Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy is also known as Autologous Conditioned Plasma – meaning it is taken from the body of the patient and used to bring about healing.
A PRP treatment takes advantage of the body’s natural healing properties by using its own tissues to repair damaged cartilage, tendons, ligaments, muscle and bone, and increase hair growth. PRP can improve joint function, reduce pain, and allow for a return to a healthy way of life after an injury. It is one of the safest treatments for baldness, with none of the risks associated with medications and topical applications.
PRP injections can be utilised in many areas of the body, including the shoulder, knee, hip, back and spine, leg, foot, arm, elbow, toes, fingers, hand, thumb, neck and scalp.
How does it work?
PRP stands for platelet-rich plasma. Blood is drawn from the patient’s arm, and is then placed into a centrifuge. The centrifuge spins the blood so fast that it separates into three different substances – red blood cells, platelet-rich plasma, and white blood cells. The plasma with the most amount of platelets is then injected into the site of the body that needs it – whether it’s a joint, a muscle, or the scalp.
PRP injections are often used in the shoulders and the elbows, as they are very effective in these particular joints. PRP is highly recommended in the treatment of tennis elbow. Studies show that PRP is much more effective than steroids in treating this painful condition (steroids are known to only give temporary relief and in some cases can actually make the injury worse).
Our bodies are designed to heal themselves, and PRP treatment allows that self-healing to be even more effective.
PRP is one of the safest and most effective treatments for hair loss, showing excellent results after just a few sessions. It avoids the use of potentially harmful drugs, and has no side-effects. Once the desired hair growth has been achieved, a maintenance dose of one injection per year is recommended to keep everything running smoothly.
Conditions treated with PRP
PRP is a simple outpatient treatment that may help you recover from a painful sports injury or chronic pain caused by osteoarthritis and tendinitis.
Here are some of the conditions that can be helped by PRP:
- Hair loss
- Arthritis (osteoarthritis)
- Tendon/ligament injuries
- Tendinopathy
- Tennis elbow/golfer’s elbow
- Runner’s knee/jumper’s knee
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Achilles Tendonitis
- Shoulder Rotator Cuff Tear
- Muscle strain, contusion and torn muscle fibres
- Back pain, neck pain
The PRP therapy procedure
There are three main steps to undergo when you have a treatment at our outpatient centre. Your appointment should take no longer than an hour.
- A sample of blood is taken from your arm
- Your blood is spun in a centrifuge machine which separates it into red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelet-rich plasma
- The platelet-rich plasma is injected into the injury site or scalp
An average treatment is generally administered every three weeks, and is extremely low risk as it involves your own cells. No foreign bodies are administered. The number of injections can range from two to six, depending on the injury or desired hair growth result.
The science behind PRP therapy
The platelets in our blood are important for clotting, and also contain proteins called growth factors. These are used in the healing of injuries, and also in the rejuvenation of hair follicles.
PRP is one of the safest treatments around as it uses the body’s own self-healing processes in its own cells. With a high concentration of growth factors – more than in blood – PRP’s rich nutrients support the healing of injured tissue and inhibit painful inflammatory processes.
This treatment is widely researched and supported in clinical papers.
FAQ
PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) therapy involves using a patient’s own platelets to promote healing and rejuvenation. Blood is drawn, processed to concentrate platelets, and then re-injected into the targeted area. This enhances tissue repair and regeneration, and is used in aesthetic treatments, sports injuries, and orthopedics.
Reduced pain and increased mobility is normally seen on sports injuries and the like within four to six weeks. Hair regrowth requires anything from two to four sessions, depending on the person.
PRP is one of the safest treatments available, and there is no chance of an allergic reaction as it uses the patient’s own blood. There is a slight risk of infection as with any treatment that uses an injection, but this is very rare.
PRP uses your body’s natural healing ability to reduce pain, increase mobility, and increase hair growth. As healing takes place faster, you can get back to normal activities quicker. There are no nasty side-effects, unlike drug-based treatments.