Platelet rich plasma injections St Albans
What is platelet-rich plasma (PRP)?
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a plasma fraction that contains a greater concentration of platelets relative to whole blood, typically 3- to 7-fold the mean platelet concentration of whole blood (1,2,3). It is autologous in nature and will not cause any allergy or hypersensitivity or foreign body reaction.
How is platelet-rich plasma collected (4)?
- Blood is withdrawn from a patient’s arm similar to blood taking during general health check.
- The tubes containing withdrawn blood are placed in a centrifuge and spun using a carefully determined protocol.
- The speed and duration of centrifugation are very important to ensure the platelets are not damaged.
- Centrifuging separates the red and white blood cells and platelets and concentrates them at various levels in the tubes.
- Blood plasma that is rich in platelets is drawn off from the appropriate level fortherapeutic
What is the evidence?
The field of dermatology has seen numerous therapeutic innovations in the past decade with platelet-rich plasma (PRP), recently garnering significant interest in alopecia, acne scarring, and skin rejuvenation. (5) According to an efficacy systematic review, 1 PRP session every 4 weeks (3 sessions total) was found to exhibit greater efficacy over placebo in Androgenetic Alopecia patients. Significant improvements in scar severity were found when PRP (2-4 sessions) was used as an adjunct treatment to traditional facial aesthetic therapies, such as micro-needling and erbium fractional lasers. PRP was also found to significantly improve the severity of nasolabial folds, signs of photoaging, and colour homogeneity. (6)
What’s next if I am interested?
The PRP procedure (for alopecia, acne scarring and skin rejuvenation) will be performed by Dr Stephen Lai or other qualified practitioners at St Albans Clinic. Before booking the procedure, you will be assessed to confirm your suitability and will be informed about the treatment plan and cost involved. The procedure will take about 60-90 mins which includes preparation and treatment time.
References:
- Roy M. Glickman R.S. Quantification of growth factor levels using a simplified method of platelet-rich plasma gel preparation. J Oral Maxillofac Surg.2000; 58 (discussion 300-1): 297-300
- Marx R.E. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP): what Is PRP and what is not PRP? Implant Dent.2001; 10: 225-228
- Weibrich G. Kleis W.K.G. Hafner G. Growth factor levels in the platelet-rich plasma produced by 2 different methods: curasan-type PRP kit versus PCCS PRP system. Int J Oral Maxillofac Implants.2002 ; 17 : 184-190
- https://dermnetnz.org/topics/platelet-rich-plasma-dermatological-application
- Hesseler, Michael J. et al. Platelet-rich plasma and its utility in medical dermatology: A systematic review. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, Volume 81, Issue 3, 834 – 846
- The Efficacy of Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) in Dermatology. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, Volume 81, Issue 4, AB436
