As we age, our bodies inevitably change. The skin is especially quick to show the effects of gravity, sun exposure, and a natural – and ongoing – loss of collagen. But you don’t have to settle for looking anything less than your best. At Optimal Health & Wellness in Pasadena, California, we offer PRP facial rejuvenation treatment to help you look and feel younger, all while taking advantage of your body’s own nutrient-rich blood.
What Is a PRP Facial?
PRP stands for platelet-rich plasma. Platelets are colorless cells that help blood clot after an injury or surgery. In this way, platelets save lives every day by preventing bleeding.
Platelets are made in the body’s bone marrow: a sponge-like tissue within bones. They are extremely beneficial because they contain growth factors that can trigger cell proliferation, stimulate tissue regeneration, and speed healing in the area treated.
How This Facial Works
Our staff uses a cutting-edge, patented technology that focuses platelets into biological, nourishing platelet-rich plasma. We then apply it to your face. This attracts stem cells to your facial skin, which become new proteins in the form of collagen and elastin. In return, these proteins rejuvenate your skin from within and give you a more youthful appearance.
How Long Do Effects Last?
You can essentially think of PRP as fertilizer for the lawn. Because we use your own blood, the treatment is natural and plentiful, and you have a near-zero risk of developing an allergic reaction. Results are cumulative, and each successive treatment builds upon the previous. For this reason, it’s important to follow all instructions provided by our staff after your treatment.
Having said that, your skin will continue to regenerate for a minimum of three months. During this time, your complexion will continue to get clearer – think smaller pores and smoother skin with a youthful glow to it – and you’ll see fewer lines and wrinkles. In total, the effects of a PRP facial can last up to a year. Some patients see results that last 18 months, and others report a timespan of two years.
Factors to Consider
In large part, the “vampire facelift,” as it’s popularly called, keeps working for a long time. The nutrients you’ve delivered to your face will continue providing benefits long after your therapy. In addition, you will have ignited your body’s production of collagen and elastin, and those proteins tend to self-perpetuate once started.
We encourage you to remember everyone’s skin reacts differently to the therapy, and again, a series of treatments provided at specific intervals will help you gain the most from this treatment. It’s also important to keep in mind that variables we cannot alter, such as genetics, will play a role in how long your PRP facial lasts.
Benefits of This Facial
PRP facials deliver a number of benefits to the skin. They are safe for all skin tones and types and, ultimately, give skin a smoother and more refreshed appearance. These facials can also tighten and increase skin firmness, improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, strengthen skin quality, and reduce or eliminate acne flare-ups and scars.
Additional benefits include the following:
- Reduced hyperpigmentation
- Improved skin texture and tone
- Plumper, fuller skin
- Improved moisture retention
- Soothing rosacea
- Eliminating dark, under-eye circles
Our Approach
We add ozone to our PRP facials to release additional oxygen to the skin. Medical ozone is used to aid healing and reduce inflammation. Our unique process can enhance the healing benefits of this treatment even further. The result is like that of a natural facelift, without the risks and complications of surgery.
We are one of a select few medical clinics in the United States experienced and qualified to offer PRP Facial Rejuvenation Therapy. Before your PRP treatment, we will conduct a thorough review of your health and answer any questions you have. It is our goal to provide you with comprehensive, compassionate care that helps you achieve the youthful appearance you want.
What to Expect With Treatment
On the day of your facial, we will draw blood from your arm much like having a lab test. That blood is then placed into a centrifuge and spun at high speeds to separate the platelets. This process activates the platelet-rich plasma.
The PRP is infused with a careful blend of vitamins and amino acids to give your skin the exact boost it needs. The formula is then placed into specific areas of your face via a combination of injection and microneedling.
After Treatment
You can expect this treatment to take between one hour and 90 minutes. After, your skin will be slightly more sensitive than normal, so we recommend the following:
- Avoid exposure to direct sunlight
- Go without makeup to avoid sensitivities
- Maintain a basic skincare routine, which we can help you with
- Avoid activities that make you sweat
The Recovery Process
After your treatment, your skin will look younger, firmer, and healthier each day. You may experience some drying or peeling during this process, but that’s completely normal. The entire recovery process should take less than a week, with many patients saying any visible side effects – such as bruising or swelling – disappeared within three days.
As the PRP activates your maximum anti-aging potential, your skin will continually look brighter and more refined. You can expect to start seeing results within one week as the skin heals. The most readily visible results are those of a softer and more supple appearance.
