Platelet-rich plasma treatment is based on using plasma for treatment of medical conditions and anti-aging. It is extracted from the patient's blood so that it is safe, hypoallergenic, and fully compatible with the patient's body. Plasma has a positive effect on all tissues, so this method is widely used for various medical applications — especially for the treatment of orthopedic conditions, injuries, and arthritis.

Why is it used?

For aesthetic purposes. For the general public, PRP therapy is often a cosmetic procedure. When plasma is injected into the skin it stimulates the development of fibroblast cells, which contribute to the synthesis of hyaluronic acid and regeneration processes in the deep layers of the skin.

It makes cells divide more rapidly, restores blood vessels, promotes the synthesis of collagen fibers, and improves the skin turgor. The patient's face becomes toned and fresh, wrinkles get smoothed out, and age spots and inflammations disappear. This procedure is also used for other parts of the body, including the neck, neckline, head skin, and body's intimate zones.

For hair. PRP therapy helps make your hair denser, increases the diameter of individual hairs, and restores elasticity, volume, and shine. The injections slow hair loss, strengthen the follicles and improve microcirculation and cellular metabolism. This normalizes the functioning of the sebaceous glands and prevents dandruff, dryness, and itching.

For joints. As you age, your cartilage tissue regenerates at a slower rate, and treatment becomes more complicated. The platelet-rich plasma therapy is perfect for stimulating regeneration, relieving pain, and helping restore the tissues. This therapeutic effect is achieved by injecting platelet-rich plasma into injured parts of the joints.

The platelets include special proteins (growth factors) that affect the cells of damaged areas and stimulate their division, increasing tissue regeneration. Additionally, auto-plasma therapy promotes the effect of taken medication, which allows for decreasing dosage. This procedure helps address issues including arthrosis of the knee and hip joints, osteochondrosis, arthritis, inflammatory diseases of the ligaments and tendons, fractures, sprains, and other injuries.

Contraindications

Despite the benefits of platelet-rich plasma therapy, it has contraindications which include cancer, blood diseases, low platelet count, viral hepatitis, acute infections, herpes, long-term taking of medications, pregnancy, and lactation. It is also not administered during the menstrual period.

How to achieve maximum benefits

Here is a list of rules to follow to strengthen the procedure:

• Have a blood test before the PRP session
• Stop taking anticoagulants and antibiotics one week before the PRP
• Avoid alcohol for 3 days before the PR
• Change your diet — avoid salty and fried foods
• Drink more water
• Don't touch the areas around the injections, don’t exercise, avoid alcohol, sauna, tanning salon, and sun exposure for several days or a week

Blood procedures and plasma injections should be done with strict standards by a medical professional in a hospital setting.

The duration of each session depends on the area subjected to therapy and the state of the body. For this reason, doctors prescribe the number of sessions individually for each patient. On average, the treatment includes 4–5 sessions. If medical recommendations are followed, the effect of PRP therapy lasts for up to 2 years.

28 July 2021