What you need to know about PRP
Plasma is a component of your blood that contains special “factors,” or proteins, that help your blood to clot. It also contains proteins that support cell growth. Researchers have produced PRP by isolating plasma from blood and concentrating it.
The idea is that injecting PRP into damaged tissues will stimulate your body to grow new, healthy cells and promote healing. Because the tissue growth factors are more concentrated in the prepared growth injections, researchers think the body’s tissues may heal faster.
The results of PRP treatment are most noticeable after at least six months, and are not permanent; patients may require touch-up injections at least once a year.
Because the treatments use a patient’s own tissues, PRP injections are safe and can be administered alone or used in conjunction with other cosmetic procedures.
PRP Therapy: What to Expect
Preparation
The patient should ensure that the doctor is aware of any prescriptions and over-the-counter medications the patient is using.
It is especially important to follow the doctor’s instructions regarding medications that prolong bleeding, such as aspirin, naproxen, ibuprofen or blood thinners. The patient should not take aspirin unless a doctor has prescribed it, but acetaminophen is fine for a headache.
Because PRP therapy involves drawing blood, it is important for the patient to eat a meal before the procedure to avoid lightheadedness.
The Procedure
First, the doctor draws blood from the patient’s arm and then separates the PRP from the rest of the blood’s components.
After injecting lidocaine to numb the treatment area, the doctor carefully injects the PRP into multiple places under the skin. The platelets break down and release their growth factors, which trigger the natural processes of cell proliferation and tissue renewal.
The procedure itself takes about 30 minutes, and most people can resume their normal activities immediately afterward.
What are the benefits?
Hair loss: Doctors have injected PRP into the scalp to promote hair growth and prevent hair loss.
Tendon injuries: Tendons are tough, thick bands of tissue that connect muscle to bone. They are usually slow to heal after injury. Doctors have used PRP injections to treat chronic tendon problems, such as tennis elbow, Achilles tendonitis at the ankle, and jumper’s knee, or pain in the patellar tendon in the knee.
Acute injuries: Doctors have used PRP injections to treat acute sports injuries, such as pulled hamstring muscles or knee sprains.
Postsurgical repair: Sometimes doctors 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).
