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10 Things to Know About PRP Beauty Uncovered explores everything you need to know about platelet-rich plasma
Ever since Kim Kardashian shared a post-PRP selfie in 2013, the so-called ‘vampire facials’ have been a hot topic in the beauty and skincare world. PRP, or platelet-rich plasma, works by using your own blood, which has had the pure plasma extracted from it, to help boost your skin’s cell turnover. The plasma is full of extremely useful growth factors – naturally occurring substances capable of stimulating new cell creation and wound healing. PRP has been used for a long time now for the treatment of sports issues like Achilles tendon damage, tennis elbow and other soft tissue injuries due to its ability to speed up healing time, without the need for strong drugs or further surgery, and it has Dr Daniel Sister, aesthetic practitioner, been making waves in the beauty and aesthetic Dr Sister Ltd, London, industry for more than 20 years. IG: dr_daniel_sister We spoke to Dr Daniel Sister, who pioneered his aptly named ‘Dracula Facials’ in the UK, about the top 10 need-to-know PRP facts.
1. PRP USES YOUR OWN BLOOD PLUS CENTRIFUGAL FORCE After a thorough consultation, the procedure starts with a blood extraction. “We always extract the blood from the arm, then put it in a machine called a centrifuge. This is a blood spinning machine used to separate particles suspended in liquid according to their densities. Higher density particles will sink, and lower density particles like platelets, will float to the top allowing them to be easily extracted. It’s this plasma that we inject back into the body in areas such as the face.” The amount of blood that is taken from the patient varies, says Dr Sister, explaining, “As a rule I generally take 20ml. Some practitioners might only extract 6-8ml, which won’t be enough to see significant results. This is why I would always advise seeking a qualified and experienced medical aesthetic practitioner for any treatment.” 38
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2. PRP CAN BENEFIT PRETTY MUCH ANYONE Essentially, PRP allows our bodies to heal faster. According to Dr Sister, our blood is mainly made up of a liquid called plasma, but it also contains solid components such as red cells, white cells, and platelets. Platelets play an essential role in blood clotting, which stops us from bleeding, but they also contain hundreds of proteins called growth factors and stem cells, that are very important in the healing of injuries. PRP is plasma that has gone through a process to increase its concentration of platelets which, Dr Sister asserts, when injected into the patient, stimulates their collagen to repair, heal and rejuvenate. “It’s all you! It’s taken from you and goes back in you,” explains Dr Sister, “I always conduct a thorough consultation before the treatment, but unlike filler or botulinum toxin, there’s very little that can go wrong as your body won’t reject your own blood.” If you have more significant concerns, PRP may not be the only treatment you need says Dr Sister, “Obviously, if your areas of concern are more severe, like sagging skin or deep wrinkles, PRP cannot solve this, and you would benefit from maybe filler or botulinum toxin injections to treat that particular concern and have a PRP treatment another time to improve skin quality.”
3. PRP CAN GO ANYWHERE ON THE BODY! The growth factors within the plasma can do wonders for your skin, according to Dr Sister. “The growth factors naturally occur in our blood,” he says, explaining, “They are capable of stimulating cell growth, increasing collagen quantities resulting in tighter, brighter and stronger skin.” Although the ‘vampire facial’ was made famous by celebrities like Bar Refaeli and Kim Kardashian having their own blood injected into their face, PRP can be injected anywhere into the body. “As the only ingredient is your own plasma, with the occasional vitamin or amino acid additive, PRP can be injected anywhere in the body
