Platelet-rich plasma starts with a sample of the patient’s blood. The blood is put into a centrifuge and the red blood cells are removed. What remains has high concentrations of platelets, along with white blood cells and plasma — it is now platelet-rich plasma.

PRP has been used for years by professional athletes to speed healing after surgery or an injury. It has been used for healing of the joints, tendons, and muscles. At Saltz Plastic Surgery and Saltz Spa Vitoria, we now use PRP to “heal” skin problems such as sun damage and acne scarring.

The rejuvenation power of platelet-rich plasma can be used on most skin problems. We use it to return volume to faces that are beginning to show the effects of volume loss due to the body’s declining collagen production that comes with natural aging. It is also effective for filling out cheek indentations, for softening under eye hollows, and to improve skin tone, firmness, and texture. It can lessen the appearance of fine lines, acne scars, and stretch marks.

The PRP treatment begins with a blood draw, about the same amount taken for routine blood work. We then place the blood in a centrifuge and separate out the red blood cells. The remaining fluid contains white blood cells, plasma, and platelets. The platelet numbers are now concentrated with platelet-rich plasma, containing usually about four times the normal amount found in typical blood.

Activating the PRP
Next, we “activate” the PRP serum with calcium chloride. When injected back into target areas of the face, this activated PRP serum triggers a wound response in the skin, where healing platelets create a rich fibrin mesh, initiating the production of new collagen (the skin’s basic support protein).

At Saltz Spa Vitoria, we can add platelet-rich plasma to a number of treatments. We include it with microneedling and we inject it directly into areas needing attention. There really isn’t a limit to where we feel PRP can be beneficial, so we’re continuing to explore new ways to incorporate it into our treatments.

Your entire session takes around 90 minutes.

To obtain the blood to create your platelet-rich plasma, we simply draw a sample of blood similar to what is normally taken for lab work. We then take the blood and create PRP. When we apply the PRP with microneedling and through other applications, it is applied topically after the initial part of the treatment, so there isn’t any pain.

One of the great things about this type of rejuvenation is that it uses the patient’s own blood. This means there aren’t any reactions in the body; the body accepts it when applied topically or when reinjected. There aren’t any reactions and the procedure is completely safe and without side effects.

This is an important distinction. Dr. Saltz is a board-certified plastic surgeon, and his two offices are fully licensed to perform every procedure we offer, including PRP. This is not true of some other providers, and there have been instances of mishandling of blood and possible contamination. It’s important that your provider is properly licensed and trained.

Microneedling is an effective way to deliver platelet-rich plasma. Microneedling creates hundreds of microscopic punctures in the skin. These wounds trigger a “wound response” in the body, which is to initiate the production of new collagen and elastin. After we perform microneedling, your skin has hundreds of channels through which the PRP can easily penetrate the epidermis. We apply the PRP topically.

If you have areas that can benefit from specific treatment, such as under eye hollows, we can inject the platelet-rich plasma serum directly under those areas.

Results begin to show themselves in three to four weeks as new collagen is added to the treatment areas, and these results continue to build for months. For the best results, we recommend three treatments, spaced 1-2 months apart.