PRP for skin quality

Three days before

• Stop over-the-counter anti-inflammatories. Ibuprofen, naproxen, fish oil, vitamin E and flaxseed oil. These reduce platelet activity and directly undermine the treatment. This is the most important instruction on this page.
• Stop alcohol. It affects platelet function and increases bruising.
• Stop high-dose vitamin C above 1,000 mg a day.
• Do not stop prescribed blood thinners or anticoagulants such as aspirin taken for cardiac reasons, apixaban, rivaroxaban, warfarin or clopidogrel. Do not stop any of these without speaking to the doctor who prescribed them. Contact us instead and we will plan around them.

Tell us before your appointment

• Any clotting disorder or platelet condition.
• Any history of blood cancer, or any active cancer. PRP is not performed in either case.
• Any active infection, rash or open wound in the treatment area.
• Your current medications, particularly corticosteroids and immunosuppressants, which affect platelet function and healing.
• For scalp treatment, any scalp condition such as psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis or a fungal infection. These are treated first.
• If you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
• Any known allergies.

The day itself

• Drink water and eat something. Hydration measurably affects the quality of the plasma drawn.
• Arrive with the treatment area clean and no products on it.
• For scalp treatment, wash your hair that morning with a gentle shampoo and use no styling product.
• Wear something comfortable. A button-front top is easier for facial treatment.

• No anti-inflammatories for three days. No ibuprofen, no naproxen. The inflammatory response after treatment is part of how PRP works, and suppressing it reduces the result. If you need something for discomfort, ask us what to take instead.
• No ice directly on the skin. It constricts vessels and dampens the same response. A gentle cool compress is fine if swelling is marked.
• Swelling, redness and small bumps at the injection sites are normal, particularly under the eye and on the scalp.
• Do not touch, rub or massage the injection sites.
• No vigorous exercise for 24 hours.
• Avoid heat: saunas, steam rooms and very hot showers.
• No alcohol for 24 hours.
• Gentle skincare is fine on the face from the evening: cleanser and a fragrance-free moisturizer. SPF 50 the next morning.

Days 2 to 7

• Bruising may appear, most of all under the eye. Swelling at the injection sites starts to settle.
• No retinoids, acids or active ingredients on the treated area for five days.
• No facials, peels or laser on the area for two weeks.
• Continue gentle skincare and daily SPF 50.

Day 7 onwards

• Reintroduce retinoids and actives gradually, every other night for the first week.
• On the face, a temporary worsening of fine lines or texture in the first week or two is normal while the tissue remodels.
• Keep up daily SPF 50. It protects the collagen you are building.
• Most people see change at four to six weeks. The result from a full series is read at three to six months.