The Benefits of Platelet-Rich Plasma
If you pay any attention to the world of professional sports, you may have noticed a new treatment on the market that athletes are raving about. It’s called platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and it’s a new treatment being used to promote faster healing after injuries or surgery.
Sports stars like Tiger Woods and Rafael Nadal have brought these PRP injections to the attention of the public in recent years. You may be wondering what that has to do with you? After all, how is a sports-related treatment going to help the average person?
But the truth is, PRP treatment can be used for more than just sports-related injuries. In fact, platelet-rich plasma has been developed for use in a variety of treatments for everyday people. So we’re going to share everything you need to know about PRP, just in case it’s something you want to consider.
What Is PRP?
Your blood contains multiple small components, including red cells, white cells, and platelets. Platelets are blood cells that play a significant role in blood clotting. They also contain important proteins that help wounds to heal, hence their importance in healing injuries.
Platelet-rich plasma injections are a small amount of plasma with a high concentration of platelets, usually 5 to 10 times the amount found in an equivalent sample of blood. PRP is an autologous treatment, which means that it is taken from the patient themselves.
Specialists will take a blood sample from the person being treated, and separate the platelets in their blood from the white and red blood cells. This is the platelet-rich plasma that is collected and reinjected into the area that needs to be treated.
These platelet-rich injections then help the body to heal its wounds and injuries.
What Areas Can It Treat?
PRP injections are used in several areas of the body. Previously in sports medicine, it was used to treat issues in the tendons, ligaments, muscles, joints, and knees.
But in recent years PRP treatment has extended to the world of aesthetic medicine and is now being used to treat various aesthetic issues for everyday people. Nowadays it is used to treat the hair and scalp, skin, hands, neck, scars, stretch marks, and dark circles under the eyes.
Benefits of Platelet-Rich Plasma Treatment
Many qualified doctors and estheticians now use PRP injections to treat a swathe of cosmetic and aesthetic issues.
Hair Loss
PRP for hair loss has shown to be effective in treating both forms of alopecia: Androgenic alopecia, which occurs through hormone imbalance, lack of nutrients, and disease, and alopecia areata, a rare type of auto-immune disease. A significant reduction of hair loss can be seen after around 3 or 4 rounds of injections.
Stretch Marks
The proteins in PRP stimulate connective tissue cells and epidermal cells in the skin. This process helps to stimulate collagen and elastin when injected into areas afflicted with stretch marks. This helps to repair and renew the skin, as well as boosting healthy cell production.
The appearance and intensity of stretch marks will decrease with every treatment, and after at least three treatments skin will become smoother and softer.
Scars and Acne Scars
PRP injections can be used to reduce the appearance of scars, including surgical scars, acne scars, surgical scars, and scarring from minor burns. Like stretch mark treatment, this is because of the increased collagen synthesis that PRP injections can induce, repairing scar tissue slowly over time.
Fine Lines and Wrinkles
Known as the “Vampire facial”, because PRP stimulates collagen production and blood supply it can also be used as part of a highly effective facial treatment. This facial can reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and dark circles. It also rejuvenates the skin, resulting in an overall clear and glowing complexion.
If you have any of the skin conditions mentioned above, and none of your previous treatments have been working, you should consider platelet-rich plasma treatment. And if you are looking for a reliable PRP specialist in the greater Toronto area, contact us at Miracle Beauty in Markham, Ontario. For more information, you can text or call us at +416-457-0975, or book an appointment here.