Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is a medical treatment that can help people who have experienced hair loss due to the aging process. Medical experts believe PRP injections (injecting a person’s own blood into their scalp) triggers hair growth and maintenance due to an increase in blood supply to the hair follicles and thickening the shaft. To maximize the results of this therapy, some people combine PRP with hair loss procedures (hair transplant surgery) and medications (Rogaine or Propecia).
The PRP Therapy Process
PRP treatment consists of three steps:
Drawing blood from the patient.
Processing the blood.
Injecting the blood into the scalp.
Most individuals require three treatments with four to six weeks in between sessions. Once desired effects have been achieved, maintenance sessions should be performed every four to six months.
What to Expect from a PRP Treatment
When patients come to Dermatology Institute of Southern California, they can expect to be greeted by a friendly and comforting front desk staff. We thoroughly believe a positive patient experience is an important part of the cosmetic and medical procedures we offer our patients.
For a PRP treatment, you will be led to one of our treatment rooms to have your blood drawn from your arm. Patients find that this is simple as it’s just like having blood drawn as part of an annual checkup.
Your blood will then be placed into a centrifuge. A centrifuge is a machine that spins rapidly to separate the blood into three layers:
Platelet-poor plasma
Platelet-rich plasma
Red blood cells
We only use the platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for this treatment. The PRP is drawn up into a syringe and injected into the areas of the scalp that have experience hair loss.
How Long Do Results Take?
PRP hair restoration can take as little as four weeks, but most people see the results they were hoping for after 3.5 months. Each individual is different, so the time it takes to see results varies.
PRP Therapy Side Effects
PRP therapy side effects are rare. Most people experience temporary mild discomfort. While uncommon, some people have reported scar tissue, calcification at the injection points, and infection. Injury to blood vessels and nerves are possible and usually due to the inexperience of the injector. This is why it’s always important to turn to a doctor highly knowledgeable and experienced in PRP, such as Dr. Behroozan.
Who Can Have PRP Treatment
Not everyone is a candidate for PRP treatment. People who are on blood thinners, smoke heavily or misuse drugs and/or alcohol should not seek this type of hair loss solution.
Those who suffer from certain medical problems should not have PRP therapy. Some of these medical problems include:
Cancer
Chronic Liver Disease
Acute or Chronic Infection
Metabolic Disorder
Systemic Disorder
Sepsis
Thyroid Disease
It is important to discuss your medical history during your initial consultation to ensure it is safe to have PRP therapy performed on you.
Learn More About PRP Therapy in Beverly Hills and Santa Monica
Dermatology Institute of Southern California has two offices – one in Beverly Hills and another in Santa Monica for convenience. If you’re concerned about hair loss and would like to see if PRP treatment is right for you, contact us for an appointment by calling us at 310-392-1111.
As we prepare to enter the final stretch of the year, the weather begins to cool down, the streets become covered in leaves, and we start to see lots of pumpkin themed products all around. Fall has arrived!
With the change in the environment, certain cosmetic procedures begin to increase in popularity. Treatments that otherwise may have required a bit of extra planning and moving things around schedule-wise now become much easier to accommodate thanks to longer nights, cooler temperatures, and warmer clothing. Additionally, other treatments see a surge in numbers to ensure that our skin heals and looks its absolute best just in time for the holiday season, the beginning of the new year, and other big events composed of large gatherings and constant photo taking and video recordings.
No matter what the reason is, here are the top 4 procedures that are the most popular during the season of Autumn:
No matter what the concern you may have, odds are that there will be a laser available for you that can help. A consultation with a board-certified dermatologist, such as Dr. Daniel Behroozan, will allow you to determine which laser will best help you achieve your skin care goals.
Why treat your skin at this time of year?
Depending on the laser used or the condition treated, the healing process may vary between a couple of days to a couple weeks. One of the most important aspects of the healing phase is to limit sun exposure as much as possible. During the fall, days become shorter while night starts to set in earlier, which makes it a lot easier for some people to keep an eye on the amount of sun exposure they are getting. For example, since the sun starts to set a lot earlier, you may encounter a lot less sunshine while you are driving home from work as opposed to the summer, when the sun stays out quite late and can shine directly on you when you’re in the car. Sunscreen with SPF 30+ should always be worn no matter the time of the year that you receive a laser treatment.
