You may have heard about the “vampire facelift” on the news or in beauty magazines as one of the hottest new trends in beauty procedures. Despite the somewhat scary-sounding name, the term actually refers to a technology that’s been used for years to speed healing in athletic injuries—no supernatural creatures involved!
What is Platelet Rich Plasma?
Platelet rich plasma (PRP) therapy has been tagged with the vampire moniker simply because the patient’s own blood is removed during the procedure. It is spun in a centrifuge to isolate and increase the concentration of PRP, which is then injected back into the treatment area. Platelets are important because they contain proteins known as growth factors which promote healing and collagen production—and once spun in the centrifuge there are many more than are normally found in blood.
What Can PRP Be Used For?
The possibilities for PRP are virtually limitless! We are probably only seeing the beginning of all the ways this therapy will be used in the years to come. Because we are using the patient’s own plasma, there are no negative side effects or allergic reactions. It’s an all-natural treatment with no foreign substances or chemicals, and is long-lasting, with some effects still present up to 2 years later.
Besides healing athletic injuries such as muscle, tendon and ligament injuries, PRP provides an extra “beauty boost” in the field of cosmetic surgery, especially when used in conjunction with other treatments and surgical procedures. This is because the therapy can provide accelerated healing benefits due to the growth factors in the PRP, including prompting the production of collagen. And we are now offering PRP treatments at Southern Surgical Arts!
Some of the procedures or treatments we offer include:
- Adding PRP to microneedling treatments to deliver the PRP benefits beneath the surface of the skin, promoting collagen production and faster healing
- Laser treatments such as the HALO laser, used in conjunction with PRP to provide more glowing skin and improved skin rejuvenation
- Facelift with fat transfer and PRP, to smooth wrinkles, fine lines, eliminate sagging, fill in hollow places and speed healing and recovery time
- Hair restoration uses PRP to stabilize the hairline and even re-grow hair. The growth factors act as a “fertilizer,” if you will, to increase vascularity which is vital for hair follicle survival. It can prevent further loss and actually increase density in many patients.
- Scar treatments with PRP to provide more dramatic results and speedier healing
- And more!
If you’d like to learn more about the beauty benefits of PRP, please call us at 423-266-3331 for a free personal consultation. We’ll be happy to go over your options with you!
