Frequently Asked Questions

When the human sustains any injury, the brain signals the platelets and several other components of our blood supply and reroutes them towards the site of the injury. Of all the components signaled, platelets are the first ones to respond.

Under normal conditions, the platelets reach the injured site and release the growth factors that subsequently:

• Promote the development of new blood vessels
• Stimulate bone growth and cartilage repair and regeneration
• Facilitate tissue regeneration and repair
• Clot the wound and prevent further bleeding
• Release a number of bioactive proteins that are essential for stem cells working

Within the platelets, there are two distinct types of granules, namely dense bodies and alpha granules. The latter contains the necessary growth and healing factors that help in clotting wounds. At a state of rest, the platelets need a stimulus to become an active part of the wound healing process.

In addition, the platelet’s growth factors play an important role in preventing further internal and external bleeding, accelerating healing and helping the body recovery. These include the transforming growth factor, the fibroblast growth factor, the platelet-derived growth factor, insulin-like growth factors 1 and 2, epidermal and connective tissue growth factors and vascular endothelial growth factor.

PRP Therapy is one of the most widely used treatments in a number of medical conditions, such as complex surgeries, wound healing, erectile dysfunctions, orthopedics and a range of other impairments.

With the help of modern technology, Kentuckiana Integrative Medicine can concentrate platelets from your blood and activate the growth factors. This is made possible by injecting a solution directly in and near the site of injury so as to induce a regenerative response and accelerate healing. This process is known as Autologous Therapy because your are the source of the PRP-Platelet Rich Plasma.

The PRP approach to healing offers a number of advantages over surgical treatments. Unlike the latter, the former is a quick and easy procedure with minimal side-effects apart from being economical and budget-friendly. Other benefits include:

• Regeneration and rejuvenation of tissues
• Cell differentiation stimulation
• Formation of extracellular matrix
• Increase in collagen production
• Targeting a number of healing and repairing cells towards the injured area

Since the therapy involves re-injecting platelets from one body part to another, it is safe, reliable and nearly free from the possibility of any transmissible infections from the donor. Furthermore, the treatment is non-allergenic and acts as a natural “glue” for the adhesion of tissues around the bone grafts, trauma and skin flaps.

Preparing a PRP solution is a quick process. A small amount of blood is drawn from the patient’s arm. The blood is then centrifuged at high speeds to separate pure platelet content from other blood components. The baseline count for blood platelet is set at 200,000 per micro liter. By centrifuging, a yield of up to 5-folds can be expected.

By varying the techniques, a range of PRP solutions can be prepared- depending on the type of injury required to be treated. Thrombin or calcium gluconate maybe added to the platelet solution which facilitates the release of growth factors and alpha granules.

The entire process takes up to 15 minutes. The end result is that the concentration of growth factors and platelets can increase up to 600%, resulting in faster regeneration and quicker recovery from injuries. The process of human stem cell proliferation exists as the platelets are pushed up to 10 times their normal volume for rapid healing.

The PRP solution is injected along the injured area to “jump-start” the body’s healing processes. Between 1 to 3 months, major injury can heal with the administration of PRP. Because a patient’s own blood is used, the risk of infections is negligible.

Apart from the treatment of medical symptoms and conditions mentioned previously, PRP has been extended to alleviate pain symptoms and mechanical injuries caused by several other factors. Over the course of time, the treatment is also used for athletes to help them recover from sport injuries. Other popular clinical applications include:

Anti-Aging Solutions
PRP treatment works wonders in combating the effects of aging skin. As one grows old, the dermal components start to wither- drastically changing the skin texture. These include skin thinning, wrinkles and age spots. PRP treatment can be extended to reverse the aging effects by providing the skin a healthy dose of platelets that speed up cell division within the skin.

Acne Treatment
In modern dermatology, PRP treatment holds the cure to a number of skin-related diseases such as acne, scarring and alopecia (mostly in women). The rich and concentrated platelets solution rejuvenates the skin. In addition, it tightens the skin around the eyes and several other areas (such as jaw line, neck, cheeks and mid-face, knees, upper arms and elbows) to cure post-pregnancy skin lax.

Improving the Skin Tone.
In several cosmetic procedures, PRP solution is injected under the dermis with local anesthesia. The solution then stimulates the tissues around the damaged area that trigger the healing process. As a result, new collagen is formed and, when matured, strengthens the skin. This leads to an overall improvement in the skin tone within 3 weeks of the treatment.

PRP treatment and therapy can be used on all skin types and tones. Minimal bruising, swelling and redness may appear between 12-24 hours of initial application. The initial swelling with subside with time as the fluid stimulates growth factors that lead to the formation of more collagen. Under normal cases, a PRP treatment can last up to 18 months with bi-annual checkups from your clinician.

Despite the fact that PRP promises to be a ground-breaking achievement in the field of alternate medicine and is intended for all, certain limitations exist. Smoking and alcohol are two factors that diminish the release of stem cells. The platelets cause an inflammatory reaction within the body, before producing the desired response. If you are on anti-inflammatory drugs at the time of treatment, it is best to consult your doctor. Typically, anti-inflammatory drugs should be avoided between 1 to 2 weeks BEFORE and AFTER the treatment.

Patients undergoing any of the following should avoid the therapy:

• Cancer and chemotherapy treatment
• Sepsis
• Critical Thrombocytopenia
• Platelet Dysfunction Syndrome
• Hemodynamic Instability
• Acute and Chronic Infections
• Hypo-Fibrinogenemia
• Major skin diseases and allergies
• Heavy nicotine, alcohol and drug consumption
• Chronic pathological liver and metabolism disorders

Adverse side-effects of PRP treatment are significant, but rarely occur. Skin discoloration, infections, pain and bruising and allergic reactions are the common side-effects (though rarely occurring).

The administration of PRP injection requires care and precision. Contact Kentuckiana Integrative Medicine today to learn more about the treatment and to schedule an appointment.