Updated: Sep 6, 2022
Okay, so you've decided to go ahead and do yourself a favor and get a PRP facial which is MY FAVORITE! A PRP facial is great for evening out skin tone, creating a smooth texture to your skin, treating fine lines and wrinkles, acne, and scarring....
What do PRP injections do?
PRP injections, which can be done at the same time as your PRP facial, are used to further stimulate tissue growth to visibly lift sagging skin! PRP works like stem cell injections because of the growth factors it contains. In this article by Qian, Y. et al explains that PRP derived growth factors can induce stem cell differentiation, proliferation and adhesion.
PRP will stimulate the growth of the tissue present where it is injected i.e. if you inject it into your cheeks it can stimulate fatty tissue growth causing a lifting of the skin! This article by Qian, Y et al notes "Numerous GFs, including the basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), which are released from PRP, can be detected during the early phase of wound healing" (Qian, Y., et al. pg. 3). PRP is harvesting the bodies natural healing abilities to prevent and treat the signs of aging!
What about Hyaluronic acid?
As we age, a common complaint by many is, skin dryness. This is due to loss of hyaluronic acid from the skin. Our Hyaluronic acid levels start to drop consistently starting in our 20's and it is projected we have a greater than 50% loss of Hyaluronic acid by age 50. Again, microneedling with PRP and PRP injections stimulate fibroblast recruitment. "Dermal fibroblasts provide the synthetic machinery for dermal HA (hyaluronic acid) and should be the target for pharmacologic attempts to enhance skin hydration" (Papkonstantinou, E., et al. pg 255). In other words, stimulating fibroblasts should be the target for prevention and treatment of hyaluronic acid loss. PRP facial/facelift does just that!
How long do the results last?
Each person is unique so this is a hard question to answer definitively. The majority of people will see a difference in their skin a couple weeks after a PRP facial and will see their skin continue to improve up to 6 months following a PRP facelift (PRP injections). Most people will continue to enjoy their fresh, youthful new look for 6 -12 months after the procedure!