Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)

We all have platelets in our blood, and we know that platelets are important in helping our blood to form a clot to stop bleeding.  That's the fact most people know about platelets.  But platelets do so much more than that.  It turns out that platelets contain growth factors, which are just specialized proteins.  When your skin is injured, your platelets go to work, releasing their growth factors, which promote healing and stimulate new collagen--platelets are a key part of regenerative healing in our skin.

We can harness the power of your own platelets to work on your own skin and give you a smoother, brighter appearance.

Once we meet with you, determine your skin goals, and examine your skin, we can decide together if PRP is a good option for you.  Your PRP procedure will usually begin with a microneedling procedure.  The microneedling creates tiny channels in your skin, so the PRP can work deep in the skin, not just on the surface.

We'll make you comfortable as a little of your blood is drawn.  Then we use specialized tube and a centrifuge to spin the blood and separate its parts.  We can isolate the platelets using this technology.  

Once the platelets are isolated, we can use them in two ways:  

1. as "glide" for the microneedling procedure, meaning as a thin layer of fluid on your skin that allows the microneedling to proceed smoothly and moves the PRP into deeper skin layers
2. as an injectable, meaning we can use the PRP as a "filler" under your skin.  It's important to know that the PRP is not meant to add any fullness or volume to your face (although it will do this temporarily).  Instead, it's meant to put those growth factors exactly where you need them to fill wrinkles from the inside out.

PRP can be used nearly anywhere in the skin to treat wrinkles, fine lines, coarse texture, acne scarring, and discoloration.

Common treatment areas include:

• Upper face: forehead, crows' feet (lines around the eyes)
• Midface: cheeks, smile lines, undereye area, parentheses (nasolabial folds)
• Lower face: around the mouth, jawline
• Neck/Chest:  decolletage
• Hands
• Upper arms

Microneedling with PRP takes anywhere from 45-90 minutes, depending on the area you're treating and how we're using your PRP (as "glide" or as "injectable" or both).

Microneedling with PRP will not give you surgical results, but it will greatly improve skin quality, tone, and texture.  You'll start to notice better skin in about 3 weeks, and you'll see continued improvement over the next 6 months, as new collagen peaks 6 months after treatment.  

Most people benefit from a series of PRP treatments, typically 3-6 session, spaced 4-6 weeks apart.  Acne scarring can be particularly challenging and may require more treatments for full effect.

Because PRP results are due to your skin's own regeneration, your natural aging process is what makes the results lessen over time.  You can typically expect results to last around 18-24 months.