Platelet rich plasma is one of the most exciting and relatively new areas of cosmetic medicine and surgery. It’s seeing applications in a number of areas.
One of the most popular current uses is in the treatment of hair loss in both men and women. While not all patients with male or female pattern hair loss respond to it, there have seen some very exciting results. What seems to be most effective is combining PRP treatments with medicines, such as finasteride and minoxidil.
PRP has also been combined with micro needling to treat aging skin. In some cases, PRP has been injected directly into facial skin. This is the so-called “liquid facelift” or “vampire facelift.”
Platelets are part of your blood and much smaller than red blood cells. They’re important in clotting. They also contain a wide variety of growth factors, which improve healing and stimulate hair growth.
Platelet rich plasm (PRP) is produced by taking the your own blood and placing it in a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets. Concentrating the platelets also concentrates the growth factors. This concentration of platelets (or “PRP”) is then injected into the area to be treated.
PRP is injected into the scalp to treat thinning hair. It can also be injected into aging skin, or it can be applied to the skin at the time of micro needling.
When considering platelet rich plasma therapy, choose a surgeon with significant experience performing the procedure. Friends, family members or an internist or primary care doctor are often helpful in suggesting the best surgeon.
For the best results, choose a cosmetic surgeon who’s affiliated with a major medical center, such as Cleveland Clinic. Make sure to ask your cosmetic surgeon about their credentials, training and how many procedures they’ve performed.
You’ll get a routine blood draw, and a provider will place the blood in a centrifuge (which concentrates the platelets and the growth factors within the platelets). The PRP will be placed in a small syringe and then injected with a small needle into the areas of hair thinning (if hair loss is being treated). In areas of facial aging, PRP will be spread on your face at the time of microneedling.
This treatment involves the collection of your blood in a special tube, which is then spun down using a centrifuge to separate the plasma and platelet portion using the separate gel as a special filter. The PRP portion of your blood is then used to re-energize your cells into rejuvenating themselves. The product injected is 100% your own blood product (autologous). Ice is used to alleviate discomfort during the procedure. Most people feel pressure during the treatment, with minimal to no pain.
For hair loss, treatment includes one PRP treatment per month for three months, followed by one treatment every three months for a year, and then one treatment yearly. Results take time. It takes three months to see any improvement, and you’ll see maximum improvement in one year. You’ll get the best results in combination with other medical treatment (including the use of minoxidil applied to your hair or taken by mouth, as well as finasteride taken by mouth).
Insurance rarely covers the cost of elective cosmetic surgery and procedures. Please call 216.444.4004 and ask to speak with one of our financial representatives who can explain payment options, including CareCredit financing.
