Benefits of PRP and Microneedling for Your Face
27 May 2024
Modern cosmetic medicine has advanced beyond facelifts and Botox. It still feels like yesterday when Botox was first approved, but cosmetic treatments have rapidly evolved into truly rejuvenating therapies.
Two of these newer regenerative techniques are platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and microneedling. Both are minimally invasive with very little recovery time, and can be used together. So what makes them tick, and why do patients at Nuance Aesthetics & Plastic Surgery frequently choose them?
What is PRP?
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) involves taking a small blood sample from you, separating the platelets, and injecting them into your skin. It’s also used for joint, tendon, and ligament problems. Through the high levels of growth factors in platelets, this leads to improved regeneration from aging and injury.
Studies show that PRP has broad, deep effects against aging. Skin wrinkles, elasticity, tone, and firmness all improve with treatment. Uneven skin pigmentation and even your resistance to sun damage can even improve.
-In one study, 14 out of 17 people with nasolabial folds (deep wrinkles running from your nose to your mouth) had an at least 25% improvement. In another, Wrinkle Severity Rating Scale scores fell from 2.9 to 2.1 on average.
-The effects of PRP are more than just visible. The mRNA levels of damaging, inflammatory proteins that your body produces after excess sun exposure were significantly lowered in one paper, meaning that the expressions of the genes were much milder.
PRP is a treatment for hair loss (alopecia) and scarring, too. It can provide much-needed support to down-but-not-out hair follicles and the regrowth of normal tissue where scarring as formed.
What is Microneedling?
Microneedling facials use tiny needles made to penetrate your skin at a shallow, controlled depth. This creates an even, micro-injury that stimulates the production of collagen and elastin, the two main connective tissue proteins. The body has a tendency to over-compensate for problems when its healing process is stimulated, which is why the tissue takes on a younger state instead of just repairing damage from the needles. In general, you can expect new collagen production to appear at depths of 0.5-0.6mm if your doctor uses a 1.5mm set of needles.
How well does it work? Under the microscope, skin treated with four sessions one month apart had four times the usual amount of collagen and elastin after six months. This means microneedling alone can make you look years younger, especially after menopause when collagen production significantly drops.
Microneedling is now also used to reduce the appearance of scars and stretch marks, alongside stimulating hair regrowth in alopecia. Burn scars, scars from injuries, acne scars, and even hypertrophic scarring where there is collagen overgrowth can all respond.
The Benefits of PRP and Microneedling
PRP and microneedling can work together to optimize your results. Microneedling is able to help substances penetrate deeper into the skin and spread them out, giving you a more even regenerative effect than spot injections.
One clinical trial compared microneedling with PRP to microneedling alone in treating acne scars. After six months, microneedling with the plasma formulation reduced scar severity from 3.45 to 1.47, while it had barely any effect on its own. Another found that acne scarring scores fell from 3.2 to 1.8, compared to 2.1 in the microneedling-only group.
Consultation and Aftercare
Nuance Aesthetics & Plastic Surgery offers personalized cosmetic treatments. A consultation with us involves discussing your goals and how we can best work with your natural beauty to restore it. We will examine your face to determine where and how many times we will treat you. Additionally, we ask for detailed information about your current state of health.
Microneedling and PRP have a minimal recovery time. You can expect some redness and swelling, but you are able to resume your normal activities the next day. Simply avoid alcohol-containing personal care products and exfoliants for several days.
If it’s time to turn back the clock on skin aging, contact us today at Nuance to get started on your personalized treatment plan with PRP and microneedling.
