By: Fatima Ahmed
Platelet-rich plasma is among the most astounding medical innovations in recent years. It has many different applications that range from reducing signs of aging to treating injuries and wounds after surgery. So what exactly is PRP?
Plasma is a liquid substance that makes up approximately 55% of our blood. It is made up mostly of water and protein and allows for movement of white blood cells and platelets through your bloodstream. Platelets are a type of blood cell which clot your blood to help heal injuries.
PRP injections have a variety of uses and can be used to assist in healing several different conditions. Specifically, they are used for injuries or damage to tendons, ligaments, muscles, joints, bone or skin. They can also be used to treat conditions such as tendinitis, joint injuries and arthritis-related pain. During the procedure, doctors first remove blood from a different part of your body which is sent through a special filtering machine that takes only the plasma part of your blood, or in other words the PRP. A needle is then used to reinject the PRP into the part of your body that is being treated. Once the platelets are in the area, they quickly break down and release different growth factors and proteins that are contained into the area. These components are believed to be what helps certain injuries heal and allow for the injury to repair and renew itself. Recently, PRP has begun to be used for more cosmetic treatments as well. Specifically, this could be either to treat specific types of male or female pattern baldness or for reducing amounts of wrinkles. Research currently shows that it has benefits in fighting hair loss, although this can be consequential. Studies for anti-wrinkling treatments are less numerous but there is not yet any fully conclusive evidence. However, the main function of using PRP injections, which is to help heal soft tissue, has all but been completely validated.
There are of course several different benefits to this procedure, but as with most things, it also comes with some side effects. The main benefit is that it is very effective at healing soft tissue, which is its main function. Another benefit is that the chance of rejection, which is a condition that occurs during transplant procedures where your body fights the transplanted organ, has an extremely low chance of occurring since the PRP is taken from your own body. Additionally, the preparation for PRP is relatively simple and inexpensive which is another considerable benefit. Though this is a miraculous treatment, there is a catch. Since it is a relatively new treatment, the optimal dosage has yet to be determined. This could mean that with the correct dosage, the treatment could be even faster, or that it could be more dangerous. Additionally, certain scientists believe it could reduce the amount of differentiation among stem cells as a side effect. Overall, since it is a relatively new treatment, there are a few things we do not yet know about it, but in general, the treatment has been shown to work and work well at what it does.
In conclusion, PRP is a very interesting new innovation of recent science that has applications ranging from orthopaedic to plastic surgery. The benefits are certainly widespread but due to its novelty, there is still more research to be done to fully understand its benefits and how to correctly use it.
References:
Marx, R. E. (2004). Platelet-rich plasma: evidence to support its use. Define_me. Retrieved November 5, 2021, from https://www.joms.org/article/S0278-2391(03)01272-2/fulltext.
Ratini, M. (2021, August 20). Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections: Purpose & Effectiveness. WebMD. Retrieved November 5, 2021, from https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/platelet-rich-plasma-injections#2.
Timothy E. Foster, B. L. P. (n.d.). Platelet-rich plasma: From basic science to clinical applications - Timothy E. Foster, Brian L. Puskas, Bert R. Mandelbaum, Michael B. Gerhardt,
Scott A. Rodeo, 2009. SAGE Journals. Retrieved November 5, 2021, from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0363546509349921.
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