Platelet Rich Plasma: Learn More About PRP
If you are like many people, you have probably heard the term “PRP therapy” used before but have little understanding of what it means. PRP stands for platelet-rich plasma, a treatment that promotes better healing. It was first developed in the 1970s for medical procedures and by the 2000s was popular among athletes recovering from injuries. For over a decade now, PRP has become similarly popular for use in cosmetic procedures to achieve better results. The team at Grossmont Dermatology Medical Clinic is proud to offer PRP to enhance the results of certain treatments.
How PRP Works
To understand how platelets (also known as thrombocytes) can be beneficial, it is first important to understand their function in the body. Platelets are a protein that is plentiful in the bloodstream. They are known to help rejuvenate the skin.
To maximize the benefits of platelets, a professional draws blood from a patient and puts it through a centrifugation process. This pulls out platelets, separating them from the liquid, red cells, and white cells in the blood. This high concentration of platelet-rich plasma is subsequently injected back into your body, which helps to stimulate the production of reparative cells and amplifying rejuvenation.
Procedures That Benefit from PRP
Here at our office in La Mesa, PRP therapy is primarily used for two popular treatments:
Microneedling
As its name suggests, microneedling utilizes tiny needles to puncture your skin. Although these miniature wounds do not cause any damage to your skin, they do prompt your body to produce more collagen, which is useful for giving the skin a more elastic texture. This addresses imperfections like wrinkles, sun damage, acne, and scars. Immediately following this treatment, platelet-rich plasma can be rubbed over the micro-wounds, so it seeps into your skin. PRP has been found to expedite the results and enhance rejuvenation.
Hair Restoration
If you are dealing with unwanted hair loss or hair thinning, PRP has been found to be effective at regrowing dormant hair follicles by increasing the blood supply to these follicles. You are likely to see thicker hair, prolonged growth phase, and stopped or slowed hair loss. Typically, PRP is used as part of a larger hair restoration plan (hair transplant or medications such as finasteride and minoxidil) to produce the best results.
Discuss PRP with Experts
Not all patients choose to add platelet-rich plasma to their treatments, but those who do tend to see great aesthetic results. If you are interested in learning more about PRP therapy from the doctors and physician assistants at Grossmont Dermatology Medical Clinic, please arrange a consultation by calling (619) 462-1670.
