PRP therapy
PRP stands for ‘Platelet Rich Plasma’ and it produces a rejuvenating and tightening effect on your skin.
PRP therapy uses ‘platelet-rich plasma’, (your own platelets and plasma taken from a small sample of your blood), to stimulate collagen and improve the skin’s texture and elasticity. This is great for thin crepey skin, especially around the eyes, neck, décolletage, full face and hands. You will generally need one treatment per month for 3-4 months.
The treatment itself takes about an hour and is performed by one of our expert nurses who have been highly trained in this technique. A course of treatments involves 3-4 appointments spaced 1 month apart and results can be maintained with a single repeat treatment every 6-12 months.
It is a very safe treatment – primarily because we are using your own blood so there is no chance of an allergic reaction or serious side-effects. However compared to Botox there usually is a more prolonged “downtime” and for this reason we would not recommend having the treatment within the 3-4 weeks before a special event. Swelling and redness of the treated areas is common and may be dramatic – eg around the eyes, although usually only for 24 hours. Some bruising is also to be expected and although this can be covered with make-up after the initial 24 hour period it may take 1-2 weeks to clear completely.
Before PRP therapy 4 months after 1 x PRP therapy treatment. The lines around the eyes are softer and the dark shadowing under the eyes has reduced.
PRP therapy FAQ's
What is PRP?
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) is “harvested” from your own blood. This is done by collecting a small volume of your blood (much like having a blood test) and spinning it down to separate the red blood cells from the platelet cells. This resulting PRP is introduced back under the skin by a series of tiny injections. Treatment with PRP is not new to the world; it has been recognized for its accelerated wound-healing properties in surgery and sports injuries for some time.
Platelets are the “sticky glue” that stop bleeding when you hurt yourself. Their other job is to promote wound healing and repair by attracting growth cells.
PRP treatment produces a rejuvenating and tightening effect on your skin, giving it a healthy, youthful glow.
It is ideal for: …
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- Textural improvement
- Dull dry skin
- Hair-growth stimulation (in those with thinning hair)
…and is used in the following areas:
- Full-face rejuvenation
- Crêpey neck
- Eye area (both upper and lower eyelids)
- Décolletage
- Backs of hands
- Other body areas
The process takes around an hour. The skin area(s) to be treated are numbed with a topical anaesthetic cream.
You can expect to have some redness, swelling and bruising, subsiding quickly over the following 4-7 days.
The initial treatment for PRP is one treatment a month for 3 to 4 months, then repeat treatments either 6-monthly or 12-monthly, depending on your skin and results.
As PRP is made up of your own blood products there is no risk of allergy, rejection or serious long-term side effects.
PRP is contraindicated if you smoke, have cancer, a poor diet or lifestyle, have chronic disease, or a poor platelet count.
How long do results last?
Treatment results vary, but once tissue has been regenerated and remodelled, that benefit may be permanent. However, as we continue to age, the problem areas eventually reappear. It is thought that this occurs over 9-18 months after a single treatment (although everyone is different). Touch-up treatments will maintain the results.
What is the treatment process of facial rejuvenation with PRP?
The nurse/doctor will assess the degree of skin aging, perform a skin analysis, and recommend a sensible treatment plan, discussing expected treatment outcomes, efficacy and safety. The number of treatment sessions that will be required is discussed, as well as the cost of those sessions.
A photograph of the skin is taken to assist the follow-up and grading of the improvement.
Prior to treatment, a blood sample of 10 or 25mls is taken from your arm. The blood is immediately placed in the centrifuge for 8 minutes. When centrifugation is complete your plasma will be separated from your red blood cells. The plasma, rich in platelets, is then extracted.
The PRP is then injected into the skin. Adequate pain relief is usually achieved with local anaesthetic cream although anaesthetic injections or anaesthetic gas can also be used.
PRP facial rejuvenation can be a one-off treatment, but for the best results a course of treatments is performed at 4-12 weekly intervals to inject fresh platelets and restart the regeneration.
What are the side-effects of PRP facial rejuvenation?
Expect some swelling and redness for 12-24 hours. Expect some small bruises. A bruise at the blood-taking site may be visible for 2-3 days.
How do I prepare for PRP?
If you want results then DO NOT SMOKE. Do not use illegal drugs, avoid excess alcohol and definitely stay off aspirin and anti-inflammatory drugs such as Nurofen® and Voltaren® for two weeks before and six weeks after treatment. If you supplement with omega 3 fatty acids (such as fish, krill or flax seed oil), you should also stop them during the same period.
Expectations and after-care for PRP
Immediately after treatment, you will see and feel swelling from the injected fluid. Once the swelling has subsided you will see a slight improvement in your skin. Over a few weeks the platelets will stimulate growth factors, and you will start to see improvement in the tone and texture of the skin. The neck is slower to improve than the face.
Results become visible at 3 weeks and increase gradually over ensuing months with improvement in the skin’s texture and tone.
Light dermal rolling will enhance the results. A needle roller can be used at the time of treatment and should be used every day for six weeks. An extra charge for this applies.
Minimal improvement can be expected if you are a heavy user of drugs, alcohol or tobacco.
Advanced wrinkling and severe scarring may not respond well.
Who cannot use PRP?
SMOKERS. Drug and heavy alcohol users all get poor results. The tar from cigarettes in particular inhibits growth factor production.
This treatment is not recommended for people with platelet or clotting disorders; sepsis or any form of acute or chronic infection; or if you have severe systemic disease, metastatic cancer or severe liver disease.
Anyone on anticoagulant or anti platelet therapy – if you use aspirin, warfarin, dipyridamole (Persantin® / Pytazen SR®), clopidogrel (Plavix®) or tranexamic acid (Cyclokapron®).
To find out if this treatment is right for you, book a consultation with one of our Experts Nurses on 0800 2BOTOX (Auckland Central) or 0800 COSMED (North Shore City).
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