A Guide to How PRP Therapy Can Treat Various Medical Conditions

What Is Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy?

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy uses the body’s own blood components to heal injuries. PRP involves extracting a patient’s blood then using a centrifuge to extract platelets.

Blood cells are isolated after which medical professionals extract plasma with platelets 2 to 8 times denser than in standard blood concentrations.

It is due to this extremely high platelet concentration that there are even more growth factors being released onto the damaged tissue. Growth factors cause healing and growth of the tissue at the site of injury or target site.

PRP therapy uses a patient’s own biochemistry to improve the success of healing for a wide variety of medical ailments.

Physicians like PRP because it is not surgical and is minimally invasive; most of their patients recover quickly with very little downtime after treatment.

We all experience joint pain, hair loss and longer than desired recovery from injury, and desire real solutions.

PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) treatment may be just that!

A type of regenerative therapy that uses plasma taken from a patient’s blood to repair damaged tissue at an accelerated rate:

• PRP treatment utilizes a patient’s own blood, using a centrifuge machine to yield platelet-rich plasma. The resulting platelet-rich plasma is 2 to 8 times more concentrated than unprocessed blood.

• Doctors inject PRP into tissue surrounding injured joints, tendons, scalp for baldness, or skin for scars and wrinkles. It stimulates healing to take place sooner in tissues by triggering the release of growth factors.

• Research proves more than 90% of patients perceive improvement in skin texture when PRP is used to treat acne scars. For osteoarthritis of the knee, the optimal concentration of platelets is around 4.83 to 5.91 times above normal.

• It’s a safe treatment since it’s your own cells that are being implanted. Some soreness or bruising occurs in about half of patients; serious side effects are rare but do include infection.

• Insurers typically will not cover use of PRP because it is being researched for most uses and FDA approval may not be available in certain cases (e.g., hair loss).

A patient receives PRP treatment for joint pain in a clinic.

How PRP Treatment Works

PRP therapy starts with the extraction of a small amount of your own blood. The blood sample is placed in a machine that isolates the platelets from the rest of the components. These platelet concentrates are administered by doctors into the area to be treated to support healing and regeneration.

For PRP Therapy, several tubes of blood are collected by a doctor or a nurse from the patient. One tube can hold 8 to 10 milliliters of blood, and each tube is treated separately to store the blood samples.

The samples are put inside a centrifuge, which operates at high speed for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Centrifugation separates blood into layers according to their density; The red blood cells settle at the bottom, and the platelets are suspended in plasma whose concentration is three to five times higher than the platelet concentration of normal blood.

Water content with an approximately 90% plasma is used as a starting material for preparing platelet-rich plasma (PRP) solutions.

The centrifuge settings can be regulated whenever leukocyte-poor or leukocyte-rich plasma is desired for specific procedures or in the treatment of medical conditions such as osteoarthritis and skin conditions.

The centrifugal separation of the plasma is usually done in an hour, entirely in a doctor’s office; minimal preparation and minimal risk of contamination are involved. The technology has made a large difference in the efficiency of performing a number of autologous treatments in biological therapy and regenerative medicine.

Process of Injecting concentrated platelets

The PRP solution is injected directly into an area of the body that has been injured, such as: joints, tendons, or muscles. Ultrasound guidance is used in most cases where this treatment is being delivered.

The platelets release growth factors and cytokines where they are delivered, guiding tissue repair and new cell growth.

NSAIDs are recommended to be stopped by patients two weeks before PRP injection, to prevent or suppress platelet activation. Spacing of treatment is done in intervals for individual patients as indicated by the patient condition and patient response

based on medical practitioners.

Improvement of health conditions with PRP use

Results have been seen with use of PRP to heal a wide range of health conditions; It can relieve joint pain, baldness, stimulate skin regrowth, an

d more.

Musculoskeletal traumas and joint pain

Musculoskeletal injuries are limited to muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints. It causes pain on movement and reduction in the range of motion. Consistent use also accelerates healing of tendons so that chronic tendonitis does not occur.

PRP injections work effectively for soft tissue injury and chronic pain, such as neck or lower back pain.

Injections typically entail the application of ultrasound for more precision. Results take several weeks to become apparent, but healing time is still significantly reduced in instances of chronic conditions. Most applications require multiple sessi

ons, combined with physical therapy.

