PRP therapy can be used for a range of concerns. Our team at Veda Medical in Live Oak, TX, is proud to offer this non-surgical treatment option that uses the platelet-rich plasma contained in your own blood to bring powerful benefits to the table.
What Are the Benefits of PRP Therapy?
Safety
One of the best benefits of PRP therapy is its safety. Since the material used during treatment is sourced from your own blood, there’s nothing foreign being introduced. The goal of this treatment is to harness the healing powers found in your blood and use it on specific areas.
If you have any questions or concerns about this treatment at all, our team would be happy to answer them. Our top priority is making sure you feel confident about the different treatments we offer, and working together with you to find the right fit for your needs.
Minimally Invasive
Many patients find themselves wanting to address cosmetic concerns, but not quite ready to commit to the idea of surgery. Some patients find surgery is outside of their budget, comfort zone, or they just don’t want to take time off work or life in order to recover.
This treatment can give you the ability to address your cosmetic concerns without any downtime. This can make it less intimidating for patients to consider. Rather than lying around and waiting to feel good enough to enjoy your results, you can keep working and living your life as usual while the PRP is doing its job.
A Natural Alternative
For patients who don’t want to use dermal fillers but want many of the same benefits, PRP is a great alternative. Some patients don’t like the idea of adding anything artificial to their skin, while others may be sensitive to some of the ingredients found in dermal fillers. With PRP therapy, you don’t have to worry about those things.
Boost Your Elastin and Collagen Levels
As we age, our collagen and elastin levels will begin to decline. Since collagen and elastin help keep our skin strong, smooth, and elastic, a decline in these levels can contribute to skin texture concerns, as well as wrinkles and fine lines. As facial skin begins to sag, it can also exaggerate the appearance of your pores, making them appear larger and more stretched out than before.
This treatment can give your collagen and elastin levels a concentrated boost, to promote skin health and appearance.
It Can Treat Hard-To-Reach Areas
Certain areas of the face can be difficult to treat either due to location or sensitive skin areas. PRP is gentle enough that it can be used on more sensitive and delicate areas of the face. A treatment that is gentle on the patient, while not compromising on effectiveness, is one reason PRP treatments continue to grow in popularity.
Versatility
PRP stands for platelet-rich plasma, a term that first came about in the 1970s. It describes plasma with a higher platelet count when compared to the plasma found in circulating blood. Soon, there were uses being found for this platelet-rich plasma, as it was discovered it could stimulate cell growth and had anti-inflammatory abilities.
It came into popularity after PRP injections started being used for sports injuries. The platelet-rich plasma can be injected into injured muscles and joints to expedite the healing process. Over time, more and more uses were found for it. It has been used for both pediatric and cardiac surgery, and the same properties that are able to help repair wounds and tissues make it an excellent cosmetic treatment as well.
It’s Even Been Used To Treat Arthritis
As a testament to this treatment’s versatility, it is still being used to treat painful joint conditions such as arthritis. Osteoarthritis can begin to deteriorate the articular cartilage that cushions the end of our bones, which can lead to painful friction and a loss of mobility. Anyone can suffer from this condition, but it’s especially common in those aged 60 and up, or patients who have heavily used the affected joints.
This treatment doesn’t cover up any symptoms, so patients will know when it’s working as their symptoms continue to improve. The PRP is injected into the area, where it begins to restore lost cartilage and improve lubrication around the joints.
What Can It Be Used For?
Hair Restoration
If you’re looking for a natural way to encourage hair restoration, we have good news for you. PRP can be used to help patients suffering from hair loss, regardless of their gender. It can be used for male pattern baldness, but it can also be used to treat hair that’s becoming uniformly thinner over time.
The goal of this treatment is to activate dormant hair follicles and provide helpful nutrients to the scalp so your hair can grow back thicker and stronger than before. This treatment can help patients avoid or delay needing surgical hair transplants. You can use it as an alternative to hair loss medication, or as an additional measure to help you enjoy stronger, faster results.
Dark Circles
Sometimes all the coffee or beauty sleep in the world isn’t enough to fight back dark circles under the eyes. Dark circles can have several causes, such as lack of sleep, genetics, or aging. They can also have pigment-related causes. Regardless of why they’ve shown up, PRP can help combat them. The rich plasma encourages your skin to enter into a regenerative state, replacing tired skin with healthy skin.
Facial Rejuvenation
PRP can be paired with microneedling to powerfully exfoliate and rejuvenate the face all at once. It can help smooth over fine lines and wrinkles, and can improve the appearance of sun-damaged skin. Not only does the microneedling encourage collagen production, but the PRP itself is chock-full of nutrients that can help encourage your skin to be stronger, smoother, and healthier.
In addition to improving the appearance of lines, wrinkles, and sun damage, it can also be used for the following:
- Hyperpigmentation
- Skin laxity
- Enlarged pores
- Acne scars
- Uneven skin tone and texture
- Dull skin tone and texture
FAQ About PRP
1. What Should I Expect During Treatment?
When you come in for your treatment, the first thing you can expect is to have your blood drawn. Each treatment comes from your own blood, we will not use anyone else’s PRP for your treatment. A few vials of blood will be drawn, similar to when you have routine bloodwork done.
We can then take the vials to be processed by our centrifuge machine, which uses motion to force the blood into separate fluid layers. One of the layers is the “liquid gold” platelet-rich plasma, which we can draw up and use for your treatment. Treatment is either injected or used together with microneedling, depending on what it’s being used for.
2. What Comes After Treatment?
There’s no downtime associated with treatment, so you can be right on your way after we’re done. Behind the scenes, your body should respond immediately to the introduction of PRP by producing and sending reparative cells to the treated area. As the PRP has time to work its magic, you should see the treatment results continue to improve throughout the next few weeks.
3. How Many Treatments Will I Need?
Some patients are happy with their results after a single treatment, but a series of treatments may offer more dramatic results in some cases. During a consultation, we can go over your goals with you and will give you personalized advice on what we believe has the best chance of meeting your expectations.
Once you’re happy with your PRP treatment results, a single maintenance treatment every six months or so can help maintain them. That said, many patients are happy with their results for much longer, and it’s completely your choice how often you want to come back and “top off” your treatment.
4. Am I a Good Candidate?
If you are healthy enough to have your blood drawn, then chances are this treatment could be a good fit for you. It can be used on all skin tones and types.
PRP therapy has been used to help countless people worldwide, and it seems that as more time passes, even more uses for this versatile treatment are being discovered. Ultimately, the best way to know if you’re a good candidate is to stop by for a consultation.
Learn More About Our Treatment Options
If you’d like to learn more about this, or any of our other treatment options, we welcome you to set up a consultation. Reach out to our team at Veda Medical in Live Oak, TX, today and discover the benefits of PRP therapy for yourself!
