Have you harnessed the power of PRP, or platelet-rich plasma? This substance comes from your own body and it can be used in many different ways. Orthopedists use it as a part of stem cell treatments that are designed to help restore torn cartilage or injured muscles. It can also be used for cosmetic purposes, such as those that will restore your skin and help reduce your acne. In fact, you’ll find that there are so many proven uses for PRP that it’s hard to list them.

The Basics of PRP

PRP comes from the blood. In fact, the last word in this abbreviation – plasma – refers to your whole blood, the stuff that comes out of your skin when you cut yourself. Plasma is a mixture of platelets, white blood cells, and red blood cells. The platelet part of them is what clots. Without these platelets, you would continue to bleed, which is obviously a bad thing.

Before a PRP treatment can begin, blood is drawn from the patient’s body. This prevents any potential contamination or other issues. Since it’s your own blood, you are less likely to have a reaction of some kind. The blood is then placed in a centrifuge and spun in order to concentrate the platelets into a form that can be used. Doing this stimulates them in a way that makes them more likely to heal you. When the platelets are activated, they are more likely to do what they are supposed to, which is to stimualte healing or be used as a part of a stem cell treatment.

How we use PRP

At Dr Darr’s clinic, PRP is used as part of our Activated PRP Plus Therapy. During Activated PRP Plus therapy, a small sample of the patient’s blood is drawn (similar to a lab test sample) and placed in a centrifuge that spins the blood at high speeds, separating the platelets from other blood components. The blood is then activated by applying ultraviolet light before injection. The site of the injection is also treated with Shock Wave Therapy, which activates the cells. We use MSK ultrasound guidance to improve precision of the injection into the treatment area using ultrasound imaging. The concentrated Platelet Rich Plasma is then injected into and around the point of injury, strengthening the body’s natural healing agent. The injection process takes less than 15 minutes and increases the concentration of platelets and growth factors up to 500% greater than levels found in your own blood.

Our clinic provides patients with Cytokine growth factors for four weeks after Activated PRP Plus treatment in order to improve cell activation and treatment effectiveness. In addition to providing post-treatment support, Dr. Darr personally tracks the results of the treatment of each patient in order to perfect treatment protocols so as to improve patient outcomes.

To learn more about how we can help you heal with our PRP therapy, contact us today to find out more.