What if the fountain of youth was inside your own body? Or what if your blood was a natural medicine to promote healing and regenerate body tissues? And what if that’s the principle of Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy? It is! It’s often referred to simply as PRP therapy.
Platelet-Rich Plasma therapy extracts the platelets from your blood and injects them into an area of your body that needs treatment. The procedure stimulates the stem cells to produce new tissues, accelerating the healing process.
PRP Therapy is becoming a popular treatment for athletes who suffer wounds, sports lesions, and trauma – but this is only one of its primary uses. The technique has proven effective in treating a variety of conditions, including:
- enhancing injury recover
- accelerating hair growth and fighting hair loss
- cosmetic and anti-aging procedures
- treating erectile dysfunction
In this article, you’ll find all the information you need about this revolutionary therapy so you can decide if it’s a good choice or possibility for you. And if you’re interested in talking to a Nava certified PRP doctor, book a consultation, and we’ll be happy to answer all your questions.
Otherwise, read on to discover more about how your blood can help you live a better life.
What is Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy?
Before we dig into PRP Therapy, let’s first have a close look at what’s inside your blood that makes it so invaluable as a healing agent.
Your blood consists of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma. Each one of these components has the following vital functions:
- Red blood cells carry oxygen and carbon dioxide to your lungs and tissues
- White blood cells are part of your immune system
- Platelets are responsible for blood clotting. They’re the ones that stop you from bleeding when you get injured, and they also contain proteins and growth factors that trigger cell reproduction and new tissues, including blood vessels and collagen.
- Plasma is the liquid part of your blood, containing water, salt, and proteins.
As we mentioned before, PRP therapy uses a patient’s own blood to promote healing through the platelets, as they play an essential role in healing and repairing throughout the body.
How does Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy Work?
The procedure is simple and takes about one hour. Your Nava practitioner collects a sample of your blood and places it into a centrifuge that separates the platelet-rich plasma from red blood cells. In other words, your blood sample ends up enriched with platelets.
The doctor then loads this platelet-rich plasma into a syringe and injects it into the treatment area. Don’t worry – you can receive a local anesthetic, which makes the procedure as painless as possible!
The injected platelets release growth factors to the affected area, triggering your body’s healing process through cell reproduction and tissue regeneration.
Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections: Main Uses
PRP injections have become popular for treating musculoskeletal pain and injuries, but they’re also used for purposes as diverse as aesthetics and sexual health. We’ll look at all three.
1 Muscle and joint injuries
There’s a good reason why PRP injections are popular among athletes. Plasma can dramatically help to reduce the healing time of some musculoskeletal conditions, such as chronic tendon injuries. So, treating sports wounds with PRP enables a fast return to sports practice while decreasing the pain.
2 Cosmetic procedures
PRP shots are effective for treating male and female baldness and alopecia, as they stimulate hair follicles and regenerate hair growth, thanks to the growth factors from your platelets. The doctor injects directly into your scalp to treat these conditions, and you may require additional shots according to your individual needs.
We also provide a PRP microneedling facial procedure known among Hollywood celebrities as a “vampire facelift®.” This non-invasive anti-aging treatment is the latest, most innovative all-natural skin care therapy on the market today, providing a non-surgical alternative that
- rejuvenates your skin,
- reduces wrinkles and fine lines, and
- helps you look younger.
3 P-shots for men
P-shots are an excellent, all-natural, non-surgical treatment for men who experience erectile dysfunction. The procedure consists of an injection of platelet-rich plasma into the penis to improve blood supply and stimulate the growth of healthy, new tissues. Results are firmer erections in a rejuvenated penis.
Shots are painless and results immediate, with no recovery time. You can have sex the same day as your treatment and experience enhanced performance and pleasure.
Risks and Side Effects of PRP Therapy
Because Platelet-Rich Plasma therapy uses a patient’s own blood, the treatment is safe and has minimal side effects and risks, which may include:
- Discomfort during the procedure.
- A burning sensation after the injection.
- Temporary bleeding, swelling, and soreness at the injection site.
- Temporary bruising.
What You Should Know Before Choosing PRP Therapy
Now that you know what PRP therapy is and what it’s used for, we gathered some important information you should know before deciding to go through this procedure.
- Only qualified licensed or certified doctors should provide PRP therapy.
- Since the procedure involves a blood draw, you should be hydrated and have eaten before going through the treatment to avoid feeling lightheaded.
- The results of PRP therapy usually take time to appear. Unlike synthetic drugs, PRP action is done by swelling an injured area to stimulate healing, cell reproduction, and tissue recovery in the long term.
- The swelling is normal and may cause discomfort before you can see or feel the results.
- You can have PRP injections alone or combined with other procedures. Talk to your doctor to find out what is best for your condition.
- Keep the PRP site clean and dry before and after the procedure, keeping the plaster on until the area heals and replacing it whenever needed.
- Do not use any medications that thin your blood (Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Advil) for two weeks before and after the procedure.
We Can Help You Decide
If you think platelet-rich plasma therapy might be for you, we are a certified provider. Nava’s integrative approach focuses on preventing, restoring, and optimizing your health from the inside out with The Nava Method, our proprietary method for achieving overall wellness.
Our experienced Nava practitioners will be happy to answer all your questions and concerns about PRP therapy. Schedule your consultation today and let us help you uncover your best version.