If you suffer from aging skin or hair loss, you’re either trying every remedy under the sun, or you’re slowly coming to terms with it — and maybe buying lots of expensive creams. Even though sagging skin and receding hairlines are a natural part of the aging process for many men and women, it doesn’t make it any less frustrating.
In the case of hair loss, it was assumed for many years that if you had a bald spot, and those infomercial hair creams weren’t giving you any results, you could pretty much say goodbye to ever seeing hair in that area again. But thankfully, cosmetic research has come a long way since then. Ever since the discovery of PRP (platelet-rich plasma) and PRFM (platelet-rich fibrin matrix), we’ve been able to specifically target these aging concerns, without the need for synthetic injectables or surgery!
What is PRP?
Platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, has to do with your blood cells. If you were to get a microscopic view inside your plasma, you’d find tiny cells that contain special proteins that are super beneficial to the body in terms of healing. We call these tiny healing cells growth factors, for their ability to encourage the body to grow and form new cells.
So, PRP therapy then is a safe and effective treatment where we draw a small amount of blood from the patient, place the sample into a centrifuge, and then process the blood to help separate it into distinct layers. We then collect the platelets and plasma in the upper part of the test tube and use it to infuse the skin, scalp, or other area of the body with tissue damage. These concentrated growth factors then go in and encourage the damaged areas to begin the cell production process.
The Benefits
We may provide PRP therapy in the form of microneedling, injections, or facials, depending on the area of concern and the desired results. PRP works wonders in bringing back your youthful, natural complexion while improving the tone and texture of the skin. Whether it’s through microneedling or injections, PRPs can reduce the appearance of scarring, stretch marks, and fine lines. It can also be injected into the scalp to stimulate hair follicles to grow healthy hair in place.
The healing benefits of PRPs go beyond cosmetic therapy. PRPs are often used in dentistry, sports medicine, and orthopedics. PRP therapy can even be used for sexual rejuvenation, with specific injections to address common libido concerns in both men and women.
What is PRFM?
Platelet-rich fibrin matrix, or PRFM, involves taking these same blood cells and spinning them in the centrifuge at a lower speed, so that the layers of the blood do less separating. This process allows some of the white blood cells and stem cells to stay in the upper platelet layer that we collect for treatment.
Because of its higher concentration, PRFM can be more effective and powerful compared to traditional PRP. There is also some research that shows the growth activity stimulated by platelet-rich fibrin matrix lasts longer, which may provide better results and progress with the same amount of treatments as PRP.
Both PRP and PRFM can be used to treat the following:
- Hair loss and volume loss
- Aging, sagging skin
- Loss of elasticity or collagen
- Scarring, acne scars, keloids
- Stretchmarks and fine lines
- Wrinkles
What’s the difference between PRP and PRFM?
Platelet-rich plasma and platelet-rich fibrin matrix are both superior options for healing derived from the same blood cells, and they can both be used in the same cosmetic treatments. The main difference can be boiled down to the following:
Because the PRFM is spun at a lower speed before it is gathered for cosmetic use, there end up being more growth factors in PRFM than we would typically see in PRP. Additionally, the lower spin speed causes less trauma to the individual blood cells, allowing more of these beneficial stem cells to remain in the final PRF product.
But as far as the actual procedures go, there’s virtually no difference in the length of the procedure, both therapies are still non-surgical and require little-to-no downtime, and while you may notice faster and more visible progress with PRFM, they’re both exceptional treatments that can provide amazing results.
Both PRP and PRFM treatments can be performed once a month for the first few months, and then tapered off depending on the initial response to PRP therapy. Results typically appear two or three months after the first treatment and continue to improve up to a year. The amount of treatments you’ll need depends on the area of concern and your overall goals.
Are there side effects to PRP or PRFM?
Because both PRP and PRFM are derived from your own blood cells, there’s little to no risk of allergic reaction. Many of our clients prefer platelet therapies as a more natural approach to traditional injections or treatments.
If you have anemia or other blood conditions, you may not be a good candidate for PRP or PRFM therapy. We also have found that individuals who smoke or consume heavy amounts of alcohol have a lower platelet count and do not have the same results compared to our non-smoking clients. But the good news is, there are plenty of other options for those who are not a good candidate for PRP and still want to improve their appearance.
At Revivology, your health and safety are our utmost priority. We always perform a health screening prior to any procedures to ensure we help you design a treatment plan that is safe and meets your needs.
Determining which therapy is right for you
Whether you’re leaning towards PRP, PRFM, or something else, that youthful glow and full head of hair is right at your fingertips. Simply come in and talk to us about your desired outcome, we’ll help you get started and feeling like yourself again.