What is Platelet Rich Plasma?

Platelet-Rich Plasma, commonly referred to as PRP, is a platelet-enriched form of blood plasma that stimulates soft tissue healing when injected into the body. Professional athletes have used PRP injections for more than two decades to accelerate healing and recovery from a variety of sports-related injuries, and several clinical studies have proven PRP injections up to 80% effective for the ideal, non-athlete candidates.

While most people think of human blood as red blood cells and white blood cells, blood is composed of several building blocks and components, including plasma and platelets. Plasma is the blood component that is responsible for transporting cells throughout the bloodstream, and platelets are the cells that initiate tissue repair or clotting wherever tissue is damaged or injured throughout the body. Platelets also contain hundreds of small proteins, known as growth factors, which are actually responsible for initiating the repair process. PRP is an injectable preparation that contains a significantly higher concentration of platelets–and, thereby, growth factors–than normally found in blood.

What is PRP Therapy?

PRP Therapy is a revolutionary treatment used across several medical disciplines that harnesses the body’s own ability to regenerate damaged tissue and heal itself. This non-surgical procedure is performed via injection using a PRP preparation that’s derived from the patient’s own blood.

Photo courtesy of Mayo Clinic

A blood sample is taken from the patient, much like a routine lab test, and the platelets are then separated from the sample and concentrated using a process called centrifugation. The platelet-rich formula is then injected back into the body, at the site of damage or injury, to speed up the healing process and repair damaged tissues at the cellular level.

How Does PRP Therapy Work?

Once injected, PRP releases growth factors that attract stem cells to the site of damage. Stem cells are widely known for their ability to rebuild cells and even morph into almost any type of tissue, including cartilage, ligaments, and even bone, making these cells especially effective for treating areas of the body that heal slowly, such as tendons.

Areas of Specialty for PRP Therapy

PRP Therapy has many uses for repairing and rejuvenating the body without surgical intervention or the injection of foreign substances.

Orthopedics

Orthopedics is perhaps the specialty where PRP has been most effective, allowing surgeons to heal problematic, chronic injuries and provide an alternative treatment option to debilitating musculoskeletal injuries that were previously untreatable.

Hair Restoration

PRP Therapy has shown great promise as a non-invasive hair restoration technique for patients who suffer from hereditary hair loss.

Skin Rejuvenation

When injected directly into fine lines, wrinkles, acne scars, and other facial imperfections, PRP can be highly effective at restoring an even tone and texture, and youthful appearance to the face.

Sexual Wellness

PRP can be injected into both male and female reproductive organs to improve issues like vaginal dryness, urinary incontinence, and erectile dysfunction.

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Benefits of PRP Therapy

PRP Therapy is a simple, natural procedure that does not involve surgery, and because the therapy uses the patient’s own blood to promote healing, the risk of complications is next to zero. PRP is delivered to the target area via injection, so the entire procedure takes around an hour from start to finish. Due to the autologous and nonsurgical nature of the procedure, patients can return to their normal daily routine immediately after the treatment with zero downtime.

The long-lasting, permanent results of PRP Therapy is perhaps the most significant benefit of the procedure. Since PRP Therapy works to repair tissue damage at the cellular level rather than masking or alleviating symptoms, patients can enjoy natural and long-lasting pain relief and/or healing.