PRP Microneedling
THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE VAMPIRE FACIAL: PRP + MICRONEEDLING
There has been a recent fascination with a unique skin rejuvenation procedure taking the cosmetic industry by storm. Ever since Kim Kardashian posted her bloody face on social media, the vampire facial phenomena exploded. This procedure has become one of the more popular cosmetic treatments we offer in New Orleans today. Before we go any further, we should mention that the “vampire facial” name is trademarked, so we will refer to the procedure we offer as “PRP facial”.
Although many skin care professionals still consider this facial treatment as one of the best anti-aging procedures, many patients are apprehensive by the multiple injections and the bloody appearance Kim Kardashian revealed to us five years ago. However, since then, the vampire facial has advanced into a convenient, painless, and mainstream procedure by utilizing the microneedling technique.
WHAT IS MICRONEEDLING?
Microneedling (or collagen induction therapy) utilizes several fine needles to produce tiny puncture wounds in the upper skin layer (epidermis). This minimally invasive procedure is highly tolerable, safe, and effective. These tiny wounds stimulate your body’s natural healing process, creating an increase in elastin and collagen production, and skin cell turnover. The procedure is a star in the aesthetic skin care community with Vogue Magazine calling it, “the next big thing in anti-aging.”
This advanced system comes in two forms. Microneedling with and without radiofreqnecy. Microneedling without radiofrequency uses an electrical pen-like tool (Rejuvepen) which has several microneedles which move rapidly, in and out of the skin. These micro-punctures improve skin tone and texture while diminishing wrinkles, lines, and scarring with no lasting side-effects. The wounds close within hours and are not visible (outside of redness) within a couple of days. For comfort, we can apply a topical anesthetic before treatment.
More recently, microneedling has been performed in combination with radiofrequency. This technological advancement allows for not only the benefits of traditional microneedling but also introduces penetrative radiofrequency, exponentially increasing the regenerative benefits of the procedure. To learn more about RF microneedling visit our Morpheus8 page.
MICRONEEDLING BENEFITS
The main advantage of microneedling is it stimulates elastin and collagen production. This benefit is key to deliver a fresh, youthful skin presence. Many in aesthetic skin care will say it is the most powerful procedure to stop the aging process cold. Here are some exciting results you can expect from microneedling:
With a few sessions, microneedling’s ability to trigger new skin cells will reduce the appearance of deep wrinkles on your forehead, crow’s feet around your eyes, and fine lines about your face and neck. The results are natural because the treatment uses your body’s normal healing mechanism. Also, with minimal downtime, it’s a great maintenance procedure for anti-aging.
A 2009 clinical study indicates close to all participants with acne scars enjoyed a marked improvement in reduced scarring. At NOLA Center For Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery, we offer traditional microneedling which penetrates the skin at depths up to four millimeters to treat deep scarring. In addition, we offer our Morpheus 8 radiofrequency (RF) microneedling treatment. In recent years, studies have shown the most reparative method for resolving acne scarring deep beneath the skin surface is microneedling combined with radiofrequency. During our Morpheus 8 RF microneedling treatment, the added RF energy breaks up scar matter more effectively than just needle punctures alone, producing faster, more dramatic results. Both traditional microneedling and Morpheus 8 acne-scarring treatments offer a more comfortable experience than laser treatments with less downtime and fewer side-effects.
Because microneedling increases collagen production, it is effective in treating discoloration and sun damaged skin including melasma and hyperpigmentation. A few treatment sessions with a relatively shallow needle depth can effectively resolve blotchy skin patches and result in a clear, radiant skin appearance.
With age, skin becomes loose and sags. Microneedling is a new way to rejuvenate aging skin by improving laxity and tightening skin. Facelift surgery can be delayed or enhanced by including microneedling to your skin care regimen.
Another benefit of microneedling is a reduction in pore size. An increase of collagen in and around skin pores will cause the adjacent skin to plump up and effectively shrink pore size. This result has great aesthetic value to improve facial beauty.
