Who Is PRP Treatment For?
At MEDSKIN LASER CENTER, our medical spa offers PRP treatment in two major cases, as part of a treatment protocol for facial rejuvenation( vampire facelift or vampire facial treatment ) and as part of our comprehensive hair regrowth and restoration program, for Sherwood Park, Edmonton and surrounding areas.
- The great news is that most (if not all) patients are good candidates for PRP and microneedling treatment for the face and body. There is minimal downtime, and the results are almost universally suited to every patient’s skin needs. Because the PRP solution is combined with microneedling therapy (or collagen induction therapy) which causes micro-injuries in the skin to stimulate new collagen and elastin, the power duo of microneedling and PRP can improve skin texture and tone, minimize the appearance of pores, smooth wrinkles and fine lines and minimize the appearance of hyperpigmentation and scarring (acne, stretch marks, you name it). It’s a perfect treatment for patients who are just getting started in aesthetics, seeking a high-reward ‘maintenance’ treatment, or as a quick fix before an event when you want your complexion to look its best.
- PRP injections and microneedling of the scalp is part of our hair restoration treatment, a program designed for patients looking to counteract male or female pattern baldness and hair thinning. Patients looking for this treatment solution will need to be evaluated first before starting the program and will combine PRP treatment with daily prescription-strength homecare.
Platelet-Rich Plasma skin rejuvenation, or PRP treatment for short (also known as the “vampire facial”), is a skincare solution that works by using your body’s natural healing properties to help restore your skin. Originally developed to treat sports-related injuries more quickly, it was soon found to have practical cosmetic applications as well. By activating healing factors in your cells to regenerate soft tissue, it can give your skin a fuller, healthier look.*
PRP is a natural product created from your own body. A small amount of blood is drawn from you and placed in a sterile tube that is spun down in a centrifuge to separate the different components of the blood. Red and white blood cells are divided from the platelets and the plasma (the clear fluid). This plasma now contains a higher than normal number of platelets and is called platelet rich plasma, or PRP.
Why Platelets Rejuvenate Skin
Platelets are the cells in the blood that help tissue to heal and grow new cells. The PRP, injected into specific areas of the skin, act as a matrix that promotes your own collagen to grow, regenerates tissue, and thus acts as to naturally smooth and tighten the skin. In this way, PRP softens wrinkles and creating smoother skin texture and tone.
PRP can also be injected in the face, neck, decollate and hands in order to stimulate the repair and renewal of damaged tissue in these areas. PRP has become a common skin rejuvenation and anti-aging treatment that reduces wrinkles, sagging and dark circles, while healing skin damaged by acne, injuries and stretch marks. The PRP also attracts water, giving an improved look to wrinkles, and giving more volume to the face. For an even improved result, PRP can be combined with micro needling and fractional CO, two procedures that further stimulate skin rejuvenation.
The clinical application of PRP is based on the increase in concentration of growth factors contained in the alpha granules of concentrated platelets, as well as in the secretion of proteins which stimulate the healing and rejuvenating process at the body’s cellular level.
It has been invented to restore beauty by starting the natural rejuvenation process of the skin and aiming to make it function as younger one, maintaining the skin’s youthfulness and fullness.
Platelet Rich Plasma has been used for several decades with wide-ranging applications in cosmetic plastic surgery, as well as in treatment of burns, arthritic conditions, joint and tendon injuries, and sports medicine.
The process entails obtaining a blood sample that is processed through a special double-spin centrifuge method, resulting in a PRP that has 4-7x the normal concentration of platelets found in whole blood, rich in platelet-derived-growth factor, transforming growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, epidermal growth factor, and many other healing substances.
It's use has been studied and proven to be beneficial in treatment and rejuvenation of aging around the eyes (crow’s feet, dark circles under the eyes), mild and moderate wrinkles/photoaging in the face, poor skin texture and quality, acne, facial and neck scars, deep melolabial/nasolabial folds, as well as hair loss in both men and women.
Particularly special applications of PRP in Facial Plastic Surgery include use of rejuvenation of the eyes where traditional filler injections are not ideal cosmetically, use with fractional microneedling/collagen induction therapy to optimize comprehensive rejuvenation of aging skin in the face and neck, and the treatment of hair loss in both men and women.
Questions:
1. I’ve never had PRP injections before, what should I expect?
All treatments take place in our in-office procedure and treatment room, where you can expect privacy and a relaxing environment. A sample of your blood (no different than a needle stick) will be taken. This will be processed into platelet-rich plasma with a special centrifuge system, will then use this autologous PRP to treat target areas, typically around the eyes, cheeks, and mouth area using a cannula or needle. This is very similar to standard filler injections. Additionally, if you are getting collagen induction therapy/fractional microneedling treatment at the same time, the PRP can be used topically and delivered to the immediate sub-epidermal layer to optimize the effect of the collagen induction.
2. How long does the treatment last?
Most treatments take anywhere between 45-60 minutes, depending on how much PRP is being manufactured, and what additional treatments are being administered at the same time.
3. How many treatments are standard to get optimal results in rejuvenation of lines/wrinkles on the face and neck.
Most patients receive 2-3 treatments spaced out 4-6 weeks apart. After this, we recommend at least one annual maintenance treatment to maintain youthful and healthy skin.
4. Does it hurt?
Pain is minimal, and is reduced with topical application of numbing creams 25 minutes prior to the procedure, as well as ice during the administration of PRP if needed.
5. How much bruising will I have? What is the downtime?
Bruising and swelling is minimal, but can last 3-5 days.
6. What are some of the advantages of PRP over standard filler when used in the face?
PRP is autologous, meaning that it comes from your own body. There is no risk of cross-contamination or immune reaction from using PRP. It is ideal for lower eye rejuvenation, particularly crow’s feet and the dark circles under the eyes. Hyaluronic Acid filler is sometimes used in the lower eyelid. However, one of its biggest drawbacks is that it can cause an unnatural, blue hue (Tyndall effect) to the lower eyelid skin that is very hard to treat. The use of PRP obviates this disadvantage because it stimulates the body to create collagen and new skin to tighten, firm, and rejuvenate the areas underneath and around the eyes.
PRP can also synergistically improve the results of fractional microneedling, as well as routine filler injections that I use in my practice. Because of its concentrated mix of growth factors, it catalyzes and augments all of the regenerative properties of all the procedures and techniques we apply to improve someone’s appearance
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7. What abour hair loss?
Finally, PRP has been useful in improving hair loss in men and women. Multiple studies have shown progressive increase in the diameter of the actual hair follicle and shaft, as well as the density of hairs. The improvement usually requires 3 injections administered 6 weeks apart with maximal effect at 6-9 months.