Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections can help for a variety of conditions, from sports injuries to hair loss. The treatment uses a patient’s own blood cells to accelerate healing in a specific area.

PRP treatment can help support wound healing in trauma and joint injury. The technique can address male pattern baldness, stimulate the growth of hair transplants and enhance other cosmetic procedures.

The results of PRP treatment are most noticeable after several weeks for joint injections and six months for scalp injections, and are not permanent; patients may require additional injections at the direction of their doctor.

Because the treatments use a patient’s own tissues, PRP injections are safe and can be administered alone or used in conjunction with other procedures.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

PRP treatment can help support wound healing in trauma and joint injury. The technique can address male pattern baldness, stimulate the growth of hair transplants and enhance other cosmetic procedures.

The results of PRP treatment are most noticeable after several weeks for joint injections and six months for scalp injections, and are not permanent; patients may require additional injections at the direction of their doctor.

Because the treatments use a patient’s own tissues, PRP injections are safe and can be administered alone or used in conjunction with other procedures.

Source: John's Hopkins Medicine

Platelet-rich plasma consists of two elements: plasma, or the liquid portion of blood, and platelets, a type of blood cell that plays an important role in healing throughout the body. Platelets are well-known for their clotting abilities, but they also contain growth factors that can trigger cell reproduction and stimulate tissue regeneration or healing in the treated area. Platelet-rich plasma is simply blood that contains more platelets than normal.

To create platelet-rich plasma, clinicians take a blood sample from the patient and place it into a device called a centrifuge that rapidly spins the sample, separating out the other components of the blood from the platelets and concentrating them within the plasma.

Source: John's Hopkins Medicine

PRP injections are used to treat torn tendons, tendinitis, muscle injuries, arthritis-related pain, and joint injuries. They're becoming more common for cosmetic procedures, too.

Tendon, Ligament, Muscle, and Joint Injuries: PRP injections may be able to treat a range of musculoskeletal injuries and conditions. For example, chronic tendon injuries such as tennis elbow or jumper’s knee can often take a long time to heal, so adding PRP shots to a treatment regimen can help to stimulate the healing process, decrease pain and enable a return to activities sooner.

Post-surgical Healing: Clinicians first used PRP to accelerate healing after jaw or plastic surgeries. Now, post-surgical PRP injections have expanded to help heal muscles, tendons, and ligaments, as procedures on these tissues have notoriously long recovery times.

Osteoarthritis: Early studies indicate that PRP injections may help treat osteoarthritis pain and stiffness by modulating the joint environment and reducing inflammation, but research is growing.

Hair Loss: PRP injections can be effective in treating male pattern baldness, both in preventing hair loss and promoting new hair growth. PRP can also aid in the stimulation of hair growth after hair transplants.

Skin Rejuvenation: PRP injections are sometimes used as an anti-aging treatment, but there is little evidence to show that PRP reduces wrinkles and other signs of aging.

Source: John's Hopkins Medicine