Written by: Valentina Zannoni – Source: Swide.com
Between an eye-lift and a hair transplant, Dr Prasad took some time out of his busy schedule to talk to Swide about Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) fillers, the latest must have age defying practice.
But first here’s a brief biology lesson to get to grips with the terminology. Plasma is the yellow liquid which makes up over 50% of the blood. The actual blood cells are suspended in the plasma, making it the petrol of our organism. Platelets are those tiny cells that serve to create blood clots and therefore start the healing process of the skin.
PRP has been used for a while in other medical specialities, such as in orthopaedics for the cure of joints and chronic injuries to help stimulate the healing process. While three years ago, medical professionals from the cosmetic sphere started to think about the uses of PRP in their field. Dr Prasad, a facial rejuvination specialist at the Prasad Cosmetic Surgery Clinic in New York City, has been using this substance as a filler for two years now. “By placing it [PRP] in the skin” Dr Prasad explains, “you are injuring the skin in a controlled way and you are essentially healing a wrinkle by filling it with a material that will recruit the body’s collagen and start the healing process.” In layman’s terms, unlike Botox, PRP is used to restore volume under the skin.
PRP fillers are particularly effective on fine lines around the mouth, eyes, even bags under the eyes and also to reduce the depth of acne scars. The optimum age to undergo a treatment is when you are over forty, unless you want to treat acne scars, then the median age of the patient is halved.
And how about those stubborn expression lines? Well PRP fillers can also work on those. Dr Prasad says that this treatment can be used“ anywhere where the lines are relatively small, forehead lines are shallow, Botox can relax them but there is no good filler to plump them out and we’ve been using PRP.”
How do PRP fillers compare to more traditional chemical fillers like Restylane? Dr Prasad explains that it’s a matter of patience, the two provide more or less, equivalent results, its just a question of time. “With Restylane you get immediate results, because 1cc of liquid equals 1cc of correction. With PRP you may get immediate appearance of improvement but you have to wait to see the result because body has to respond by generating collagen. It’s a healing process.” Even though the results may come more slowly, the effects of PRPs however, can last a year or more, while other chemical fillers start fading after about six months. A PRP session, which can consist of 3 or 4 injections, is also better value for money, as typically it costs $1.500, while for one syringe of Restylane the retail price is $800.
PRP fillers are attracting an increasing amount of would be clients. “People do a lot of research, they learn a lot online, and they come and ask about it.” Dr Prasad has found that his role as surgeon has developed into teacher as well, “ often I have to educate them on what [fillers] can and can’t do. It takes the judgement of a professional to understand what they can do and how to apply them so you get the maximum benefit.”
In recent years, cinema, TV and literature have resurfaced the public’s fascination and interest in Vampires- today, in cosmetic surgery, the benefits of blood go further than fantasy and are becoming reality.