What Is Platelet-Rich Plasma?
As we age, fine lines and wrinkles begin to emerge. They’re often accompanied by age spots and sun spots, larger pores, and uneven skin tone. Those old acne scars may even become more noticeable.
Add to that a reduction in skin elasticity and thinning hair, and you start to understand how brutal aging can be!
You don’t need to accept these as an inevitable consequence of growing older though. Instead, educate yourself on the benefits of platelet-rich plasma.
What Is Platelet-Rich Plasma?
Platelet-rich plasma, known more simply as PRP, is increasingly popular in cosmetic procedures including microneedling, facials, injections, and hair restoration.
So how does it work? It’s not magic. It’s actually a part of the body’s natural healing process.
The blood is comprised of red blood cells and plasma that contains white blood cells and platelets. When you get a cut or other wound, platelets rush to the injured site to stop bleeding and promote healing through collagen growth. Think of them as the first responders.
Armed with this knowledge, researchers began to experiment with extracting concentrated platelets and injecting them into damaged areas of the body. They theorized that this would accelerate healing. And they were correct.
Before long, orthopedic doctors working with athletes started using PRP with great success to treat injuries to the tendons, muscles, and ligaments. The world of plastic surgery took note and soon, plastic surgeons were incorporating PRP to accelerate healing in several cosmetic procedures.
It’s been a game-changer. Particularly when used with microneedling and hair restoration procedures.
Adding PRP to Cosmetic Procedures
Sometimes PRP is used simply as a filler or implanted into the skin with Halo Laser treatment. Often though, it’s used with micro needling.
Just as the name implies, microneedling is procedure wherein very fine needles are stamped over the skin to create several invisible, tiny puncture wounds on the top skin layer. This is typically done on the face, but can be done on other parts of the body as well.
When the skin is pierced, the immune system is triggered to create new tissue. New granulation skin cells rebuild the wounds to form a fresh network of blood cells and wounds are soon replaced by newly created blood vessels and tissue. The turnover of skin cells produces an increase in elastin and collagen production.
Adding PRP to microneedling makes it more effective since both treatments stimulate collagen growth. PRP that’s collected from the patient’s blood is needled into the dermis with the microneedling device; essentially attacking the problem in two layers – beneath the skin and on top of it.
The cytokines, proteins, and growth factors in the PRP help the skin to repair itself more quickly. Cool, right?
So What About PRP for Hair Restoration?
While there’s no microneedling involved, the hair restoration process does require injections across the scalp approximately every half inch over the area where the hair is thinning. This may sound laborious, but the entire procedure usually takes less than 30 minutes and there’s minimal downtime.
Patients who’ve found the most success with PRP for hair restoration are those with early hair loss – and particularly patients with androgenetic alopecia where hair is thinning at the top of the head.
Could PRP Be a Game-Changer for You?
If you’re feeling ‘benched’ by looking older or thinning hair, platelet-rich plasma with microneedling or for hair restoration could be just what you need to get back into the game.
The specialists at Star Plastic Surgery are here to help.
So contact us today. During your free consultation, we’ll go over the best PRP options available to you.