What do Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant, Alex Rodriquez and 34 other athletes have in common? Yes, they’re all professional athletes but did you know all made use of PRP to treat their sports related injuries? Unable to be side-lined for long, they all avail themselves of using PRP to speed their healing.

Although you may never have heard of the term PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma), it is not new. PRP was first used in open-heart surgery in 1987 and has been used world-wide in the medical fields of orthopedics, oral surgery and wound care for the past 20 years. Most recently, the field of cosmetic medicine has embraced PRP. Procedures such as the Vampire Facelift and Vampire Facial (made famous by Kim Kardashian) were introduced in 2010 by Dr. Charles Runels, a true pioneer in the use of PRP.
What makes PRP treatment so novel and exciting is that it employs our bodies’ ability to heal and rejuvenate itself!

Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy for Facial Rejuvenation

Platelet Rich Plasma is, as the term would imply, a product derived from our own blood; PRP contains concentrated growth factors which induce healing and repair of tissues. It truly is a fertilizer for stem cells as growth factors stimulate collagen, develop new blood vessels (angiogenesis), enhance smooth muscles formation and increase fat cell number. The cosmetic result seen is increased facial volume for a full rounded youthful appearance, improved skin texture and glowing, radiant soft skin.
Since the source of PRP is autologous (from self) there are no toxicities or contraindications to its use. The medical literature includes numerous articles demonstrating the safety of PRP and there are currently over 15,000 articles written on PRP use alone. To date, over 500,000 PRP treatments have been performed without complication.

The Vampire Facelift & Facials Explained

The process of PRP treatment involves obtaining a few tablespoons of blood – just like a regular blood test. This is then placed in a centrifuge (especially FDA approved for this use) for about 20 minutes. Out of this comes the Platelet Rich Plasma which is then activated. If the treatment is a Vampire Facelift (Organic Facelift), the PRP will be injected virtually painlessly into the face. If a Vampire Facial (Pixel/PRP) is the goal, the PRP will be ‘painted on’ skin that has been resurfaced with the Pixel RF device. The entire process takes about 30 – 45 minutes. A Vampire Facelift may cause temporary mild swelling, redness or bruising but normally is without downtime. Social downtime following the Pixel/PRP is about 24 to 48 hours. Results of PRP treatments begin to be appreciated within the first few weeks and continue improving over time. More than one treatment may be required depending on the correction that is needed. As facial aging is not a static occurrence, maintenance treatments are usually desired.

If you’re looking for a natural, ‘organic’ safe-proof way to rejuvenate your face or skin, the bio-healing power of PRP may be what you’ve been searching for. Give us a call today to discuss PRP facial costs or to get more information about this procedure.