PRP Facials Can Be Given By Injections And Microneedling
If you're looking for a treatment that helps with fine wrinkles and sun damage on your face, talk to your doctor about having a PRP facial. PRP is platelet-rich plasma. Platelets are found in your blood and they contain growth factors. To obtain these growth factors, the doctor draws blood from your arm and processes it in a centrifuge. When the blood spins, heavy blood cells fall to the bottom and plasma with the platelets rises to the top. The plasma is then removed and used for the facial. Since the platelets come from your own blood, they're natural and accepted by your body. Here's how the facial is given.
By Injections
Your dermatologist might give you injections of platelet-rich plasma in various places on your face. This delivers the plasma directly where it's needed deep under your skin. They can target hollow areas and fine wrinkles. The purpose of injecting PRP into your skin is so the growth factors can stimulate your skin to make more collagen. As more collagen grows in your skin, wrinkles can diminish and your skin can tighten.
The results from this type of facial could take weeks to months to see, and the results may keep building for several months. This facial is given in your dermatologist's office or clinic. You'll have numbing cream applied to your face first so you can tolerate the injections.
Your dermatologist might talk to you about having other injections at the same time so you get immediate effects while you're waiting on the PRP to work. You might have botulinum injections to smooth smile lines and fillers to plump up folds. However, the extra injections aren't necessary if you don't want them.
By Microneedling
PRP combined with microneedling could have even better effects since microneedling as a treatment by itself also produces collagen and helps with wrinkles and sagging. To take this type of PRP facial, the doctor starts by numbing your skin. They draw blood and prepare the plasma for use on your face. Instead of injecting the platelet-rich plasma, they apply it to your skin.
However, the doctor uses a microneedling pen first to pierce your skin and create deep channels so the plasma can sink deeply into your skin. When the microneedling is complete, the doctor massages the plasma over your facial skin. The punctures from microneedling stimulate collagen, and the PRP that sinks into your skin contributes growth factors that boost collagen too.
No matter what type of PRP facial you get, you may need to have two or three treatments to get the best results. Your dermatologist evaluates you to make sure you're a good match for the facial and then explains the procedure and tells you what kind of results to expect.