PRP therapy has gained a lot of popularity in the last few years because of the healing properties provided by our body’s platelet-rich cells. As we inject the platelet-rich plasma derived from our blood, the procedure is generally very safe and almost painless.
Many conditions can be treated with the use of PRP therapy and doctors are continuously exploring new areas where it can be used for its healing and regenerative properties.
The plasma-rich cells in our body contain various growth factors that when injected at the site of injury or degenerative tissue, promote growth and healing at the cellular level to cause regeneration and renewal.
For extracting platelet-rich plasma, we need specialized gel containing high-quality PRP tubes. Blood is collected in these tubes that contain a thixotropic gel which when centrifuged helps in separating platelet cytoplasm from other blood components. You can buy medically certified and high-grade PRP gel tubes from Dr. Renat Akhmerov’s Plasmolifting Technologies who are the pioneers in the world of PRP therapy.
Who is the right candidate for PRP therapy?
1. Elderly patients:
- PRP can reduce the need for surgeries in elderly patients who are at high risk for developing chronic complications as an adverse reaction from risky surgical procedures.
- This is because older people suffer from one of the other lifestyle-related disorders such as diabetes which makes them a high-risk group.
- Also, there is a lower rate of regeneration as we age, so post-surgical healing occurs at a very slow pace when we get older.
- Therefore, PRP can greatly help as an alternative treatment or as an adjunctive treatment in individuals aged 65 and above.
2. People suffering from chronic pain due to osteoarthritis:
- In most cases, joint pains are treated by injecting corticosteroids into the affected area which then shuts down the collagen production to relieve inflammation and pain from the area.
- The downside to these injections is that it is painful, needs repeated treatment which can eventually cause deterioration of the cartilage in the joint space.
- PRP can be used in these cases as a much safer intervention.
- This is because PRP has growth factors that promote collagen production, opposite to what corticosteroids do.
- This results in increased repair, healing, and regeneration of strains and tears in the connective tissue.
3. Athletes:
- The career of athletes is short-lived and any injury during this tenure can reduce this further, not to forget it also affects their performance.
- When PRP is combined with physical therapy, it accelerates the healing process because of the presence of growth factors resulting in quicker muscular recoveries.
PRP therapy is also used for various cosmetic treatments successfully.
Some of the scopes of PRP treatment in cosmetology include treatment of:
- Hair loss and alopecia
- Scarring due to acne
- Other signs of aging.
PRP is a non-invasive and very versatile treatment used under various medical disciplines to promote the healing and renewal of damaged tissues. It is very commonly used in dental procedures as well for treating various forms of periodontal diseases. Unless contraindicated, this procedure is safe to perform for the majority of patients.