Downtime Considerations
Keep in mind that downtime with this treatment is minimal, if at all. As your skin continues to heal, you’ll likely be able to resume most of your normal daily activities. Our staff can review any exceptions with you and, as always, we’re here to offer guidance and support.
Comparing This Facial to Others
One of the most discerning differences between PRP and other facials is the use of plasma. Other facials typically work to cleanse, exfoliate, and extract impurities from the skin. Treatment might then be followed by another modality, such as a mild acid peel, to give greater results. The results are softer, firmer skin that looks more youthful. Usually, ongoing treatments are needed to see long-term benefits.
With a “vampire facial,” on the other hand, the skin is forced into recovery mode to rebuild itself. The plasma assists with this, delivering nourishment already contained within the body. Because of the nutrient-rich nature of this facial, it does a great job of improving skin imperfections – especially deep scars and wrinkles – and delivering a more flawless appearance.
How This Treatment Differs From Microneedling
Microneedling does not include PRP, and for this reason, a specially formulated serum is instead injected under the skin. The ingredients of that serum will reflect the particular needs of your skin, such as vitamin A or C. During this therapy, needles are used to penetrate the top layer of skin to deliver the serum and trigger your body’s collagen production.
Although PRP does involve microneedling, it is a much more extensive therapy. While microneedling is a great way to rejuvenate the skin, PRP uses your own cells to promote deep tissue regeneration. This typically yields far more visible results.
The Safety of These Facials
Thanks to advances in technology, and our specially-trained staff, these facials are extremely safe. In our office, we properly clean and sanitize all of our rooms. We also use sterile equipment for every patient. This diligence is key to ensuring patient safety during any medical therapy. Rest assured we are fully committed to protecting your well-being and are supported in this by our many years of experience and extensive training.
PRP is safe in other ways, too. The treatment uses your own blood, so there is no risk of an allergic reaction. It also restores nutrients and, by giving the skin what it needs, encourages natural cell rejuvenation.
How the Face Ages
To understand the needs of your skin as you grow older, it’s important to understand the effects of time. The body is designed to hold onto key nutrients to ensure healthy tissues and organs. This process becomes less effective as we age, but collagen is key to helping the skin retain moisture and maintain a plump, youthful appearance.
In addition to the body’s naturally slowing processes, we are also constantly exposed to toxins in our foods, drinks, and the air we breathe. This produces effects that become increasingly noticeable as we get older. For instance, our hormones can become imbalanced – which can lead to acne, even in adults – and skin can become dull, dry, and generally tired.
Structural Changes
An aging face also undergoes structural changes that happen behind the scenes. In our youth, facial fat is evenly distributed, with pockets that plump the cheeks, forehead, and areas around the mouth and eyes. That fat loses volume with age, allowing it to clump and move downward. This gives the appearance that formerly round features have started to sink.
Meanwhile, once smooth skin becomes loose and can droop. While this happens, other parts of the face gain fat, particularly the lower half because of gravity, and we often look baggy in the chin and neck areas. A PRP facial helps deliver crucial nutrients and essentially undo the hands of time.
Understanding PRP Therapy
Hematologists first coined the term PRP in the 1970s. At that time, it was used to describe plasma with a platelet count higher than that of peripheral blood. Ten years later, PRP started to be used in surgical procedures. Today, PRP therapy is used to help with hair loss, joint pain, and promote soft tissue healing for ligaments, tendons, and muscles.
Research concerning the efficacy of PRP has revealed many benefits, including:
- Men who received PRP treatment grew more hair and with more density than men who did not
- PRP injections help reduce knee osteoarthritis pain compared to saline injections
- PRP injections can reduce symptoms associated with the knee injury chronic patellar tendinopathy
A Look at the Hype
From Kim Kardashian to Tiger Woods, Hollywood celebrities have helped bring attention to PRP in a way no one else has. This is because PRP delivers real results. Patients rave about their rejuvenated skin, and it’s especially ideal for those who like a more organic approach to beauty. Without any synthetic ingredients, this facial uses nourishing components of your own body.
Get Started on Your Rejuvenating Facial
Aging gracefully has much more to do with the frame of mind than appearance. While you use the lessons life has taught you to navigate new experiences, we can help keep your face youthful. Call Optimal Health & Wellness in Pasadena, California, today to book your appointment. We look forward to helping you achieve all of your health and beauty goals.
