Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy

What is platelet-rich plasma?

Platelet-rich plasma consists of two elements: plasma, or the liquid portion of blood, and platelets, a type of blood cell that plays an important role in healing throughout the body. Platelets are well-known for their clotting abilities, but they also contain growth factors that can trigger cell reproduction and stimulate tissue regeneration or healing in the treated area. Platelet-rich plasma is simply blood that contains more platelets than normal.

To create platelet-rich plasma, clinicians take a blood sample from the patient and place it into a device called a centrifuge that rapidly spins the sample, separating out the other components of the blood from the platelets and concentrating them within the plasma.

What You Need to Know:  

• PRP treatment can help support wound healing in trauma and joint injury. The technique can address male pattern baldness, stimulate the growth of hair transplants and enhance other cosmetic procedures.
• The results of PRP treatment are most noticeable after several weeks for joint injections and six months for scalp injections, and are not permanent; patients may require additional injections at the direction of their doctor.
• Because the treatments use a patient’s own tissues, PRP injections are safe and can be administered alone or used in conjunction with other procedures.