What is PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma)?
Our blood is largely made up of plasma. It’s the clear/light yellow liquid that remains after the red and white blood cells, as well as the platelets, have been removed. All on its own, plasma can be donated to help cure or alleviate a myriad of health issues- blood clotting, immune deficiency disorders, and genetic emphysema to name a few.
PRP is plasma that has been infused with 5-10 times more platelets present than normal. Platelets are basically the healing elements in your blood- they are mostly responsible for aiding your body by forming blood clots to stop bleeding blood vessels. With this concoction, scientists and doctors alike report faster healing processes for patients.
How Does it Work Exactly?
To prepare for the PRP procedure, blood is drawn from the patient and platelets are separated from it. The blood then goes through a process called “centrifugation” where the platelets’ concentration is increased to a much higher than normal amount than can be found in your blood. Afterwards, the increased concentration is added to the rest of the blood and back into the patient.
During the procedure, the site of the injury is injected with the prepared PRP. It’s not entirely clear how PRP works once injected, but statistically, lab results have shown that this presence of increased concentration of platelets in the blood have led to faster patient recovery times. Alternatively, PRP can be used during surgery as a way to get a jump on the healing process before the recovery time has even started! In these cases, PRP is specially prepared in such a way that allows it to be stitched into damaged tissue.
The pain in the treated area has been known to increase around the injection site- don’t worry, this is perfectly normal- however, if this pain occurs, the patient may not feel relief until 1-2 weeks after the procedure. Further, it should be noted that the area of the body being treated, the overall health of the patient, and whether the injury is acute or chronic can potentially influence PRP’s overall effectiveness.
What Research Has Been Conducted on PRP?
Even though PRP has been around since the late 80s, its real world application is still rather recent. That being said, more and more research confirming PRP’s usefulness and reliability is coming out with higher frequency, reporting solid results across the board attesting to PRP’s efficacy. For example, a study done at the University of Connecticut proves that PRP is successful at regenerating bone, muscle, and tendon cells. Another study done by the American Journal of Sports Medicine concludes that PRP is effective in treating osteochondral lesions (injuries/small fractures to the talus, the bone directly beneath the ankle bone), making it a favorable non-surgical treatment option.
In 2015, Veritas’ founder and President, Devon Perry, was contracted by a centrifuge manufacturing company to work alongside their engineers, scientists, and orthopedic surgeons to develop cosmetic applications for PRP and stem cell therapy for the face, skin, and other bodily areas. Devon and her team’s contributions pioneered groundbreaking science on the physiological benefits of PRP, helped pave the way for the burgeoning field of PRP, and ultimately led to the launch of the Veritas Backstage brand.
Unlike other practices which rely on aestheticians or nurses, Veritas Backstage’s PRP and cell therapy services are administered by or in concert with Board Certified, Fellowship-Trained Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Calvo, who brings over 30 years of experience. Our expert team will harvest the PRP and/or stem cells and spin the plasma down to the highest concentration of platelet-to-plasma demonstrated to date. As a result, Veritas Backstage is capable of treating a vast and growing myriad of conditions beyond facial aging, including orthopedic injections for joints, regenerative services for breasts and male and female sex organs, and even preventing and reversing hair loss.
Why Should You Care?
Not only can PRP be used to help the health issues mentioned above, but also sprains and other injuries. PRP’s versatility has the potential to offer less invasive solutions across several fields and injuries, and the list of applications continues to grow. Comparatively, PRP is an increasingly compelling (not to mention less expensive) alternative to try before surgery, invasive procedures, and other long-term physical therapy.
