Alternative medicines and treatment may seem hard to accept at first. The hesitation for whether to try or not roots from the uncertainty of whether the procedure will work or not or whether or not it will create adverse effects on one’s health. There is also a fear of being at far worst state from how they are when they started the treatment. These days though, more and more alternative procedures are being developed with the intention of eliminating fear as the priority in mind. One of these procedures is what we call Platelet-Rich Plasma or PRP in layman’s term.
To easily describe it, it is a procedure of pulling out your own platelet from your blood and modifying it, putting it in a state of high concentration to achieve optimal results before injecting it back to the area you want to treat
This is, of course, with the hopes that it will facilitate faster healing as well as lessen discomfort as you go through healing. While this might sound ideal, one would not be able to grasp the benefits of this procedure and how highly effective this is without fully understanding what plasma and platelets are and what they do for the body.
The Basic Science behind Plasma and Platelet
Plasma is actually… guess what — your blood. To be specific, it is what makes your blood liquid. Plasma is yellowish in color and in it lies other blood components such as white and red blood cells as well as proteins and platelets. Although there are other uses for these components, the most important component being developed for PRP is the platelet.
Platelet is your blood’s main soldier when it comes to healing. In fact, when you bleed, platelets are the first to march towards the open wound to form a blood clot which slows down excessive bleeding that could become fatal. Platelets also carry protein in abundance which is called growth factors which is essential in healing. Due to the growth factors that exist in platelet, hair growth and healing of tissues are also possible. The presence of platelets can speed up healing and reduce inflammation. Platelet can assist in healing in all parts of the body – from assisting with facial treatments through encouraging the growth of collagen and elastin, towards mobility injuries such as a sprain, etc. The coverage of what it can treat is endless.
However, the body can only produce so much platelet and may take a longer time to assist in healing. Platelets in abundance and in high concentration and injected right at the treatment area could reap amazing results in a shorter time but it is impossible to stimulate the existence of plasma abundantly specifically in the area where treatment is needed. Thus, the development of PRP or Platelet-Rich Plasma procedure.
How Platelet-Rich Plasma works
Contrary to other minimally invasive procedures don in the face i.e dermal fillers which uses formulations from an external source, PRP uses your own blood to treats your own problems which makes it 1) organic 2) highly effective because your blood works well with your own body and 3) not prone to allergies, of course, given that the blood came from your own body too.
Dermal fillers use the gel with Hyaluronic Acid as its main component that helps put volume in the skin. Although it is also a naturally occurring substance in the body, HA in dermal fillers is lab-formulated and developed and is injected to your skin. These fillers refine facial features by lifting the face and contouring it. This can be achieved when fillers occupy the gaps under your skin which creates facial lines and wrinkles. These fillers containing hyaluronic acid or HA which stimulates the growth of collagen and elastin. HA also binds water and helps keep skin moisturized. As the skin ages, the ability to produce hyaluronic acid and to sustain it for a longer period will decrease thus the need to formulate a solution that will help sustain HA and maintain the skin’s elasticity. This is what gives your skin a rejuvenated look once lines are blurred and skin is tightened.
PRP, on the other hand, helps your skin to heal from injuries and recover from signs of aging by utilizing your own platelets’ natural ability to heal and reduce inflammation from under the skin which in turn will give you a more naturally youthful glow. Since the platelet is yours to begin with, re-introducing it to your body is safe.
The PRP procedure normally starts with the application of anesthetic drugs either topically or through injection to numb the area where blood will be extracted. After extraction, the blood will then be put into a centrifuge where the separation of platelet from other blood components happen. Platelets once separated from the rest of the blood and in abundance will become more concentrated and potent. The concentrated platelet will then be injected into the face or in the parts that needed treatment. Platelets will work by filling in the damaged cells and tissues under the skin and wrapping around them while healing is underway. This is what helps reduce inflammation and speed up healing which could be ten times quicker than platelets that are not placed under PRP.
How long do PRP injections last?
Blood extraction and the introduction of PRP may take up to 30 minutes or more. Since the procedure is only minimally invasive, it requires no downtime, and people who have undergone PRP treatment can resume their daily activities after. Although the treatment is safe, it is not completely risk-free because of the possible discomfort, irritation, bleeding or pain one may experience around the injection area. Aside from this possibility, those who had PRP injection on their faces mostly enjoy regular routine right after the procedure.
The effects of PRP are not permanent but effects can last up to 18 months in an average with a maximum of 2years as the longest reported effect. However, most may resort to a re-touch of the treatment once a year. Each PRP treatment may require 3 sessions within 4-6 weeks and optimal effects will be noticeable mostly after 4-6 months after the treatment.
Why is it becoming famous?
PRP has already been creating a buzz since its conception however more famous personalities and athletes are becoming vocal about relying on PRP technology as a treatment. In fact, Kim Kardashian had promoted it on live television when she had the now-famous Vampire Facial which is also a PRP treatment.
FORM Medical Spa is now offering Platelet Rich Plasma in their Cottonwood Heights branch. With its doctors and staff fully devoted to their commitment to providing quality patient care, FORM Med is consistently on the lookout of acquiring top-of-the-line aesthetic procedures for the benefit of their patients.
With recent developments in the field of aesthetics, FORM Medical Spa gets on track by getting their doctors and staff trained to acquire the most talent combined with the operation of high-quality equipment to provide the best possible outcomes.
Schedule your consultation and treatment today by calling the branch near you.