Regardless of the laser or treated condition, the best results require no tanning. Skin should be at its normal complexion, and this is generally more feasible to obtain after the summer is over, as tanning is less prevalent in the fall.
Additionally, some lasers or conditions may require a series of treatments every couple of weeks instead of just one session. Many patients opt to start this process during autumn in order to ensure that the full series has enough time to be performed and healed before the later stages of winter and the holiday season.
Scars and stretch marks are some of the most difficult skin conditions to treat, and thus there are many options available. Lasers, microneedling, and injectable fillers are only some examples of treatment options that can address scars and stretch marks. It is very common for more than one treatment option to be combined in order to obtain the best cosmetic outcome for treating a scar/stretch marks. Multiple sessions over a long period of time are usually needed as well. The treatment plan that is selected varies depending on the kind of scar, the size, location, and how old the scar is. A board-certified physician like Dr. Daniel Behroozan will assist you in selecting the right treatment for you.
Why treat your skin at this time of year?
The earlier scars and stretch marks are treated, the better the results will be in reducing their appearance. As a result, treatment should be started as soon as possible. That being said, fall does have certain benefits that can assist with this. Like lasers, limiting sun exposure is critical – arguably even more so with scars. The decrease in sunlight during the fall and winter helps manage the amount of sun exposure you receive, which is especially important since the healing period can be lengthy depending on the scar/treatment used.
In addition, scars need to stay moisturized as well. It is a common belief that scars should be allowed to air out, but this is not the case. Dried out wounds can cause scabbing which can result in even more scarring. Moisturizing the scar ensures that the skin heals better, and the lower temperatures of the autumn time facilitate this as the skin does not dry out as fast. The warmer clothing that is common in the fall, such as tops with long sleeves and thicker fabrics, also help retain moisture, limit sun exposure, and avoid any outside irritation to the treated area, such as accidental bumping or scratching from objects.
Laser Hair Removal is composed of heat from a laser’s light being targeted onto the region that has unwanted body hair. The hair follicles in this area absorb the light, and the follicles are then destroyed in order to prevent hair from growing. Laser Hair Removal can be performed on almost any part of the body that has unwanted body hair you wish to address.
Why treat your skin at this time of year?
Laser Hair removal requires a series of treatments that will need to spaced out every few weeks. On the average, 4-6 treatments will be needed, but this varies depending on the treated area, amount of hair, skin tone, and other factors. Lots of patients prefer to start the treatment after summer in order to ensure that the entire session is completed in its entirety in time for the next spring season, and before shorter clothing starts to come back around.
While we’re on the subject of clothing – like the previous procedures mentioned above, the recovery process requires limited sun exposure as well. This is even easier to accommodate with Laser Hair Removal thanks to the cooler temperatures bringing about warmer clothing and outfits that expose less skin. A Laser Hair Removal series can be completed in its entirety without anyone ever knowing!
A Blood Facial is a microneedling treatment that has been combined with PRP (platelet rich plasma). This procedure starts off with your own blood being drawn from your body. The platelet rich plasma is then separated from the rest of the drawn blood using a centrifuge, and is then injected into areas of your face. Then, microneedling is performed on your face, which is composed of many tiny needles puncturing the skin. The Blood Facial helps rejuvenate the skin on the face, and can treat a multitude of conditions such fine lines and wrinkles, acne scars, age spots, skin tone evenness, and much more. The Blood Facial also has no downtime.
Why treat your skin at this time of year?
Like the other 3 procedures mentioned above, limiting sun exposure is vital during the aftercare of a Blood Facial. The autumn and winter seasons are great times for the Blood Facial due to the change in factors that allow for less sun exposure to the face (eg: most people do not go to the beach as frequently during this time, the sun begins to set by the time you get off work, etc). As always, sunscreen should always be worn no matter what time of year you receive any of these treatments.
