Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)Therapy can be used for hair restoration and face/neck/chest rejuvenation. PRP treatments can improve the appearance of your skin by reducing wrinkles, lines, sagging, scarring, and other potentially undesirable features. A noninvasive PRP treatment can be quickly performed on the face, neck, chest, or scarred areas with minimal recovery. Results are not immediate as the growth factors work over time. This is one of the best ways to invest in your skin for long-term benefits!
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Read more to learn how the Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) treatment works and what you need to do before and after receiving one.
How Does Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy Work?
Microneedling with platelet rich plasma is a procedure intended to treat a variety of skin conditions and to alter the appearance of your skin. It can also be used to treat hair loss in certain scenarios. This process concentrates the platelets and plasma of a small amount of your blood and reinjects it into your skin.
The procedure involves three steps: drawing blood, separating the plasma, and reinjecting the plasma.
First, around 10-60 mL of blood is drawn, typically from your arm. This is a simple and small blood draw. Compare this tiny 10-60 mL to the 500 mL provided in a full blood donation.
Second, the blood is taken to our lab, where we use a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets into a smaller portion of the plasma. Fully understanding centrifugation and the different parts of blood are complex, but basically the platelets and plasma specifically is what provides rejuvenative effects, so concentrating these elements in this step allows for your skin to most effectively absorb the plasma in the next step. For more detailed information on centrifugation and PRP, we would recommend visiting this post from a lab centrifuge manufacturer.
Third, the microneedling device is used to create tiny breaches in your skin. The devices are designed to enter the epidermis but not the dermis. Because the dermis is also comparatively thick and tough, the device is consistently able to penetrate the correct amount. Your nerve endings are contained beneath the dermis, so you should typically feel little pain during this procedure, but the numbing cream applied earlier helps to blunt any pain or pressure that you may feel despite that fact.These tiny pinpricks create a small wound for your body to heal, which will regenerate it with newer skin, particularly because the plasma is applied to the skin afterward to encourage effective regrowth.
This third step is the main point of difference between microneedling with PRP used for skin quality compared to hair restoration. Our process applies the plasma after the microneedling device on top of the skin to be absorbed. With the hair restoration treatment, we use a different device to inject the plasma as it is being needled.
A variety of microneedling devices can be used. Our clinic uses the SkinPen, which is the first microneedling device approved for use by the FDA for use on the face and specific areas of the body. You can view the manufacturer’s website for more information on the SkinPen.
As the micropunctures in your skin heal, the skin is rejuvenated with fresh collagen and elastin to provide healthier skin. The extra platelets from the plasma induce quicker healing and better results from the treatment. We create trauma to relieve trauma of the skin.
A filler agent (like a collagen filler) can also be injected to improve the outcomes, particularly the short-term outcomes. Your doctor can discuss with you if this is an option for you.
What are the biological effects of PRP?
Platelet-rich plasma is, as the name suggests, plasma that contains extra platelets. A small amount of your blood is removed and placed in a centrifuge to separate the different portions of your blood. Some plasma and red blood cells are removed without taking any platelets out to increase the concentration of platelets. The increased concentration can depend on starting platelet concentrations and other factors, but most plasma samples will have their platelet concentrations increased by 5 times the original.
Current research has shown that platelets contain growth factors and cytokines, which are two types of chemicals that basically affect your cells and prompt them to react in a certain manner. The platelets release these chemicals to reduce inflammation, increase blood vessel regeneration, and encourage cellular proliferation. So, when we introduce plasma with increased levels of platelets in it to the skin, the platelets release more of the growth factors and cytokines to promote these effects in the body.
Some studies have shown that platelets release cytokines and growth factors that encourage fibroblast production after Platelet-Rich Plasma to enhance collagen formation. Fibroblast generation is a major characteristic of the final stages of healing, suggesting a role in improving the healing of skin through collagen production. These fibroblasts are a type of cell used to form connective tissues, which are our bodies’ main producers of collagen. Collagen is good for your skin, among other health benefits, because it makes up a large portion of the protein in your cells; if it is in short supply, the connective tissues that keep your various organs together and form much of your extracellular matrix (the framework that keeps your cells where they’re supposed to be). Notice that many of the things that cause reduced collagen production are the same typical suspects for skin quality: aging, smoking, and UV exposure.
Reduced inflammation decreases swelling, redness, itchiness, and sensitivity in the skin. Regulating inflammation is actually the primary purpose of cytokines, and some exist to both cause and stop inflammation and other immune responses. Specifically, the IL-10 cytokine, which is considered an anti-inflammatory cytokine, was detected in high concentration in PRP samples.
Cellular proliferation is a measure of how the number of cells in a body are changing, basically your cells’ ability to replicate themselves and survive. The response of your body to the extra platelets in the skin can include triggers to split cells and replace old or damaged cells with fresh new ones before death. As part of this regeneration, the microscopic blood vessels in your skin are rejuvenated to permit better microvasculation to supply every skin cell with nutrients and oxygen to ensure their health.Additionally, because the microneedles are creating tiny wounds, the body’s natural healing process kicks in to generate new cells to heal the gaps; the platelets introduced afterwards simply enhance the existing benefits of that practice.
Similar to how these effects rejuvenate the skin, microneedling with PRP has been shown to induce hair restoration. We can use the treatment on the scalp or other areas that are experiencing hair loss to provide a similar wakening effect for the hair follicles to encourage growth.
