What Do Platelet-rich Fibrin (PRF) Treatments Look Like?

PRP treatments consist of three main components: platelets, which promote blood clotting and healing; plasma, the clear liquid portion of a person’s whole blood that holds many different types of proteins and other cells important to wound repair; and fibrin glue. Fibrin is an insoluble protein produced by our own bodies during injury or surgery as well as in laboratory settings.

PRF treatments are a type of treatment that is used for soft tissue injuries. It can be done in two ways, either by injecting the PRP directly into an injury or using it to generate fibrin glue on top of an open wound. The way this works is through getting your own platelets and then spinning them until they form what we call platelet-rich fibrin (PRF).

Most often doctors will use injection therapy because it's easier than trying to do surgery without anesthesia while someone has stitches from their old injury working against you. For example with knee osteoarthritis patients who have had pain before but now find themselves unable to walk down stairs, injections may help provide relief long enough so that drug therapy or surgical options can be considered.

Some doctors will also use it to seal up wounds so that they don't get infected, and sometimes if an injury is severe enough the PRP may actually provide a more ready source of tissue for healing without having to do surgery first. For example with a deep wound in your leg where there's no skin left over from which to take grafts, injecting some PRF into the space created by removing dead tissue might help heal better than just leaving it open.

The PRF treatment process:

• A small amount of your patient's blood (usually less than 20cc) will be drawn from their arm vein with a needle similar to those used for drawing lab samples. This procedure takes about five minutes on average if performed manually but can take up to 30 minutes when done using automated methods such as heparinized syringe.
• The blood is then centrifuged, or spun very quickly in a machine that forces the heavier platelets to separate from the lighter plasma and form what resembles an egg white-like substance with a gooey center (the fibrin glue).

 

 Is PRF rejuvenation safe?

PRF is a safe and non-invasive cosmetic procedure that minimizes the appearance of aging. It has been used for more than 20 years with over one million treatments to date, which offers long term safety data. The FDA recognizes PRP as an approved medical device in America, Europe and Asia Pacific countries such as Australia, Singapore, Malaysia etc. In some cases PRP can be combined or mixed with other therapies like Botox® Cosmetic (onabotulinumtoxinA) to create synergistic effects on wrinkles and skin laxity by reducing muscle contractions within vertical bands in the neck region between the chin/jawline area up above towards earlobe area - these are called dynamic lines .

In addition, PRP can also be used in conjunction with other therapies like chemical peels, laser resurfacing and fillers to treat the signs of aging.

PRF rejuvenation treatments are also safe when performed by a licensed physician who adheres to strict guidelines set forth by various medical organizations including but not limited to American Academy of Dermatology, American Society of Plastic Surgeons and American Medical Association.

The major side effects are pain during injection (less than one percent), bruising/swelling at site injection (up to thirty-six hours) or redness on skin for up to two weeks. It is important not to apply makeup before treatment as this may cause irritation around the area that has been treated - it is best recommended that you wait 24 hours after your procedure before applying make-up.