About Platelet-Rich Plasma

What is PRP?

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is concentrated from blood which contains healing factors, such as white blood cells and bioactive proteins, called growth factors and stem cell markers. These cells are vital for tissue regeneration and repair. Platelets, once thought of being responsible for only clotting, have been scientifically proven to be a reservoir of these vital healing components. They work by a process called pseudopodial extention, where the cell stretches parts of its body out to attach to surfaces. They can switch between their normal (unactivated) and their attaching (activated) form.

FDA Registered

Disclaimer: The products described on this website are intended for preparing platelet rich plasma (PRP) for use as a cosmetic as defined by the FDA. Cosmetic use includes topical application of PRP to the human body to cleanse, beautify, promote attractiveness, and alter appearances. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or condition.

PRP contains VEGF, FGF, IGF, TGF-b, PDGF, EGF and other growth factors.

How Has PRP Technology Evolved Over Time?

Product effectiveness has been a key focus in the expanding field of PRP extraction and usage. PRP technology has continued to evolve as clinical demand and product design have advanced. While PRP systems vary in how they process blood and isolate platelets, many products can be grouped into three broad “generations” based on how preparation methods have changed over time:

1st Generation: The earliest generation of PRP Technology based on simple centrifugation techniques and practices. This generation of PRP Technology uses standard laboratory machines and often includes additives—such as an activator or coagulant which initiate platelet activation—which improve the platelet quantity extracted from the blood sample.

2nd Generation: Currently the most prominent generation of PRP Technology and widely used in clinical fields. This generation has PRP kits designed to improve platelet concentration and repeatability between PRP extractions.

3rd Generation: The newest generation of PRP Technology and becoming increasingly popular. This generation has specially developed PRP kits to maximize platelet concentration from a given blood sample without sacrificing repeatability.

What Applications is PRP capable of?

PRP’s components causes the body to initiate natural healing processes. Growth factors, immunomodulizing cells, scaffolding proteins, and extracellular vesicles stimulate the microenvironment in the same way the body normally responds to injury. Localized bodily regeneration can assist in healing wounds, alleviating chronic conditions, and even reversing damage caused by degenerative disorders.

While clinical applications of PRP are currently limited, the therapeutics-capable medical application can become common practice in clinics—yielding a non-invasive procedure that can assist in recovery in previously difficult-to-heal conditions. Highly invasive, lengthy, and expensive procedures by traditional methods can be used less with the adoption of PRP procedures.

Research in PRP is increasing as the topic becomes a viable treatment option. The advances in science has allowed discoveries in the realm of blood-derived treatments and medicines to become frequent in the rising field. While research in the topic has increased substantially in the past few decades, there is much left that is unknown.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • No, PRP can not and will not replace conventional treatment methods (as of current knowledge).

    As much as science fiction leads you to believe, there will most likely not be a “cure all” treatment. PRP can only extend to the range of regeneration the body is capable of. Traditional methods that have been used for hundreds of years may be altered for better results with the use of PRP; though, can’t be replaced entirely by PRP treatments.

    There is an extremely low probability of a universal cure being available in the future, but it is incorrect to say anything is impossible, just an infinitesimally small chance. Biologically-derived therapies like PRP are humanity’s closest option to a universal cure—only with the limitation of the body’s capabilities.

  • The answer to this question is not definitive with current research and knowledge.

    Allogeneic (same-species origin) PRP transplants have been tested in limited studies and showed results of the body’s rejection and PRP activating the body’s regeneration to heal the targeted region.

    On the other hand, the studies were small-scale pilot studies—most performed on non-human subjects. The results of these studies should be taken with caution. Rejection is always a lurking risk for allogeneic procedures, autologous (same-individual origin) procedures are always considered the safer option.

    More research in PRP transplantation needs to be performed; though, under current knowledge, autologous procedures are safer for the patient.

  • Under current trajectories and predictions, PRP will be a cheaper and widely available option to improve difficult-to-treat methods. PRP could become common practice in surgeries to accelerate healing, relieve conditions unable to be alleviated by conventional methods, and possibly assist in the body’s adoption of a transplanted organ.