Platelet rich plasma therapy(PRP) is a form of treatment that harnesses the body’s ability to heal itself and has gained popularity over recent years, with specialists using it for various conditions, including sports injuries, cosmetic procedures, and hair loss. Since Santa Monica PRP uses a patient’s tissue, the treatment poses fewer risks and may be used alone or in conjunction with other procedures. For example, specialists combine cosmetic procedures such as microneedling with PRP treatment to achieve better outcomes.
What is platelet-rich plasma?
Platelet-rich plasma is a combination of two elements; plasma and platelets. Plasma is the liquid portion of blood that mainly consists of water and proteins and is also a suspension media for red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Platelets, also known as thrombocytes, are blood cells with clotting abilities. These cells also have growth factors that facilitate healing in a treated area by stimulating tissue regeneration and cell production. Platelet-rich plasma is, therefore, blood with more platelet cells than usual.
To create platelet-rich plasma, physicians obtain a blood sample from a patient and place it in a centrifuge device where it spins, separating all blood components and concentrating the plasma with platelets. Clinicians require anywhere between one to a few tubes of your blood to create platelet-rich plasma.
What is a PRP injection?
It is a treatment method that involves injecting activated platelets into injured or diseased body tissue. The growth factors in these cells stimulate the production of more reparative cells in your body. Physicians inject platelet-rich plasma in a target area like a tendon or an injured knee. In some cases, your doctor may use ultrasound imaging to guide the needle in the correct location.
The idea is to increase the concentration of the platelets in a specific area to speed the healing process. This treatment can benefit soft tissue injuries such as rotator cuff tears and Achilles tendon rupture. Physicians also use this treatment method for patients with shoulder pain or chronic pain due to tennis elbow. Other applications of PRP injections include:
Post-surgical healing: Previously, clinicians used PRP injections to promote healing after plastic surgeries. Their uses have expanded, and today, doctors use PRP injections to accelerate recovery after a surgical procedure involving the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. These tissues take exceptionally longer to heal, but the period may shorten with PRP injections.
Skin rejuvenation: Some specialists may combine PRP injections with cosmetic procedures such as microneedling. When combined with other treatments, it can reduce the side effects a patient may experience after the procedure. Recover also tends to be faster when PRP injection is involved.
Hair loss: PRP injections can stimulate hair growth after hair transplants.
Advantages of platelet-rich plasma therapy
PRP injections hardly cause side effects since the injections are created from your blood. The body, therefore, doesn’t recognize it as a foreign material. Since this treatment can help reduce pain, it limits the need for more potent medications such as opioids.
For further inquiries about platelet-rich plasma treatment, consult with your doctor today at Modern Aesthetica.