Because this procedure is minimally invasive, the Blood Facial is a favorite of many patients since it allows one to obtain great results in a shorter time frame. This treatment becomes very popular right before the holiday season as well, as many patients report their skin having a bright, radiant, and glowing complexion after a Blood Facial. This makes the Blood Facial perfect to receive before the large family gatherings and end of the year work events that frequently take place at this time of year.
Speaking of holidays – there is a certain holiday that takes place in the autumn that is extremely popular. This particular holiday involves lots of pumpkins, candy, and people dressing up in costumes of scary figures like ghosts, zombies, and vampires.
Because of this holiday and its close connections with vampires, numerous patients who enjoy this particular October event LOVE to receive the Blood Facial during autumn to really get in the holiday spirit during this time (in addition to all the benefits this treatment provides, of course!)
All 4 of these procedures are offered by Dr. Behroozan at the Dermatology Institute of Southern California. You can select from one of two convenient locations in Beverly Hills and Santa Monica, and our team is always available to assist you with any questions or concerns you may have in regards to your skin care goals. We are just a quick message or phone call away!
As we enter the final days of summer, we are slowly entering the home stretch before calling the current year a wrap. We’re right at the point where the leisure time of the summer is about to wind down, but before the chaos of the late autumn and holiday seasons start – making this the PERFECT time to consider a microneedling treatment.
Starting a microneedling treatment in the late summer/early fall allows the effects to show on your skin over the next few months, resulting in you looking your best right when the holiday season hits, and time is scarce. Not only will it also ensure that you can start off your new year with radiant, glowing skin, but you will also have personal first-hand experience with this new tool which you can now incorporate into your skin care arsenal moving forward.
*Note that Microneedling treatments can be performed on their own; however, it is also very common for these treatments to be combined with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) from your own blood as well. This combo of Microneedling + PRP is commonly referred to as the Blood Facial.
Here are 6 reasons why you should try out Microneedling (either with or without PRP) before the clock hits midnight for the new year:
1) Microneedling is All Natural
Unlike most treatments, microneedling involves no special formulas being inserted into your skin, and no fancy pieces of technology. This treatment simply consists of a collection of very tiny needles that gently puncture the first layer of your skin, and that’s it. Your body then heals these tiny wounds with its own natural healing process. This process increases collagen and improves the texture and appearance of the skin naturally since it is using your body’s own healing mechanisms that it was designed to do.
Microneedling treatments that have been combined with PRP simply involve the use of your own platelets that are already contained within your blood. Your blood is first drawn, and the platelets are then separated and injected into the face. All that is happening here is that the plasma is merely being moved from one area of your body to the other. Nothing out of the ordinary!
2) Microneedling is a minimally invasive treatment with NO downtime
Because the needles being used are so small in size, the punctures caused by these needles are not visible to the naked eye. Even though these wounds are small enough to not be visible, they still trigger the body to activate healing mode on the treated areas, so your skin still reaps the effects. Most patients head right on back to work the same day, and it is very common for others to continue their originally intended weekend plans the first couple days after a treatment. After your treatment has been completed, your physician will provide you with some very simple aftercare steps to take, such as wearing sunscreen (which you are doing anyway after reading our Skin Cancer blog, right?!).
In the case of PRP – even though there are extra injections involved when microneedling and PRP are combined, this does not cause any increase in downtime. In fact, just the opposite! Those who combine microneedling with PRP can expect an even faster recovery time due to the accelerated healing process from the platelets. The initial redness and swelling wears often wears off within 48-72 hours after a blood facial, and results also appear faster as well when combined with PRP.
3) Microneedling can Treat a TON of Conditions
Microneedling is an extremely versatile procedure that can treat practically any concern or condition you have. Studies have shown that patients with acne scars especially are excellent candidates. Acne scars are one of the most difficult conditions to treat, and patients can expect to see good to great results in the improvement of their skin and the appearance of these scars after receiving microneedling.
In addition to acne scars, microneedling can also improve the appearance of:
Age spots
Hyperpigmentation/Uneven skin tone
Fine lines and wrinkles
Scars
Stretch marks
Undereye Circles
Enlarged pores
Cellulite
PRP is also quite versatile, and has been used in a variety of medical and surgical procedures thanks to its healing effects. It has been very prevalent among professional athletes in rehabilitation, so it comes as no surprise that PRP and microneedling go together like soap and water. In addition to Microneedling, PRP can also be used to slow down the effects of age related hair loss as well.
