Platelet-Rich Plasma

 

How Does a PRP Facial Tighten Skin?

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Replacing Damaged Cells

PRP treatment is effective for a variety of issues because it actually removes damaged cells from your body and replaces them with brand new ones. Whether your cells have been weakened over time due to age, or from frequent sun exposure or even chemical damage from makeup and other treatments, PRP can undo the damage done. Other treatments mask the problem, but PRP addresses it at its roots.

When skin cells are damaged, they lose their rigidity and firmness. This is what causes sagging and lines to form across your face. When we replace these cells with healthy ones, you regain that youthful glow and bouncy skin that you once had.

When we apply PRP to part of your body, the concentrated platelets release growth factors that tell your good cells to multiply while also flagging weaker cells for removal. This is something that your body actually does naturally when you injure yourself. However, since aging and other forms of skin damage occur slowly over time, your body’s healing system never gets activated. PRP lets us turn on your body’s systems to restore your skin naturally.

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Improved Cell Hydration

Think about how a plump grape looks compared to a dried raisin. The same holds true for your skin cells. When they are full of water, they retain their shape and press against one another to keep the surface of your skin smooth and firm. But when they dry out, they shrivel and lose their ability to support weight from above, causing sagging and lines to form.

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Stimulating Collagen and Fat Cells

Your skin is much more than its outer layers. In fact, the surface layer of your skin is only partially responsible for your appearance. The layers of cells underneath are also critical to achieving that youthful look we all desire. Fortunately, PRP works to enhance these cells also.

Collagen is essential for a healthy appearance since it acts as a connective tissue and helps keep cells in place. A study that tested PRP’s impact on collagen levels revealed that it was not only highly effective at increasing the amount of collagen in skin cells, but it was also highly safe as none of the participants in the study backed out due to complications.

Fat cells also play an important role in the shape of your facial features. The thin layer of fat cells underneath the skin provides support for cells above and prevents lines from forming. PRP also rejuvenates these cells. By filling in the underlying layers, the outer layers tighten further and improve your facial features.

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Extra Elastin

Similar to collagen, elastin plays a part in keeping cells in place. Unlike collagen, however, elastin’s purpose is to help cells return to their position after stretching or contracting. When your elastin levels are low, sagging is more likely to occur and lines tend to form around your eyelids or when you smile.

Another study confirms that PRP is effective for improving skin elasticity. This study also contains a number of before and after photos that illustrate how much the skin is lifted by PRP application. PRP was applied to a single spot in one session and produced significant results in just two days.

To date, the PRP facial is the only treatment that has been proven to increase the amount of proteins such as elastin and collagen in the skin. As these studies have shown, it’s also a safe way to achieve results in a short time.

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Targeted Treatment

Certain areas of the face deteriorate faster than others, which is why many of us tend to develop the same lines in the same areas. What we do is target these areas by injecting PRP directly to where it’s needed. This targeted approach makes the treatment more effective and minimizes inflammation. Targeted injections are great for areas like tear troughs, nasolabial folds, marionette lines, etc.

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Downtime and Recovery

​There is very little downtime with PRP even if you choose to include microneedling. Most patients are able to return to the regular routines immediately without any problem. Immediately following treatment, you may experience mild redness, slight swelling, and a tight feeling to the skin. The side effects can last up to two days, and maybe followed by some slight peeling. With PRP injections, there is a risk of bruising.

 

A note on bruising: there are things that can be done to minimize the risk. First, if not medically necessary, discontinue the use of any blood thinning products such as aspirin, ibuprofen, Aleve, Motrin, fish oil, and omega-3 vitamins for one to two weeks prior to your treatment. If you were on medically necessary blood thinners, consult your doctor before discontinuing them. If you must continue your blood thinners, we will consult on an individual basis to determine if injections are appropriate for you.