Regenerative medicine.
PRP IS A REVOLUTIONARY DERMAL REJUVENATION TECHNIQUE THAT USES GROWTH FACTORS FROM YOUR OWN BLOOD (PLATELET-RICH PLASMA) TO REPAIR AGEING SKIN AT THE CELLULAR LEVEL.
WHICH FACIAL AND BODY AREAS CAN BE TREATED?
- Around the eyes – for the thin crepey skin and fine lines
- Acne scarring
- Cheeks and Mid face
- Thinning skin on the neck
- Jaw Line and Sub Malar
- Back of hands
- Décolletage
- Other Body Areas knees, elbows, upper arms, post baby tummy
Aging of the skin, dermal components and cells, means that the skin texture and appearance deteriorate. Aging affects the hands and soft tissue of the face. This is characterized by sagging, jowls, thinning of the skin, puffiness, age spots and wrinkling (forehead, cheeks, neck and décolleté). Skin texture changes and dryness is a problem. Sun exposure worsens the process by solar-aging and UV irradiation. This means that vertical and horizontal facial and body wrinkles deteriorate with time. This is due to the DNA and cellular damage that occurs with ageing and sum damaged skin.
Most people, of both genders, choose to age gracefully. However, in the era of anti-aging medicine, the tendency is to turn back the clock and undergo some form of rejuvenation to reduce facial wrinkles, lines and blemishes. For decades, rejuvenation of the face by surgical face-lift has been popular. Today, more non-invasive treatments are available to improve the skin complexion of the aging face. This is because people want to look better with as little as possible down time. Although a quick-fix is not possible for severe wrinkles, there are newer treatment options available to slow down the aging aspects that affect the face, neck, décolleté and the back of the hands.
What is PLATELET-RICH PLASMA (PRP)?
A new approach, appealing to clients seeking a more natural method of facial rejuvenation, is regeneration with your own cells and more specifically, autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP). The PRP repairs your ageing cell at the cellular level with growth factors.
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) has been utilized in aesthetic medicine to rejuvenate and slow down the aging process and face. This cutting edge anti ageing procedure has the effect of potentiating your innate natural healing power and tissue reorganization potential. Recently, PRP has been pioneered for facial rejuvenation in select patients with chronological aging, and solar damage. Regeneration or anti-aging by biological stimulation of resident stem cells by growth factors.
Science supports the use of PRP for the augmentation and regeneration of hard and soft tissues. PRP is the source of concentrated platelet content present in blood. Apart from assisting blood clotting, platelets also release growth factors that assist the human body to repair itself by stimulating cells to regenerate new tissue. Today, platelet rich plasma can easily be separated from blood, through a process of centrifugation. Using your enriched plasma permits the body to heal faster and more efficiently. Because your plasma (autologous) is used, there is no danger of disease transmission, anaphylaxis or neoplasia. In general medicine, platelet transfusion is common practice in treating blood platelet disorders, including very low counts associated with bleeding.
Case studies reported in Europe, England, Asia, Japan and South Africa have demonstrated consistent rejuvenation of facial aging, including wrinkling in persons with modest grades of photo- or chronological aging. Patient selection is important and skin diseases have to be excluded. Improvement of skin texture and tone can be expected, these features are noticeable within 3 weeks, and the process can be enhanced by addition of appropriate Cosmeceutical. Benefits include non-allergenic properties and ease of administration.
It is well known that platelets have many functions. Platelets contain important growth factors that, when secreted, are responsible for
- Tissue regeneration and rejuvenation
- Increasing collagen production which can increase skin thickness and overall skin health
- recruiting other cells to the site of injury
- inducing cell differentiation
- extra cellular matrix formation
- Non – Allergenic
- It is a ‘body own’ physiological product.
- Elimination of donor transmissible infections
- Biological Glue: for tissue adhesion especially in skin flaps, bone grafts and trauma.
These are vital steps in collagen regeneration and wound healing.
WHAT IS THE PROCESS OF FACIAL REJUVENATION BY PRP?
- First and foremost you will be assessed by our cosmetic doctor to analyse your skin and recommend an appropriate treatment.
- Options of facial rejuvenation are explained to you, including efficacy and safety. Cost analysis is discussed and the number of sessions possibly required.
- Persons between the ages of 30 and 80 years are eligible.
- Almost all skin tones show that the process is safe and effective because your own enriched plasma is used, but not all grades of wrinkling can be improved.
- A photograph of the skin is taken to assist the follow-up and grading of the improvement.
- Blood is obtained from the arm by venapuncture.
- The blood is collected in special sterile tubes and centrifuged in the clinic to separate the plasma. The plasma is drawn up into a syringe and injected for facial rejuvenation.
- The PRP is injected, by multiple tiny punctures under the skin (including the dermis), under topical local anaesthesia. The forehead, peri-orbital region, cheeks, chins and dorsum of the hands, are the targets of aging and wrinkles, for rejuvenation. The process is relatively painless providing sufficient topical anaesthesia is applied.
- PRP facial rejuvenation can be a one off treatment, but further microinjections can be re-performed at 6-12 weekly intervals for recalcitrant lines and wrinkles if the client desires this.
- This entire process and injection time is simple and takes approximately 45 minutes – 1 hour in total.