This innovative therapy belongs to that branch of medicine called “Regenerative Medicine” in which we use part of our body to fix other parts of our body.
Our faces are always on show, and the skin on our face can be our worst enemy and the biggest indicator of passing time.
As we age, lines appear, and sun damage presents as dark patches or spots. This, along with scars or pitting, can leave us looking tired.
The skin’s basic colour can also sometimes change to a greyer tone which makes the face appear worn.
These changes can be disguised with a revolutionary technique called: Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy (sometimes known as ‘Dracula Therapy’ or the ‘Vampire facelift’)
This is an innovative approach to anti- aging which uses your body’s own natural healing processes to rejuvenate and restore your skin and soft tissues.
Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy works by using a component of your own blood called plasma which is widely known for its ability to treat burns and other skin injuries.
In the treatment, a small amount of blood is taken from the patient (around 10-20 ml) in much the same manner as it would be for a blood test.
The blood is then placed in a centrifuge and spun to separate the platelets and plasma from red blood cells and other components before being injected into the selected areas of skin using a very fine needle.
Local or topical anaesthetic is usually applied to areas that require treating before the PRP is injected.
The key to the success of PRP Therapy is the growth factors released from the platelets. When the PRP is injected into the skin, a multitude of growth factors are released which stimulate the surrounding cells to start the healing cascade and promote tissue repair, capillary formation and collagen production.
This production of collagen and pre-adipocyte cells acts to plump and add volume.
PRP Therapy can also be useful for thinning hair and as an adjunct to hair transplantation as, when injected into the scalp, it can improve hair growth and hair
thickness.
As previously explained, platelets play an important role in wound healing and, when activated, they trigger the release and production of chemicals that result in the stimulation of fibroblasts.
Fibroblasts are cells that produce collagen and elastin, the main building blocks of the tissues and have a regenerating and boosted effect on the hair follicle.
PRP Therapy can also be used in combination with other treatments for improving the appearance of scars, stretch marks, sun damage and other skin problems.