Platelet Rich Plasma

Our blood is made up of several components, the main ones being:1)  plasma, 2) red blood cells, 4) white blood cells and 5) platelets. If you take some blood and spin it in a centrifuge, you will see the components separate out into layers according to how heavy the cells are. In terms of making your skin more youthful, the “gold” part for us is the platelet portion.

Why are platelets so important? Because these cells release your body’s natural growth factors that stimulate collagen and promote healing. 

Why do we love this about our friend, the platelet? As we age, our skin loses collagen and other skin structures. This leads to the wrinkles and lines that we see etched on our face. This process starts even in our 30’s and definitely by our 40’s. By giving our collagen a boost, this will help slow down this process.

The benefits of PRP are:

• Stimulates collagen to reduce fine lines, wrinkles and creases on the face
• When used with microneedling, the microneedles help drive the PRP into the skin, thus delivering it right where it’s needed
• Research has shown that adding PRP to microneedling can give you a large boost in collagen and elastin
• Can be used to stimulate new hair growth in some people 

Q: Why have I heard this called a “vampire facial”? 
A: The name is mainly a marketing ploy to get your attention. The “vampire” part is linked to the fact that your blood has to be drawn, that is all.

Q: I’ve seen on social media that your face gets all bloody. Is that true?
A: Actually, that is not true. When done using the best techniques, only the platelet part is applied to your skin. The platelet part is a warm yellow color and it will only make your skin look like it is glowing. If it looks bloody, that means they put red blood cells on the face, which really isn’t the point.

Q: How long will the procedure take?
A: When PRP is combined with microneedling, it should take about 30 minutes.

Q: Why have I heard of PRP being put into joints?
A: You are absolutely right. Because platelet growth factors help in healing soft tissue and bone, it has been tried for many conditions, including tendon injury and arthritis. Research is still evolving on this interesting topic.