The medical principle behind this treatment started thousand of years ago wherein the healing process is jumpstarted by intentionally creating an irritant. A physician in the 1950s, Dr. G. Hackett used similar techniques from ancient Rome to strengthen ligaments, tendons and herniated body parts. After injecting the weak and relaxed tissues, he noted the growth of fresh bone and tissue cells. Today’s Platelet Rich Plasma Treatment differs in various ways from Dr. Hackett’s procedures but the concept of introducing irritants for the treatment to work is much the same. The main difference of PRP from Dr. Hackett’s procedure is also its main advantage, instead of just acting as an irritant, platelets in plasma produce growth factors which provides double the benefit.
Known Application of PRP Treatment
Hair Loss
PRP has been used for the promotion of hair growth and prevention of hair loss. It is thought that PRP injections trigger natural hair growth and maintain it by increasing blood supply to the hair follicle and increasing the thickness of the hair shaft.
Tendon Injuries
PRP had gained popularity because it is being favored by elite athletes like Tiger Woods and Rafael Nadal to help them recover from their injuries. Many experts believe that the natural healing properties found in platelets and plasma facilitate healing and repair in damaged tendons.
Acute Ligament and Muscle Injuries
PRP has been used to treat professional athletes with common sports injuries such as ligament and muscle injuries (i.e. pulled hamstring muscles in the thigh and knee sprains).
Postsurgical Repair
There are doctors who use PRP injections after surgery to repair a torn tendon (such as a rotator cuff tendon in the shoulder) or ligaments (such as the anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL).
Osteoarthritis
PRP has been used as a treatment for people with knee osteoarthritis to reduce inflammation.
How does PRP Treatment Work?
PRP treatment involves drawing blood between 20 to 60 mL from the arm of the person to be treated. The blood extracted will then be placed in a centrifuge to separate the components, this process usually takes about 15 minutes. Platelets and plasma are then collected from the centrifuged blood, then homogenized (platelets are evenly distributed throughout the plasma).
The homogenized PRP mixture contains a very high concentration of blood platelets. These platelets contain several important growth factors (including cytokines and mitogens) that augment multiple kinds of tissue repair, promote clotting, and support cell growth. Cytokine is a protein involved in mediating and regulating immunity, inflammation, and the manufacture of blood. Mitogens are small proteins that induce a cell to begin cell division. This concentrated serum packed with growth factors is reintroduced to a specific part of the body, either by directly injecting or massaging into skin after microneedling, to encourage and speed up the healing process, stimulate skin renewal and overall improve tone and texture, or stimulate hair growth and prevent hair loss depending on the treatment performed.
PRP Hair Loss Treatment
This treatment involves 3 steps, a local anesthetic is first applied to the scalp then allowed to set. Blood sample is drawn from the client’s arm which is then processed to separate the PRP from the other blood components. This is completed by running the blood sample through a centrifuge. The platelet and plasma layers are then collected to produce a homogenized PRP mixture. The resulting serum mixture is then injected to the scalp.
Microneedling With PRP as the Serum (Vampire Facial)
Vampire Facial involves 4 steps, first the application of a local anesthetic which needs to set for 30 minutes. While the anesthetic is setting blood will be drawn then processed to extract the PRP. The next step is the microneedling procedure, where a roller tool is used to administer tiny needle pinpricks all over the skin. This process activates the body’s natural healing responses which stimulate new collagen production. After which, the Platelet Rich Plasma extracted is then massaged to the facial skin allowing the plasma to be absorbed deeper into the skin through the resulting pinpricks. The whole process takes around 90 minutes.
Post Treatment Care
Most people can continue their daily activities following a Vampire Facial or a PRP Hair Loss Treatment.
Some redness and other signs of minor irritation may be present after the treatment but it is best to avoid applying a lot of products on the skin. Refrain from using alcohol-based products and exfoliants during the recovery stage.
Minimize sun exposure and avoid activities that induce sweating, including running, playing tennis, heavy workouts, etc. Engaging in these activities may cause additional irritation and increases the risk of swelling and bruising.
Your Personal Youth Serum
James Christian Cosmetics offers you the ability to tap onto your personal source of youth serum through our PRP Treatments. Schedule a free appointment so you can learn more about how you can achieve a vampire’s ageless look, that smooth skin, and a full head of hair, contact our 24/7 Cosmetic Concierge line by texting or calling us at 917-860-3113.
*Information in this article is not medical advice and may not be factually accurate. It is intended for entertainment purposes only. Consult with a physician before attempting any tips in this blog post and to get the most up to date factual data about any procedure or treatment.
