Table of Contents
What is Platelet Rich Plasma Injections?
Platelet Rich Plasma or PRP Injection for short is a concentrate of Platelet Rich Plasma protein that involves separation of the former from the whole blood through centrifuge. This concentration of blood plasma also contains various growth factors and cytokines. The use of PRP has spanned across various fields of medicine and most commonly and commercially available would be the use in aesthetics for skin regeneration and rejuvenation.
A wound or injury usually goes through 4 stages of healing. The stages include hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. The stages of hemostasis up to proliferation would usually take up to 3 weeks to a month while remodeling of the wound might take up to years.
Treatment by injecting PRP over the treatment area accelerates the process of healing by increasing fibroblast, extracellular matrix, and collagen synthesis. The aggregates of all these will cut down the amount of time for all 4 stages of healing.
What are the procedures involved in PRP Injection?
1. Whole blood is drawn via an aseptic technique (usually from the arm) and transferred into a sterile tube. An anticoagulant may be added to prevent the platelet activation.
2. The whole blood is then centrifuged whereby the plasma usually settles at the top of the tube separated from the other blood products.
3. The plasma is then carefully removed and prepared in syringes to be injected at targeted areas.
Conditions Treated with PRP
Here are some of the common usages of PRP :
Dermatology and Cosmetic Procedures-PRP: is most widely used in dermatology and cosmetic procedures. Intradermal injections used as a mono-therapy help to rejuvenate and regenerate the skin while they can also be paired with lasers to target scars. PRP also helps in the treatment of active acne; by modulating inflammation and promoting tissue regeneration.
Orthopedic Injuries-PRP: is used commonly in orthopedic sports injuries to accelerate the healing of rotator cuff tears, ligament tears tendinitis; also quite commonly used for osteoarthritis in the elderly.
Chronic Wounds: Factors such as infection or poor vascular supply can prolong the inflammation stage of wound healing thereby causing a chronic wound. PRP can help by recruiting and concentrating on the available factors for wound healing in the targeted area.
Hair Loss: Those with thinning hair and also hair loss can also opt for PRP which can stimulate hair growth, and increase the survival of the hair follicle cells.
What is the Cost for PRP Injections?
The costs of a PRP Injection ranges from clinic to clinic and could be varied from Rm 400 up to Rm 2,000 per session. Some centers may charge even more depending on the areas injected or other additional skin boosters or cocktails for other added benefits.
Conclusion
PRP has a very high safety profile, a relatively simple and minimally invasive procedure for accelerating healing, and rejuvenation/regeneration; proteins, growth factors, and cytokines can act directly on the areas that we target or inject.
The overall benefits may vary from person to person with age being the largest factor in efficacy (Elderly age groups tend to have lower concentrations of proteins, growth factors, and Cytokines). Nevertheless, the benefits far outweigh any disadvantages and there are no significant risks in using your own autologous blood.
If you still have a hard time deciding whether this is the right treatment for you, come to Kaiteki for a consultation today to learn more about PRP.
Do Consult Kaiteki’s certified Aesthetic Doctors to determine whether you are a suitable candidate for PRP Treatment!
