Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy PRP

A protocol, not just a procedure

Plenty of clinics offer PRP. What varies is everything that happens around the injection.

We work out what we are treating first. A full history, a proper examination, and a conversation about what is actually going on. With hair and scalp concerns especially, the cause changes everything.

A doctor reviews you. A registered medical practitioner reviews your history and medications and approves your treatment before it goes ahead.

A Registered Nurse supervises. Your blood collection, the preparation and the treatment all happen with a Registered Nurse on site.

We prepare it the same way every time. PRP is not one thing. How it is processed changes what you receive, and published comparisons of commercial systems have found substantial differences in platelet and growth factor content between them.⁴⁻¹⁰ We use a patented closed system and document the preparation before and after every treatment.

We plan the course upfront. Number of sessions, spacing and total cost, in writing, before you start.

We review. We check how you are going against what we set out to treat, understanding that regeneration is a biological process requiring both initiation and maturation.

Thorough, compliant and consistent. That is where the difference is.

It's the distinctive processing capabilities of Pure® PRP that truly sets EmCyte apart. It stands out as the sole system available that can:

Achieve clinical platelet concentrations exceeding 7-9 times the platelet baseline in a 7-mL PRP, translating to about 1.4 million platelets/µL. Effectively remove up to 99% of RBCs and 98% of inflammatory neutrophils. In just 7 mL of Pure® PRP, one can obtain an impressive average of 10 - 20 billion deliverable platelets. A high count of deliverable platelets amplifies the activity of growth factors, which in turn boosts tissue repair.

While you may come across discounted tube systems on the market labelled as PRP or PRF, many of these systems yield only plasma with minimal platelets and do not provide therapeutic outcomes. Make informed choices and exercise caution!

What we use PRP for

Scar revision

Acne scarring, surgical scars, and scars from injury or burns. Scar tissue is repaired tissue that has not reorganised well. The collagen is laid down differently, and the texture, colour and flexibility reflect that.

Scar work is usually a combined protocol. PRP is delivered alongside micro needling or fractional laser, which is also how it has most often been studied in atrophic scarring.¹⁶˒¹⁷˒¹⁸˒¹⁹ The plan depends on the type of scar, how long you have had it, and where it is. We will set out what we are aiming for and over how many sessions.

Wound healing and post-surgical recovery

Wounds that are slow to heal, and tissue recovering after surgery. This is the most direct use of what platelets do. They are the cells that arrive first at an injury and coordinate the repair.¹˒²

If you have a wound that is not healing, we will want to understand why before we treat it. Circulation, diabetes, nutrition, medication and infection all affect healing, and some of those need addressing first or alongside. Where your wound is under the care of a GP, surgeon or wound clinic, we work with them rather than around them.

Skin quality and texture

Skin changes over time for reasons that stack on top of each other: sun exposure, hormonal change, illness, medication, smoking, and the ordinary structural changes of ageing. The dermis thins, collagen and elastin reorganise, the barrier works less efficiently, and blood supply to the skin reduces. The structural scaffolding that supports the skin, the ligaments, muscles and tendons, is also affected.

What we assess here is skin function, support framework and the correct pathway forward. Barrier integrity, hydration, how the skin is behaving, and how well it is repairing after everyday insult.

Where PRP is used, it is delivered into that tissue to work alongside the repair processes already happening there. Platelet-rich plasma has been assessed in randomised and controlled studies of photoaged facial skin, including histological assessment of dermal collagen.¹¹˒¹²˒¹³˒¹⁴˒¹⁵ It is often part of a combined protocol with micro needling or fractional laser, and it sits alongside the unglamorous things that matter more than any single treatment: sun protection, a barrier-appropriate routine, sleep, and reviewing anything systemic that is working against your skin.

If your skin concern is mainly structural, volume, support or laxity, treating the skin surface will not change that, and we will say so rather than sell you a course of something that is not going to address it. Our referral networks and collaborations work well here.

Hair and scalp

We assess hair and scalp concerns individually.

Hair loss has many possible causes: hormonal, nutritional, autoimmune, inflammatory. Some types cause permanent loss if they are not picked up early. If what we see suggests something that needs a diagnosis first, we will tell you and refer you.

Finding out what is causing it comes before treating it, and that usually requires blood tests and a diagnosis. Sometimes the most useful thing we do is send you somewhere else.

Where androgenetic alopecia is the diagnosis, platelet-rich plasma has been examined in pooled analyses of randomised controlled trials, with no serious adverse reactions reported.²⁰˒²¹ Whether it is appropriate for you is worked out at your consultation.

Combining treatments

With SkinPen® micro needling. Often used for scarring. The needling creates tiny controlled injuries, and the PRP goes in while your skin is already switched on to repair.¹⁶˒¹⁷˒¹⁸

With fractional laser resurfacing. The laser treats your skin in tiny columns, leaving the skin between them untouched. Same principle.¹⁹

If we suggest a combined treatment, we will explain why. If one is enough, that is what we will recommend.

What happens on the day

We talk first. Skin or scalp assessment, health history, medications. A doctor reviews and approves.

We take your blood. Same as a normal blood test, with a Registered Nurse on site.

We prepare it while you wait. Around 20 to 30 minutes.

We treat. The PRP is injected where it's needed. Mesotherapy may also be done in the same session to address the health of the epidermis.

You go home with written aftercare. Expect swelling, redness, tenderness or bruising for a few days.

Risks and realistic expectations

The risks

Because we use your own blood, you can't have an allergic reaction to it. It still involves a needle, so the usual risks apply:

• Swelling, redness and tenderness where you were treated

• Bruising

• Bleeding

• Infection

• Discomfort during or after

• Temporary shedding if we've treated your scalp

What we can't promise

We can't tell you in advance how you'll respond. People vary, and so do results.

Your age, your general health, how long you've had the problem, your medications and whether you smoke all affect how your tissue repairs. Some people see a real difference. Some see very little.

We'd rather say that clearly now than have you expect something we can't guarantee. We'll talk through what's realistic for you before you decide.

When PRP isn't right

PRP isn't suitable for everyone. Bleeding or platelet disorders, active infection, a skin cancer in the area, some blood conditions and some medications can rule it out or mean we wait.

We work that out with you at your consultation.