PRP (PRP for Hair Loss & Rejuvenation)

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1. What is PRP?
2. Who is a Candidate for PRP Treatment?
3. What Does PRP Help With?
4. How Does PRP Work?
5. The PRP Procedure
6. Recovery and Results after PRP Treatment
7. Schedule a Consultation

Hair loss is very common, and new medical treatments are consistently improving to help patients maintain healthier and fuller hair. One option is PRP, or platelet-rich plasma, which can stimulate new, healthy hair growth.

In addition, PRP has other applications where it can be used to rejuvenate the skin for improving scarring, wrinkles, or other concerns. Dermatologists like Dr. Damstetter can help patients achieve a youthful appearance without surgery using simple and painless PRP injections.

What is PRP?

Platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, is a component of a person’s own blood that can be isolated from its other components, like red blood cells and white blood cells, in the lab. PRP can be created by running the patient’s blood in a centrifuge to create a distribution of these components, with the platelet-rich portion of the blood plasma being the target substance. This substance can then be used in a range of medical and cosmetic treatments to stimulate new cell growth or wound healing. Platelet-rich plasma therapy might be best known for its benefits for patients dealing with hair loss or as an addition to rejuvenating skin treatments like lasers or microneedling.

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“I had a recent visit to Dr Damstetter’s clinic and would like to share my experience. I am a Navy vet(corpsman) and usually get seen at the VA but since we don’t have a Derm provider right now, I was fortunately sent out to her clinic to be evaluated. It’s a nice clinic in a nice area and was relatively easy to find. A pleasant Ms. Nancy at the front desk was helpful in completing the check-in process. Easy day. I did not have to wait long and was soon met by Dr. Damstetter’s assistant, who for classified reasons I will refer to as “Agent 8”. I am sure if she gets tired of providing excellent medical care, her slick-ninja skillset could get her a job with the CIA or MI6 maybe. Short story long, Agent 8 brought me back to the patient area, where I was introduced to Dr Damstetter, who was all the things you would want in a doctor: a knowledgeable provider with a great bedside manner. She gave me a thorough exam which did end up showing that I needed a minor procedure. No worries. I felt well taken care of throughout my visit. No one likes to have to see the doctor, but if you have a dermatological concern, this is a good place with good people who did great by me, and I am thankful to have been sent here.”

“Dr. Liz is truly the best dermatologist I’ve ever been to. She is attentive, kind, and genuinely cares about her patients and their overall skin health. I can not recommend her enough!!!”

“Wonderful experience here! The doctor took the time to educate me on a variety of cosmetic options and gave her candid opinion resulting in just the right amount of cosmetic adjustments! Her staff was delightful and attentive! I would highly recommend for general derm needs and cosmetic adjustments.”

“Dr. Damstetter was the first dermatologist I trusted to do my Botox. She is both knowledgeable and professional and did a fantastic job. I will be using her for any and all of my future needs.”

Who is a Candidate for PRP Treatment?

PRP therapy is safe and suitable for a wide range of patients. However, there are some health concerns that could disqualify you from undergoing platelet-rich plasma injections. These include having active infections, blood or bleeding disorders, anemia, or being pregnant.

PRP should also not be used in areas with a history of skin cancer. During a consultation, Dr. Damstetter will review your health history to decide whether PRP is recommended for you.

What Does PRP Help With?

PRP is useful for a variety of purposes. As a dermatologist, Dr. Damstetter may recommend PRP to treat hair loss, whether it is caused by male-pattern or female-pattern baldness, alopecia, damage, or other causes. It is primarily beneficial for patients who are suffering from thinning hair but still have some healthy follicles in the area that concerns them.

PRP can also be useful in rejuvenating the skin for those who have acne scarring, wrinkles, or aging sign. Often, PRP is paired with laser or microneedling so that the substance can more deeply penetrate the skin, enhancing skin hydration and regeneration.

How Does PRP Work?

Platelet-rich plasma, aside from obviously having many platelets that are important for healing injuries and sealing wounds, contains many growth factors that signal a variety of things to the area it is applied to. For example, to promote hair growth, a PRP injection tells the cells surrounding hair follicles to re-activate, draws additional resources from the body to support the follicle, and triggers the creation of additional blood vessels to make these changes longer-lasting.

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Liz Damstetter, MD

Board-Certified Dermatologist

Meet the Doctor

The PRP Procedure

The first step of a PRP procedure is to draw blood – the amount similar to a standard blood draw at your doctor’s office. The blood is then spun up in a centrifuge to separate the red blood cells from the platelets and plasma, creating PRP.

When used to treat hair loss, the PRP is injected directly into the area(s) where the hair is thinning. PRP treatments trigger the body’s healing process and stimulate new cell growth, which means that they can help patients grow new, healthy, and full hair.

In skin rejuvenation, the PRP is generally applied topically just as a serum or other skincare product would be, as well as injected into select areas. Due to the repellant nature of the skin and its oils, this is often performed after a procedure like laser resurfacing or microneedling where there are microscopic channels for the PRP to infuse into. During a consultation, Dr. Damstetter can explain the procedure steps for your ideal treatment.

Recovery and Results after PRP Treatment

PRP therapy does not require any downtime. You may feel some soreness at injection sites or see redness or bruising where your blood was drawn. These side effects should subside quickly, with all discomfort or swelling improving in no more than a few weeks. Some other side effects can include dizziness, nausea, and irritation. Several treatments are typically necessary for hair regrowth, and a maintenance regimen will be determined based on how your skin or hair responds to the initial treatment. Dr. Damstetter can give you specific instructions for aftercare as well as inform you when you will start to see results.

Schedule a Consultation

To learn more about PRP and the procedures we recommend alongside it, schedule a consultation with Dr. Damstetter at Reserve Dermatology. Call our Glenview, IL office or contact us online.