Hair loss and androgenetic alopecia

Losing hair is common in patients 40+, through androgenetic alopecia or male pattern baldness. This is not a g

ender specific condition, however; women experience thinning and hair loss as well with aging.

One unexpected benefit is that further hair loss can be prevented while stimulating new growth.

The result of PRP therapy is visible within six months following the treatment. Being made of the patient’s own blood, it is not harmful and the chances of any type of allergy are slight.

Promotion of hair density and thickness in individuals suffering from androgenetic alopecia has been proven by studies; Complete FDA approval for this use is not completed yet.

Skin rejuvenation, decrease of acne scars

It is amazing that PRP can make a transition from hair loss to skin rejuvenation and continue to produce strong results. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is very promising for repair of the skin as well as for acne scars, for stimulating collagenesis and tissue healing.

Individuals who get sequentially scheduled sessions see an amazing difference in skin texture, pore size, wrinkles, and pigmentation. It enhances elasticity and firmness with hyaluronic acid; this is especially helpful in older patients.

A patient receives Platelet-Rich Plasma therapy in a modern medical office.

Treatment of Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis can be debilitating, especially in the knee. PRP therapy offers an outpatient treatment for knee osteoarthritis (KOA) with little pain and reduced recovery time and symptoms.

For the maximum benefit to be achieved, platelet concentrations must be roughly 4.83 to 5.91 times higher than in normal blood.

Studies have shown that PRP has the potential to decrease the function and pain of the joint in KOA patients substantially. PRP also has the capacity to halt the advancement of the condition by maintaining cartilage thickness. In some cases, PRP has proved to be more effective than hyaluronic acid for long-term treatment.

Multiple treatments can be coupled to provide better results for this condition. There may be a requirement for repeated injections based on the advice of a doctor.

Future research needs to decide on optimal platelet doses and long-term ability of PRP to control KOA.

Benefits of PRP Treatment:

Natural regeneration and tissue repair

PRP treatment aids the body in recovering from injury and disease. By delivering pure platelets directly into damaged tissue, PRP stimulates healing and growth of healthy tissue.

It is a successful therapy for osteoarthritis of the knee and healing chronic tendonitis. The patients heal in weeks; the optimal results take months to develop.

The autologous composition of PRP minimizes the risk of allergy since it does not have any foreign body in it. Not only is it safe and suitable for surgical and non-surgical use, but it can enhance recovery if supplemented by other types of therapy.

Low risk of allergy

PRP injections are taken from the blood cells of the patient themselves. This automatically reduces the risk of an allergic response with minimal risk compared to other injectables.

It also has a documented safety profile.

Side Effects of PRP Treatment

The sole side effects of PRP therapy are bruising and pain at injection site, but these will more than likely resolve themselves quickly. The sole point of concern is an augmented risk of infection due to its’ autologous nature.

Bleeding and nerve damage are rare side effects.

Conclusion

PRP treatment isn’t just an option for dermal application; it also impacts joint pain, hair loss, non-surgical tightening of the skin, and reducing the severity and frequency of allergic reactions.

Since its original approval by the FDA, PRP has shown very promising; many patients in need of relief have been drawn to this non-surgical alternative.

FAQs

1. What does “PRP” stand for?

PRP stands for Platelet-Rich Plasma. This treatment has a production process that consists of having a small amount of your own blood withdrawn, with the blood spun in a centrifuge to isolate and separate the platelets. Once that is completed, the newly formed plasma material is injected into any part(s) of your body in which an injury has occurred. A wide scope of health issues, from joint aching, hair fall, and skin tissue regeneration can be treated this way, just to name a few.

2. What makes PRP work on most health issues?

Platelet-Rich Plasma accelerates repair and tissue regeneration through the utilization of growth factors within platelets which are taken from a patient’s blood.

Its’ efficacy varies from one individual to another; identical outcomes are not guaranteed.

PRP therapy is not commonly covered by most health insurance policies.

3. Is PRP therapy safe?

Composed of plasma derived from your blood using a centrifuge, this replacement therapy stimulates normal tissue repair and healing and facilitates recovery from injuries within less time.

4. How long does PRP therapy take to work?

Effects vary based on the condition treated as well as how the body responds to treatment; some patients begin noticing improvements a few weeks after their first treatment(s), but several months may pass before optimal effects are achieved.

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A Complete Guide To PRP Therapy