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4) Your Skin Will Absorb Products Better After a Microneedling Session
One of the real joys about microneedling is that not only does it directly fight against conditions on your face such as fine lines and acne scars – but it also has the benefit of increasing the effectiveness of your skin care products.
Topical products applied during your skin care procedure are usually only absorbed by the uppermost layers of skin. Due to the small punctures created by microneedling, the topical products are now able to penetrate deeper into the skin, thus getting absorbed by the lower layers. Patients are often pleasantly surprised to return to their skin care regimens a few days after treatment to find that the same products they’ve been using are amplified in their effects afterwards. You can expect up to 90% increased product absorption after microneedling!
5) No Risk of Adverse Side Effects
One of the biggest perks that many microneedling patients really enjoy about the treatment is how it is so simple and natural. Because of this, the risk of side effects is extremely low with this procedure, especially when compared to other more invasive options like surgery. The punctures inflicted from the needles are so small that the body will enter its natural healing mode without needing to worry about risking prevalent side effects that accompany other treatments, like infection or surgical complications.
After a microneedling treatment, you can expect minor swelling and redness that will disappear on its own after a few days. Dry skin can also happen and is normal, and your physician will let you know what post-procedure measures to follow to limit the effects of this. Moisturizer can, and should be used to reduce this until it resolves on its own.
Those who opt to receive the microneedling + PRP combo can expect to see the swelling and redness disappear even faster! The addition of PRP offers an accelerated healing process without the addition of any other risks or downsides. Because PRP uses the patient’s own blood, there is no cause for concern about issues like allergic reactions.
6) Microneedling treatments have very little to no pain at all
Having numerous small needles puncturing your face all over may sound a bit scary to some people; however, before the procedure is started, a topical anesthetic is applied to the patient’s face and is left to sit for about 30 minutes first. As the skin absorbs this ointment, the patient’s face then goes numb and the procedure is then started afterwards. While some patients do report a slight sensation of the needles being moved across the face, many others report no pain at all. Even patients who receive the deepest level of depth have reported the procedure being very tolerable, and much less than what they initially anticipated.
The addition of PRP may give off the impression that it is painful since there is blood involved. However, due to the anesthetic, the injection of the PRP is also reported to be not very painful – in fact, patients report even less pain than what one may feel from a filler or Botox treatment. Because the needle used for PRP is much smaller than the kinds used for Botox and fillers, patients report simply the feeling of the needle going in with no pain.
**Bonus Reason:
As we know, the combination of Microneedling with PRP is referred to as the “Blood Facial”.
The fall season is famous for having a special day in October that you might have heard about at some point. This special day is known for featuring ghosts and other ghoulies like zombies, witches, and coincidentally, vampires. ? ? ? ?
This special day is referred to as…well, we can’t quite remember at the moment…
BUT, for those of you who are fans of this special day, starting this season off with a BLOOD FACIAL is the PERFECT way to get into the spirit for this time of the year
Still have a couple of other questions before scheduling your microneedling treatment? Dr. Behroozan and the team at Dermatology Institute are more than happy to assist you on your mission to achieve healthy, glowing skin. You can choose either one of 2 locations near you in Beverly Hills or Santa Monica. We are available at your convenience via e-mail, or you can call us as well at (310) 392-1111
Skin Rejuvenation
As we enter the final days of summer, we are slowly entering the home stretch before calling the current year a wrap. We’re right at the point where the leisure time of the summer is about to wind down, but before the chaos of the late autumn and holiday seasons start – making this the PERFECT time to consider a microneedling treatment.
One of the biggest perks that many microneedling patients really enjoy about the treatment is how it is so simple and natural. Because of this, the risk of side effects is extremely low with this procedure, especially when compared to other more invasive options like surgery. The punctures inflicted from the needles are so small that the body will enter its natural healing mode without needing to worry about risking prevalent side effects that accompany other treatments, like infection or surgical complications.
