Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections are a popular medical treatment that can be used for several different conditions. You may have heard about professional athletes receiving PRP injections to help them heal from injuries, but you certainly don’t need to be a star football or basketball player to benefit from this treatment. Here, we’ll take a closer look at PRP injections and how they can be used.
What Are PRP Injections?
Platelet-rich plasma features two important elements: plasma and platelets. Plasma is the liquid part of our blood, which consists mainly of water and protein. As for platelets, they’re a type of blood cell that is responsible for causing blood to clot. So, PRP is essentially blood that contains a higher concentration of platelets than normal. Typically, PRP injections are used to help speed up the body’s healing process.
What Can Be Treated With PRP Injections?
PRP injections are a versatile treatment that can be effective in quite a few scenarios.
Injuries to the Joints, Tendons, Ligaments, and Muscles
The most common use for PRP injections is the treatment of musculoskeletal injuries. This includes chronic conditions like tennis elbow and persistent back pain, which tend to take a very long time to heal without treatment. For these kinds of injuries, PRP injections can speed up the healing process and help alleviate the pain.
Healing After Surgery
Another common use for PRP injections is as a means of accelerating the healing process for patients who have undergone certain surgeries. Because platelet-rich plasma is so effective at helping tissues heal, it can make a significant difference in the recovery time after jaw surgeries and certain cosmetic procedures.
Hair Loss
PRP injections can also be used as an effective treatment for hair loss. When it’s injected into the scalp, platelet-rich plasma increases the blood supply to the hair follicles. This helps to stimulate dormant hair cells and trigger new hair growth. Although PRP injections for hair loss do not serve as an instant cure, the treatment process can provide exceptional results for many patients.
Skin Rejuvenation
If you’d like to achieve smoother, more youthful-looking skin, PRP injections may be able to help. When it’s injected into the skin, PRP can stimulate collagen production, which has major benefits for your complexion and skin health. PRP injections can also tighten the facial skin and treat issues like wrinkles, acne, and enlarged pores.
Osteoarthritis
Another use of PRP injections that’s still being researched is the treatment of osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis causes persistent joint pain and stiffness, but early studies indicate that PRP injections may be able to alleviate these symptoms by modulating the joint environment and reducing inflammation.
What Is the Takeaway?
If you’re experiencing any form of chronic muscle, joint, tendon, or ligament pain, PRP injections are an effective treatment worth considering. These versatile injections can also help with post-surgery healing, skin rejuvenation, arthritis, and even hair loss. If you believe that PRP injections may be able to help improve your quality of life, contact us at the Arizona Center for Advanced Reconstruction and Aesthetics (ACARA) today to schedule a consultation.
