AESTHETIC

PRP (platelet-rich plasma) therapy for hair loss is a three-step medical treatment in which a person’s blood is drawn, processed, and then injected into the scalp.

Some in the medical community think that PRP injections trigger natural hair growth and maintain it by increasing blood supply to the hair follicle and increasing the thickness of the hair shaft. Sometimes this approach is combined with other hair loss procedures or medications.

There hasn’t been enough research to prove if PRP is an effective hair loss treatment. However, PRP therapy has been in use since the 1980s. It’s been used for problems such as healing injured tendons, ligaments, and muscles.

PRP Therapy Process

PRP therapy is a three-step process. Most PRP therapy requires three treatments 4–6 weeks apart.

Maintenance treatments are required every 4–6 months.

PRP THERAPY FOR HAIR LOSS AESTHETIC

Step 1

Your blood is drawn — typically from your arm — and put into a centrifuge (a machine that spins rapidly to separate fluids of different densities).

Step 2

After about 10 minutes in the centrifuge, your blood will have separated into in three layers: • Platelet-poor plasma • Platelet-rich plasma • Red blood cells

Step 3

The platelet-rich plasma is drawn up into a syringe and then injected into areas of the scalp that need increased hair growth.

There hasn’t been enough research to prove whether PRP is effective. It’s also unclear for whom — and under what circumstances — it’s most effective.

The results

For best results, consistency is key. Treatments are typically performed once a month for the first three to four months,

and then every three to six months thereafter, depending on the individual patient’s response and results.

Following this protocol, anticipated results can first be seen within two to three months.

“The first result that patients usually note is decreased hair shedding, followed by early regrowth and increased length of hair. “The general consensus is that receiving treatments every three to six months on a long-term basis are optimal for continuing to stimulate the growth factors and stem cells that are associated with regrowth and stopping hair fallout.”

It’s important to keep in mind that PRP can, and should, be a part of a multifaceted program to treat hair thinning and loss.

by Dr Katalina Katalina Aesthetic & Wellness

dental recognising and fixing crooked teeth

Full grown adults have 32 teeth that need to be aligned to function well and give a pleasing aesthetic for the face and teeth. Crooked teeth is when the misalignment of the teeth have developed into an overbite, underbite, spacing, or crowding situation. Unfortunately, crooked teeth do affect our general health including our breathing and posture.

Conventional belief suggests our genetics are related to the development of crooked teeth. However, according to Dr. Sylvia Lim of Phi Dental, it’s actually related to how our jaws function, leading to the formation of crooked teeth. Using our facial muscles correctly and placing our tongue at the correct place can prevent it from developing. The 3 correct positions for our muscles are: 1. Mouth and lips sealed all the time. 2. Breathing through the nose. 3. Tongue is always on the palete, roof of the mouth.

These positions of the muscles help set the teeth in the most ideal position. The habits of children also lead to the formation of crooked teeth. Breastfeeding children have more ideal teeth alignment compared to those who are bottle fed. Suckling on the mother’s breast encourages forward growth of the facial bone by the constant positioning of the tongue on the palete. It’s the opposite case when it comes to the firm artificial teats of nursing bottles and pacifiers. by Noel Jinguli There are a few ways we can prevent or fix crooked teeth and it’s all based on the age group. Infants are encouraged to be breast fed as mentioned above. Toddlers who have developed baby teeth are recommended to have fibrous and chewable diets. For example, it’s best to choose baby-led weaning instead of traditional weaning methods to promote the function of the jaw muscles.

For children with developed adult teeth, myo-facial training with myo-dentists is recommended. Along with wearing myodevices, it helps to achieve the ideal facial form of the child. Lastly, to fix crooked teeth in adults, the need to use orthodontics such as braces or invisible braces will be helpful. However, in some severe cases, these methods will need to be combined with surgery to be effective.

At the end of the day, function always leads to form. Using our muscles correctly is very important. Dr. Sylvia reminds parents that prevention is better than curing, so there’s no need to wait

for the growth of permanent teeth. Images | Unsplash