When PRP is administered, because we are using your own blood for the procedure, we don’t need to worry about your immune system reacting to it. This can be a concern with donated plasma used in some other medical procedures, but it is avoided because your body will recognize its own cells.
Are PRP treatments used for anything else?
Although Shaman’s Leawood Wellness Clinic currently only provides dermatological PRP treatments, the process is also used to help with healing the skin and muscles after facial surgeries, sports injuries, and wounds that will not heal. These conditions are helped by PRP because it causes soft-tissue strengthening, activation of fibroblasts, new collagen production, and formation of new blood vessels and fat cells. These regenerative effects are used in cosmetic dermatology settings to improve the structure of the skin and in turn reduce the appearance of scarring, signs of aging, and other features.
Explanation of Potential Benefits
The skin treatment overall increases the health of skin and can reduce scarring and wrinkles. You can see improvement as soon as the skin begins healing, but the most significant collagen production will occur over longer time spans and after multiple treatments. Most patients see reductions in the following characteristics after microneedling with platelet rich plasma: ● Rough skin texture
- Wrinkles
- Fine lines
- Hyperpigmentation
- Crow’s feet
- Laugh lines
- Surgical scars
- Acne scars
- Chicken pox scars
- Large pores
- Sun damage
- Aging skin
- Stretch marks
If you receive our hair restoration treatment, you can see fuller hair growth in the affected area continue to expand throughout the multiple recommended treatments and full effects appearing one to two weeks after the final treatment.
Potential Risks
You may have a bit of pain, bruising, and swelling afterwards. These tend to go away within a few days. The needles and the
Infection is the primary risk of the procedure. If you experience any signs of infection, contact your care provider.
Pre-Procedure Preparation
Before the procedure, you should prepare yourself by following the guidelines below.
Two weeks before treatment:
- For two weeks leading up to your treatment session, avoid receiving or using cosmetic treatments that could irritate your skin, including the following types of treatment: ○ Intense Light Pulses
○ Laser Treatments
○ Physical Exfoliation
○ Chemical Peels
The week before your treatment:
- Avoid direct sunlight or tanning beds and wear sunscreen to avoid UV damage. ● Consult your treatment provider and your regular physician about use of NSAIDs or other drugs and supplements that can thin the blood.
- You can continue to shave the area being treated during the week before your scheduled session, but do not use other methods such as hair removal creams, waxing, and laser treatments.
Three days before your treatment:
- Avoid skin products with active ingredients, particularly
- Limit sun exposure and wear SPF 30 sunscreen. Avoiding a sun burn before the treatment ensures your skin is as healthy as possible to receive the treatment and recover quickly from it.
- Do not wax, tweeze, bleach, or use hair removal cream on the area being treated. ● If you have a history of cold sores, take an antiviral 48 hours before your treatment and on the day of your treatment. If you don’t take an antiviral and you have a cold sore at the treatment site on the day of your session, you will have to reschedule your appointment.
Day of Procedure Instructions
- If you have a fever on the day of your treatment, call to reschedule.
- Do not smoke. Although we would always recommend avoiding smoking, in particular before skin treatment because it affects the skin’s ability to benefit from it. ● Hydrate and eat a light meal. The blood draw is small, but being hydrated and having eaten avoids potential lightheadedness.
- Do not shave the area being treated.
- Do not apply any makeup, moisturizer, lotion, or sunscreen the day of the treatment. ● Avoid making other plans on the same day to permit you to heal at home.
Recovery and Aftercare
By the second or third day, your skin may feel a bit dry. This is normal and should return to normal quickly. avoid Retinol and Vitamin C serums for at least the first 48 hours after microneedling. After 2 days, you may want to gradually reintroduce products instead of immediately returning to your usual regimen.
For the first three days, avoid high heat and most chemicals on the treated area. Avoid swimming, saunas, and washing your face with overly hot water and chemicals for this time. Use a gentle cleanser and water to clean the face for these first three days.
For the first full week, avoid the following:
- Alcohol
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
○ Including aspirin, ibuprofen (including Advil and Motrin), naproxen, diclofenac (Voltaren), and other anti-inflammatory medications.
○ Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is safe to use as directed because its anti-inflammatory properties are minor.
- Tobacco
- Sleeping on the treated area
- Picking your skin or itching excessively
For the first full week, ensure that you regularly complete the following skincare tasks: ● Use the Epionce aftercare treatment provided to you.
- Avoid excessive sun exposure and wear sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher. ● Moisturize your skin but not too often. Most likely, moisturizing in the morning and once again later in the day should meet your needs.
- Avoid excessively warm areas such as hot tubs and saunas for 3 days after treatment. ● You can use your typical skincare products and makeup when your skin stops feeling irritated, usually 4 or 5 days after treatment.
○ Until this time, avoid any skin care product that contains exfoliants, anything that’s scented, and glycolic acid or alpha hydroxy acids.
○ You can resume shaving the area being treated at this time, but do not use other hair removal methods such as creams, waxing, or laser treatments until at least a full week has passed.
The overall appearance and feeling of your skin should display results shortly after your treatment, but the effects build over 3 months to see maximum improvement. New collagen can take 4 to 6 weeks to form, and this is the biological mechanism providing the true, lasting benefits of the procedure..
It is recommended to have 3-6 treatments for maximum benefits, each one month apart. Call or text (913) 227-9150 to book your PRP Treatment today!