The problem with most skin care products whether over-the-counter or medical-grade, is they do not penetrate to levels where they can become most effective. Microneedling creates an open path for these products to get to the depths of the dermis where they can do the most good.
The tiny holes resulting from microneedling helps your skin to absorb more product into the target areas, providing channels these topical products can penetrate without clogging pores
WHAT IS A PRP FACIAL TREATMENT?
A PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) Facial involves using platelets and fibrin extracted from the patient’s blood and introducing them into different levels of the skin. Because the treatment uses blood, it is also known as a Vampire Facial. It is less invasive than facial surgery and offers long-lasting results of up to 18 months.
At NOLA Center For Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery, we elect to us PRF (Platelet-Rich Fibrin) because of its additional benefits. PRP and PRF are commonly used interchangeably, however PRF is widely considered to be the next-generation PRP. While growth factors are released over several hours after administration of PRP, substituting PRF in its place will lead to the release of growth factors over days.
A PRP Facial is a popular treatment to improve facial beauty by reducing the effects of aging. It creates platelet-rich plasma by extracting a small amount of the patient’s blood and processing it through a special centrifuge. This process separates platelets and other growth factors from the blood. Once we attain this unique component, we can introduce it to target skin areas by injection or microneedling.
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PRP Benefits
A PRP facial helps to resolve various aesthetic concerns in facial and neck areas, which have proven to be difficult to treat with other facial procedures. Benefits include:
- Improved skin texture
- Adds volume to the face
- Diminishes fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes
- Diminishes creppiness of neck tissue and improves neck skin laxity
- Plumps up undereye hollows
- Reduces wrinkles and lines around the mouth
- Improves acne scars and superficial scars
PRP Microneedling In New Orleans: FAQs
PRP therapy is suitable for any patient who wants to stave off the effects of aging. Many patients choose the procedure because it’s non-invasive, convenient, quick and long-lasting. Another plus is it has a short recovery with few side-effects.
After a PRP Facial treatment, patients can resume normal activities immediately. With few side effects, because its natural component is sourced from the patient’s blood, there is less risk of allergic reaction or infection. There may be some redness in the treatment area, but this side-effect should resolve in a couple of days.
The procedure or recovery is not painful, and makeup can camouflage any redness the patient may experience after the procedure. Hydration is encouraged as well as applying skin moisturizers and sunscreen several times a day to protect and maintain results.
Although benefits will be visible immediately, to attain optimal results, we recommend three treatments performed at six to eight-week intervals. After the first session, an obvious improvement will be seen in your skin texture. Maximum collagen levels occur approximately three months after the first treatment, causing plumper, tighter skin with fewer lines and wrinkles.
The duration of these benefits can last up to 18 months with touch up treatments available one to two times a year for maintenance.
Although the benefits of these two cosmetic treatments are similar, combining PRP with microneedling with or without radiofrequency can rejuvenate facial skin more efficiently and effectively. The reasoning is simple, the benefits of platelet-rich plasma can be delivered into deep levels of the dermis when utilizing microneedling. Although injection of PRP may concentrate treatment into certain facial areas, microneedling will improve skin appearance to a larger area, with facials treating the entire face.
This benefit will bring uniformity to facial beauty, addressing forehead, brow, mid-face, jawline, neck, and around the eyes. Also, by combining the two procedures, a more powerful impact is possible on all your facial and neck concerns.
New Orleans Center for Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery remains at the forefront of the new era in microneedling. Not only were we the first in the Greater New Orleans area to offer radiofrequency microneedling with our Morpheus 8 treatment, but we also commit ourselves to adopting new practices supported by the latest scientific findings. For example, we have opted to use PRF in the place of PRP due to its additional benefits. By keeping up with the newest technological advances in cosmetic procedures, we are able to offer our patients a uniquely elevated experience.
LEARN MORE
If you are seeking to restore your facial beauty and want to learn more about Platelet-Rich Plasma and microneedling, we are here for you.
Contact us online or call 504-533-8848 for a consultation today at New Orleans Center for Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery.
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