Tissue engineering is a biomedical strategy, the aim of which is to restore, maintain, or improve damaged tissues or whole organs. One type of tissue engineering involves the creation of platelet-rich plasma or PRP for short. 

Platelets are tiny blood cells that cause clotting in order to stop excessive bleeding. However, that isn’t their only benefit. Platelets are also a valuable source of more than 1500 growth factors and proteins that are needed for wound healing and tissue repair. This means that using platelets to treat certain conditions can speed up the body’s ability to regenerate cells. PRP can be used to treat a wide range of health conditions, as well as in the esthetics industry to help patients turn back the clock on the aging process. 

PRP has been used for various tissue engineering applications, and in the case of facial rejuvenation, it is an effective method of ramping up the body’s natural production of collagen and elastin – two substances that are the building blocks of healthy, strong, and supple skin. When PRP is injected into specific areas of the skin, it acts as a matrix that promotes your own collagen and elastin production to accelerate, ensuring rapid regeneration of the facial issues which leads to the appearance of smoother, tighter skin. 

PRP therapy is a very safe and effective treatment because it uses your own blood, meaning that your body won’t reject it. Once your blood has been drawn, it will be sent to a lab where the plasma is separated from the other elements within it (such as white blood cells). The platelets are then prepared into a platelet-rich plasma concoction that is injected into the areas of your face being targeted for rejuvenation as part of a treatment known as microneedling. 

 

PRP and Microneedling

Microneedling is an innovative new approach to facial rejuvenation, that is often combined with PRP to produce the greatest effect. Microneedling involves the use of a handheld device that contains hundreds of tiny needles and these are used to create countless micro-injuries on the surface of the skin. These micro-injuries cause a message to be sent from the skin to the brain to tell your body to heal itself. This triggers the increased production of collagen and elastin to repair the damage, resulting in fresh, new, and improved skin. When you combine microneedling with PRP, the production of collagen and elastin increases, even more, leading to the best possible cosmetic result. 

Some of the cosmetic issues that can be addressed using PRP with microneedling include:

• Acne scarring

• Wrinkles

• Fine lines

• Hyperpigmentation

• Sun damage

• Large pores 

• Uneven skin texture and tone
   

By addressing such issues, patients can enjoy a refreshed and rejuvenated appearance. 

PRF

Sometimes microneedling is combined with PRF rather than PRP. PRF stands for platelet-rich fibrin – a second-generation PRP treatment. In PRF, the platelets are combined with leukocytes and present in a complex fibrin matrix. Fibrin is essentially what platelets bind to when they circulate through the blood. When the platelets bind to the fibrin they release growth factors that are responsible for creating new collagen, elastin, blood vessels, and skin cells. PRF is said to deliver longer lasting results than PRP since it releases more growth factors over time. However, when combined with microneedling, both PRP and PRF are highly effective facial rejuvenation treatments. 

If you would like to know more about either of these options or about any other facial rejuvenation options, please speak to our expert team in Honolulu, HI, and Aiea, HI.