The regenerative powers of the human body have long been recognized throughout the medical community. From wound healing to overcoming infections, your body has a remarkable capacity to mend itself. Platelet-rich plasma therapy is a procedure that treats injuries, hair loss, or cosmetic imperfections by harnessing and enhancing those natural abilities.
When you come to our clinic for platelet-rich plasma therapy in Encino, we’ll harvest, concentrate, and inject platelets from your blood directly into your injury site or area of concern. This treatment works by prompting a faster immune response and speeding up your recovery.
A woman receives a platelet-rich plasma facial injection. PRP therapy is used to counter pain, inflammation, hair loss, and skincare concerns like age spots and crow’s feet.
What Is Platelet-Rich Plasma PRP Therapy?
Plasma is the liquid portion of your blood that makes up a majority of its mass. Floating in the plasma are platelets, or cell fragments, found in your bloodstream that allow blood to clot. When a clot forms, platelets emit enzymes that boost healing and aid in tissue regeneration; they do this by drawing stem cells to the area to help repair damage.
PRP platelet-rich plasma has a concentration of platelets that is five to ten times higher than blood usually carries. It’s made by:
- Taking a sample of your blood.
- Running the blood through a centrifuge to separate the platelets from the plasma.
- Adding the collected platelets to a second sample of whole blood.
Clinicians can then use the resulting substance for platelet-rich plasma treatment, injecting it into your problem area to stimulate healing.
How Does PRP Work?
When the platelets are injected back into your body, they get to work releasing enzymes. Since more platelets clustered in one location, there’s also a higher than normal accumulation of these healing enzymes.
Studies suggest that this is what gives platelet-rich plasma therapy the ability to aid in healing injuries. It can replicate and multiply the effects of your body’s natural repairing mechanisms.
What Is Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy Used For?
In recent years, platelet-rich plasma therapy has been studied for its potential in
treating athletic injuries. For example, Tiger Woods, Steph Curry, and Alex Rodriguez have used platelet-rich plasma treatment to accelerate their healing time after being sidelined by injury.
The healing power of this revolutionary treatment is not limited to athletes, however. PRP platelet-rich plasma injections are used to treat a variety of conditions, including:
- Hair loss: When used as a therapy for hair loss, PRP naturally stimulates the stem cells in your hair follicles, triggering deactivated follicles to produce hair again.
- Skin imperfections: The Vampire Facial is a PRP-based treatment that can correct wrinkles, age spots, acne scars, enlarged pores, and dark under-eye circles.
- Tendon and muscle injuries: Torn or inflamed tendons, sprains, muscle injuries, and joint injuries can all be treated with PRP.
- Osteoarthritis pain: PRP may be effective in reducing inflammation and slowing the progression of arthritis.
How Long Does Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy Last?
Since platelet-rich plasma therapy is used to treat a wide variety of conditions, it’s difficult to estimate how long your results will last. For instance, PRP treatments for injuries and chronic pain depend on your injury’s severity and location and how long you’ve been experiencing pain.
PCP for hair loss will require regular maintenance injections. These will likely be scheduled at three- to six-month intervals at first, but over time they can be spaced out to occur only once per year.
PCP for skin conditions can last as long as 18 months. Once again, however, this will depend on the exact nature and severity of your issue.
Contact Glow for a Free PRP Therapy Consultation
Platelet-rich plasma therapy is a procedure that uses the platelets in your blood to trigger a healing response in your body, giving you: thicker hair growth, less pain in your muscles and joints, or smoother, younger-looking skin.
To learn more about platelet-rich plasma therapy in Encino, contact Glow Aesthetic Center today. One of our board-certified practitioners will evaluate your condition and recommend the best treatment plan for you. Call or fill out the online form to set up your no-obligation consultation.