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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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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.
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.