PRP/PRF Treatments
Before Your PRP/PRF Treatment
One week before:
Discontinue any use of topical retinols or oral tretinoin prescriptions. Avoid any harsh skincare products that may irritate the skin.
Be sure that you have not used Accutane in the last 6 months.
Avoid the use of NSAIDS (Ibuprofen, Motrin, Aleve, Naproxen, Aspirin, etc) at least 2-3 days before procedure. Tylenol may be taken in place of any NSAIDs.
Discontinue the following nutritional supplements at least 2-3 before procedure- Ginkgo Biloba, garlic, Vitamin E, Vitamin A, flax oil, fish oil/krill oil, curcumin/turmeric.
Avoid any corticosteroids i.e. (prednisone, Medrol Dose Pack, Kenalog, etc...)
A excessive alcohol and abstain from smoking cigarettes. The quality of your PRP/PRF treatment depends on your overall health.
Drink plenty of water the day before and day of treatment for ease of blood draw.
Plan the day of your treatment accordingly. Social downtime the rest of the day following the procedure is advised. The healing process is fast-typically 1-3 days for any obvious signs of the procedure to resolve. You may return to work the following day and resume any vigorous exercise in 2-3 days.
We recommend using a gentle cleanser, a gentle moisturizer or hyaluronic acid serum, along with SPF of 30 or higher after your microneedling treatment. If you do not have this on hand, we carry select SkinMedica products in our office that are cruelty free, safe for sensitive skin as well as post-procedure:
Alle points can be used on all SkinMedica products, and will also earn Alle points!
Other items to consider (not sold in office):
The Day of the Procedure:
Come to your visit with a clean face (PLEASE NO MAKEUP!) I will provide a disposable headband for you to wear during the procedure, but you may want to bring a hair tie to keep your hair away from your face after the procedure.
Topical numbing cream and/or local injection of anesthetic is used to numb the area that will be treated. If you have a TRUE allergy to lidocaine, tetracaine, or benzocaine, please notify me ahead of time.
Blood is drawn and is processed in the centrifuge to separate the PRP/PRF.
PRP/PRF is then injected to the area of concern i.e. tear troughs, cheeks, nasolabial folds, scalp for hair restoration, etc...if you are doing microneedling, it is microneedled into the skin throughout the procedure. If you are doing a combo service (injections plus microneedling) microneedling will be performed first, followed by the injections.
Expect to have mild redness, some swelling, and a general “tight” feeling to the area treated. This usually resolves in 1-3 days.
It is recommended to schedule your treatment at least 1-2 weeks prior to any special events. Typically, there is no downtime, and PRP/PRF treatments are generally safe with quick recovery times in regards to any redness/swelling or discomfort.
Post Procedure Instructions
The Day of Treatment (Microneedling)
Avoid touching your face! If you had a microneedling facial with PRP/PRF, remember you have a blood product sitting on your skin and do not want to spread it to surfaces that others could come in contact with. Also, your skin will have microscopic openings from the microneedling that can make your skin more prone to contracting an infection. These precautions should be taken the day of your treatment and until you wash your face for the first time.
Practice good handwashing with warm water and soap before you apply any serums to your face the day of treatment.
Do not apply any makeup the day of treatment. You can apply makeup in 1-2 days post treatment day depending on how quickly you heal, but I recommend avoiding it if possible, otherwise keep it light--use a mineral based powder like Bare Minerals.
DO NOT wash off the PRP (platelet rich plasma) or PRF (platelet rich fibrin) for at least 8 hours. If you can, wait until the next morning to wash it off with a gentle face cleanser like Cetaphil. We want the PRP/PRF to stay in contact with the area(s) treated for as long as possible for maximum absorption.
Mild inflammation and redness (like a mild sunburn) is expected--it means the rejuvenation process in action!
Use a hyaluronic acid serum off and on throughout the day to help relieve tightness (from the plasma drying like a mask), plus, your skin will absorb more of the serum--an added benefit to help plump and hydrate your skin! I highly recommend La Roche-Posay's B5 hyaluronic acid serum (blue bottle) which can be purchased at places like Target or Ulta.
The Day of Treatment (Microneedling AND Injections)
AVOID cold compresses and ice to treated areas for 48 hours. Icing can reduce inflammation, but in this case, we WANT the inflammatory response to take effect. This is the magic behind PRP/PRF.
AVOID topical retinols, Vitamin C, BHAs (salicylic acid), and AHAs (lactic acid, glycolic acid, etc...) for 4-7 days.
AVOID excess sun exposure and use a physical sun block of SPF 30+ to protect your skin (start this the next day if you had microneedling with PRP/PRF). You should also wear a hat and sunglasses if you will be outdoors for short periods. Avoiding the sun for 1-2 weeks will maximize your results.
If you had PRP/PRF Injections, it is normal and expected to have some swelling for several days. Your body will reabsorb the liquid/gel that was injected slowly over the next several days. Bruising is usually none to mild, but should you get a bruise, the healing properties of both PRP & PRF will help you heal very fast! No need to do anything to speed up the process.
2 week Post-Care Dos & Don'ts (Microneedling and Injections)
AVOID the use of NSAIDS (Ibuprofen, Motrin, Aleve, Naproxen, Aspirin, etc) for 3-7 days after procedure. Tylenol is OK for pain relief- do not exceed 4000mg in 24 hours.
AVOID the systemic use of corticosteroids (prednisone, Kenalog injections, Medrol Dose Pack) for 1-2 weeks after the procedure.
For best results AVOID alcohol and cigarettes for 3-7 days after the procedure. If you smoke and did not disclose that to me, please be aware that smoking will impact the efficacy and longevity of the treatment result.
EAT a healthy diet and HYDRATE very well--at least 2-3 liters of water daily (4-6 standard sized plastic water bottles).
Limit vigorous exercise for 2-3 days to minimize flushing, redness, and swelling.
If you notice any signs of infection such as worsening pain or tenderness, increased swelling or hot to the touch, pus or purulent drainage, or fever/chills, contact me immediately. In these rare cases, you may need a topical or oral antibiotic.
Continue your hyaluronic acid serum and SPF application daily to keep the skin supple and hydrated and protected from harmful UVB rays. If any peeling occurs in the days after a microneedling session, you may add a gentle moisturizer like Cetaphil moisturizer if desired.
You can resume your at home skin-care regimen without restrictions after 1-2 weeks.
You should start seeing marked improvement in your skin's firmness, elasticity, fine lines, pore size/texture, any pigmentation issues, scars, and fine lines/wrinkles in as little as 1 week. Best results are usually visible around 3-4 weeks and continue to improve in up to 6 weeks post-treatment.
Schedule your next treatment in about 4-6 weeks if desired until your goal is achieved! Most people complete 1-3 treatments for microneedling or injections to the face. Hair restoration can take 3-5 sessions for best results.
Once you're happy with your results, maintenance can be done 1-2x/year.
