PRP stands for Platelet-Rich Plasma, a material derived from whole blood that is amplified in platelets and its associated growth factors and cytokines. The increased presence of signaling proteins like Transforming Growth Factor Beta (TGF-beta), Platelet Derived Growth Factor (PDGF), Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF), Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), Insulin-like Growth Factor types 1 and 2 (IGFs), Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) contribute to the propensity of PRP to encourage the healthy and accelerated regeneration of injured or damaged tissues.
PRP injections are used in many medical applications in various fields including orthopedics, plastic surgery, dental practice, and dermatology; due to its potential to encourage wound healing and tissue regeneration. These beneficial effects have led PRP to be used in medical aesthetics for the purposes of skin rejuvenation. Additionally, PRP injections can be used to help accelerate healing and enhance the results of aesthetic procedures. As an example, PRP can help to reduce edema and extend the effects of dermal filler treatment for longer-lasting results.
There are several different types of commercial PRP Kits currently available on the market; these can roughly be divided base on the method of separation. Some kits, including the Plasmolifting PRP kit are known as “gel separators”, which use an inert gel with physical properties that enable it to form a barrier between the platelet-containing plasma and the fraction containing erythrocytes and leukocytes when the sample is centrifuged. Other kits extract PRP using the “buffy coat” protocol, which isolates the “buffy coat” layer of a centrifuged sample as purely as possible. Buffy coat protocols usually incorporate a second centrifugation step to remove any contaminating red blood cells from the final product.
PRP therapy typically transpires in three stages:
Aftercare steps needed once a patient has undergone PRP therapy are minimal. It is advisable to refrain from excessively touching or manipulating the treatment area (e.g. avoiding massage), and to refrain from activities that may prolong bruising such as alcohol intake, taking certain herbal supplements, aspirin, and other anti-inflammatory medications.
PRP treatments typically do not result in undesirable effects, as the material used is autologously derived, meaning that the blood cells injected in to the patient are their own. Any reactions that the patient experiences are usually due to the injection. In that aspect, side effects like redness, tenderness, and swelling are common, but are usually short-lived and self-resolving.
Commercial PRP Kits are collections of medical tools containing all that is needed to quickly and reliably prepare PRP for same-session treatment.
Maylips currently houses the Plasmolifting brand of PRP Kits. We not only stock the PRP kit itself, but also supply the peripheral lab equipment needed to perform PRP harvesting with the Plasmolifting protocol, including: