safety profile.

What is appealing to many is the fact that PRP is an extremely safe and natural treatment option as what is injected into your skin is derived exclusively from your own body.

Now, let’s break down the definition of Platelet Rich Plasma a little further, it helps clarify things a bit more!

Plasma is the liquid component of blood. Around 55% of blood is comprised of plasma, whereas the remaining 45% is made up of red and white blood cells as well as platelets. Plasma is a complex mixture of mainly water, as well as proteins, electrolytes, hormones, vitamins and nutrients.
Platelets (also known as thrombocytes) are blood cells which are involved in the process of clot formation during tissue injury.
Platelets are also able to release a whole host of growth factors and cytokines (signalling proteins) which help to initiate and regulate the complex sequence of events that results in wound healing and tissue repair.

“Therefore, PRP treatments involve the process of injecting plasma fluid which contains a rich, favourable concentration of Platelets into the area to be treated, in order to stimulate tissue regeneration and healing through the release of these natural healing factors”

WHAT DOES THE PRP TREATMENT PROCESS INVOLVE?

PRP treatments involve injecting plasma fluid which is extracted from the patient's own blood. Therefore it is a completely natural treatment and ideal for those who wish to avoid or delay using injectable treatments derived from foreign substances.

The process of generating PRP involves taking a small sample of the patient's venous blood using a small ‘butterfly’ needle. This is an identical process to when a blood sample is drawn for a general blood test. However we use a dedicated blood collection kit that will ensure the blood sample is collected in the most favourable conditions needed to optimise the various components and increase the efficacy of the treatment.

Once the blood sample is collected it is spun in a centrifuge device for 5-10 minutes (depending on the device). This allows for a separation of the various blood components for the purpose of treatment.

What we aim to achieve during the centrifugation process is the removal of blood components which have been proven to impede healing (red blood cells and certain white blood cells known as granulocytes) while at the same time maximising the concentration of components which will promote healing, release natural growth factors and lead to tissue regeneration: these favourable cells are the platelets and certain white blood cells known as monocytes.

Essentially what we extract and inject is the golden-yellow plasma fluid which contains an ideal, therapeutic and beneficial concentration of platelets. The plasma fluid is comprised of both platelet-poor plasma (PPP) as well as platelet-rich plasma and so with the system which we use in clinic we can further concentrate the platelet levels, by removing a portion of the PPP.

This is especially useful when treating areas that require an even higher regenerative potential, such as the scalp and hairline.

Once the PRP is prepared, it can then be injected directly into the treatment area. The platelets then go on to release their various growth factors and bioactive substances to stimulate the process of tissue repair and regeneration.

Therefore on a cellular level, we are mimicking the environment of tissue trauma, without true trauma itself. Though there is an element of micro-trauma caused by the injections points themselves, which has the added benefit of acting as a collagen induction therapy which further potentiates the effect of the PRP.

Along the same line, PRP can also be combined beautifully with microneedling (click here for our microneedling blog) as the combination of the 2 modalities augment each other’s effects and benefits. In our clinic we give you the option of boosting your PRP session with an add-on microneedling treatment to give your tissues the most powerful regenerative boost.

WHERE CAN PRP BE INJECTED?

PRP has been used in various fields, including musculoskeletal medicine (for the alleviation of tendon, ligament and joint pain), dental and maxillofacial surgery to optimise the success of bone grafts, the treatment of chronic wounds and improvement of scar tissue.

In the context of aesthetic medicine, PRP is used for skin and hair rejuvenation through its ability to stimulate collagen and elastin, improve blood flow to the area, and attract growth factors and stem cells which all result in a natural rejuvenation of the skin and hair follicles.

It is used for:

Improvement of skin elasticity, tone and texture (face, neck, decolletage, backs of hands)
Improvement of the undereye area
Improvement of acne scarring
Stimulation of hair growth

HOW IS PRP INJECTED?

PRP is injected directly into the area that we wish to treat using a series of tiny punctures (mesotherapy technique) with an ultra fine needle to deliver the PRP at the correct depth within the skin.

It can also be delivered via a blunt cannula (especially useful for undereye regeneration).

Once the PRP is delivered under the skin we also administer a few more droplets superficially via the microneedling technique.

Some stinging may be experienced but overall the treatment is very tolerable. We ensure that the area is nicely numbed beforehand for maximal comfort.

Overall, the whole process takes around an hour to complete.

WHEN WILL I START TO SEE RESULTS FOLLOWING PRP TREATMENTS?

Immediately after treatment you feel an instant tightening effect but this is transient and is the result of that initial inflammatory response.

Like all regenerative and bio-revitalising treatments, ideally 3 treatments may be required, 4 weeks apart for optimal effects, however with more extreme skin or hair concerns you may require 5 treatments or more for optimal effect.

On average it can take 3-6 weeks to start seeing the effects of your treatment (depending on your starting baseline).

You will undergo serial photography during your treatments to monitor your progress.

Depending on individual needs, maintenance treatments may be needed at 6-18 monthly intervals.

ARE THERE ANY KNOWN SIDE-EFFECTS TO PRP TREATMENTS?

The most common reported side-effects, which are seen with most injectable treatments include:

Localised bruising
Localised swelling
Localised redness at the injection site

These are transient symptoms which tend to self-resolve over a matter of hours to days.

Rarer side effects include:

Injection site infection
Nodule formation
Pigmentary changes

ARE THERE ANY CONTRAINDICATIONS TO PRP TREATMENT?

Absolute Contraindications:

 Platelet pathology e.g. thrombocytopenia
 Hemodynamic instability e.g. active bleeding and low blood pressure
 Pregnancy
 Generalised or localised infection at the site of the procedure

Relative Contraindications:

 Recent use of blood thinning or anti-inflammatory medications including steroid treatments (topical or systemic)
 Recent fever or illness
 Chronic health conditions, particularly: Liver problems, cancer (especially bone-marrow)
 Low haemoglobin or low platelet counts

PRP AFTERCARE ADVICE

As with all injectable treatments it is important to follow some key aftercare recommendations in order to avoid complications, minimise downtime and maximise the effects and benefits of your treatment.

Avoid heavy or strenuous activity or exercise in the first 24 hours after treatment

Avoid excessive heat in the first 24 hours after receiving treatment e.g. saunas, hot-tubs, steam rooms, long hot showers or baths as this may worsen swelling especially when it comes to treating the undereye area
Avoid the use of make-up over the puncture sites until the next day.
It is expected that the area may feel tender and a bit bruised for a few days and treatments of the undereye area may result in some transient puffiness. All these symptoms subside after 4-5 days.
Sleeping propped up on an extra pillow or 2 in those first 2-3 days helps alleviate swelling, especially around the eyes
For scalp PRP, wait 24 hours before washing your hair
For skin PRP, wait 6 hours before washing your skin
Avoid taking anti-inflammatory medications as we are relying on the process of inflammation to stimulate the tissues’ healing cascade
As with all injectable treatments, if you start to experience symptoms such as severe, protracted pain and progressive discolouration or mottling of the skin, then you must contact your practitioner immediately

Overall PRP is an effective and natural treatment modality which wonderfully bridges that space between aesthetic and regenerative medicine. It holds its own as an isolated treatment and also works really well as an adjunct to other aesthetic treatments so it is a great addition to our repertoire of natural and safe treatments.

If you want to know more, then don’t hesitate to get in touch with any further queries or book into clinic (here) for a comprehensive consultation.

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