Although the spooky season is a while away, it seems that everywhere you look right now celebrities are talking about blood. First Megan Fox and now Kourtney Kardashian. While the former was talking about drinking it, the latter was filming herself getting PRP therapy in what is otherwise known as a vampire facial. So, what is PRP? And how does it work? We spoke to the experts to find out more.
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What is PRP used for?
Derived from a person’s own blood cells, PRP or platelet-rich plasma therapy can be used to treat a variety of medical and aesthetic concerns.
Medically, PRP is used to treat torn tendons, tendinitis, muscle injuries, arthritis-related pain, and joint injuries, as well as post-surgery healing. In recent years, however, it has been used cosmetically as a way to rejuvenate skin, minimise fine lines, wrinkles and hyperpigmentation, treat hair loss and stimulate collagen production. It can even work to reduce the appearance of scars. This is because the platelet-rich-plasma component is rich in growth factors that can trigger cell reproduction and regeneration,” says LA-based plastic surgeon, Dr Jason Diamond, who sees everyone from Kim Kardashian to Chrissy Teigen.
How does it work?
To begin, practitioners will take a patient’s blood sample and spin it at a very high speed in a centrifuge to separate the platelets from the erythrocytes. “Once we have obtained a patient’s PRP, I use it both to inject and microneedle into the skin and scalp during my signature Diamond InstaFacial & InstaMane treatments,” says Diamond. “I will use PRP alone or often in conjunction with other stem cells or exosomes for maximum benefit.”
Does PRP hurt?
It depends on how high your pain threshold is. The first part of the procedure involves taking a blood sample while the second phase is having the PRP injected back into the skin. Some practitioners like to use PRP therapy in conjunction with microneedling, which can cause some discomfort.
“I’d give it a pain score of 2/10,” says Dr Wassim Taktouk, who offers PRP at his London clinic. “I’d suggest having a full face of numbing cream (if you are not allergic to any of the ingredients) to help with the microneedling, which can be more uncomfortable than PRP alone.”
