Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)

What to expect

1. Consultation & screening: Sophie Gatward, NP, reviews your health history, medications and goals, and completes a medical screening to confirm PRP is suitable for you. If thinning hair is your main concern, see hair restoration.
2. Blood draw & preparation: On treatment day, a small sample of your blood is drawn, much like a routine blood test, and processed to concentrate the platelets. Eating a meal and drinking water beforehand can make the blood draw easier.
3. Treatment: Numbing cream may be used first, then the PRP is applied to the treatment area. The whole visit usually takes 45–60 minutes.
4. Right after & following days: Mild redness or swelling is common for 1–2 days, and you may have a small bruise where your blood was drawn.
5. Results & maintenance: Improvements build gradually over 4–6 weeks and results vary from person to person. A series of sessions is typical, followed by periodic maintenance.

Aftercare tips

• Follow the personalized instructions you receive at your appointment — they take priority over these general tips.
• Keep the treated area clean and avoid touching it for the rest of the day.
• Wait until the next day to wear makeup on the treated area, unless you're told otherwise.
• Skip strenuous exercise, saunas and hot tubs for the first day or two.
• Check with the clinic before taking anti-inflammatory pain relievers such as ibuprofen in the days after treatment, and never stop a prescribed medication without speaking to your prescriber.
• Hold off on exfoliants, retinoids and other strong active products for a few days, or as advised.
• Protect your skin from strong sun while it heals, and wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen every day.

Possible side effects

• Redness, swelling or tenderness in the treated area, which usually settles within 1–2 days.
• Bruising, including where your blood was drawn, which can take several days to fade.
• Feeling lightheaded or faint during or after the blood draw — tell us right away if you feel unwell.
• Rarely, infection — watch for redness, warmth, pain or swelling that gets worse after the first couple of days, or a fever.
• Rare but serious: when PRP is injected, it can very rarely affect a blood vessel. Warning signs include severe or worsening pain, skin that turns pale, white, grey or dusky, or changes in vision — this needs urgent medical care.