As you age, your skin gradually loses its youthfulness, causing wrinkles and fine lines to appear. It can be disheartening to diligently follow a skincare routine only to find it has little to no effect. That’s why establishing an anti-aging skincare plan is so critical. At Prizant Dermatology in Pittsburgh, PA, we offer several treatments that are proven effective in fighting the signs of aging; one such as PRP microneedling.
How Often Can You Get PRP Microneedling?
Generally, you’ll need treatment once every month for three consecutive months. Many people find that this three-month period is optimal for achieving the desired results with PRP microneedling. During this initial time period, your body will receive a concentrated dose of platelet-rich plasma to promote skin rejuvenation and healing. It’s crucial to follow this consecutive schedule so the body can fully benefit from the cellular renewal and rejuvenation that PRP offers.
Some people may need more treatments than others depending on their individual needs and goals. For instance, if you are looking to dramatically improve scars or other skin concerns, it may be beneficial to receive multiple rounds of treatments over an extended period of time. On the other hand, if you only want to address mild fine lines, then a series of three consecutive treatments may be all that is necessary.
What Is Microneedling?
Microneedling is a minimally-invasive skin rejuvenation treatment designed to target wrinkles, scars, and other areas of skin concern. During this treatment, tiny needles are inserted into the top layers of the skin in order to create micro-injuries and stimulate the body’s natural healing processes. The result is an increase in collagen production and deposition, resulting in firmer, smoother, and more evenly toned skin.
SkinPen
At Prizant Dermatology, we use the SkinPen device to perform the treatment. SkinPen is FDA-approved, and features advanced technology that safely increases cell turnover while stimulating collagen production in order to achieve younger-looking skin over time with minimal risk of infection or irritation.
SkinPen’s unique design can penetrate deeper than conventional dermal rollers while delivering more precise control over depth and pressure applied with each needle puncture. This functionality allows us to create more visible results with fewer treatments than other devices on the market today.
What Is Collagen?
Collagen is a protein naturally produced by our bodies. It helps keep our skin tight and firm while maintaining its strength and elasticity over time. Unfortunately, as we age our collagen levels begin to deplete, thus causing wrinkles, sagging skin, uneven tone, as well as discoloration due to sun exposure or environmental damage.
Our skin rejuvenation treatment works by encouraging new collagen production, which helps plump up fine lines and wrinkles while evening out areas affected by discoloration or scarring from previous injuries. Additionally, this cosmetic treatment can help stimulate blood circulation, leaving your skin feeling much fresher than before.
What Is PRP?
PRP is a complex solution with several components, all of which are naturally occurring in the human body. PRP is naturally derived from a patient’s own blood. The preparation process starts by drawing a small sample of blood from the patient’s arm. A special centrifuge machine then spins the sample to separate it into three parts: red blood cells, plasma, and platelet.
The PRP component is collected in a syringe and is then carefully injected into areas on the skin where collagen stimulation is needed. The SkinPen device that we use has tiny channels that allow us to apply PRP serum deeper into the skin, allowing for better absorption of the PRP’s active ingredients. This allows for enhanced collagen stimulation and rejuvenation as well as improving overall skin tone and texture after multiple treatments.
PRP Active Ingredients
Platelet-rich plasma contains several active ingredients that work together to help with skin rejuvenation when injected. These active ingredients include:
Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF)
Epidermal growth factor is a protein that helps stimulate cell regeneration and repair. It plays a crucial role in wound healing and tissue regeneration as well as helping to reduce wrinkles and improve skin tone. EGF also encourages collagen production, which helps create firmer skin structures. With PRP injections, EGF works to further enhance the natural healing process of the skin.
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A and C (VEGF-A & VEGF-C)
Vascular endothelial growth factors A and C are two different proteins that promote blood vessel formation in a process called angiogenesis. They both help increase circulation throughout the body by stimulating new blood vessels to form in areas where it is needed most. Both of these proteins work together when injected as part of PRP therapy to improve complexion, reduce wrinkles, and firm up loose or crepey skin on the face and neck area.
Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF)
Fibroblast growth factor is a type of protein that plays a key role in cellular growth and development. These cell signaling proteins contribute to processes like cellular proliferation, survival, differentiation, and migration during the development stages or regenerative healing. FGF works with other active ingredients found in PRP therapies like EGF to enhance collagen production even further; eventually resulting in improved elasticity for smoother-looking skin.
Platelet-Derived Growth Factor (PDGF)
Platelet-derived growth factor is a naturally occurring substance found within platelets. These growth factors contain numerous positive effects on cell growth — specifically when it comes to wound healing or tissue repair. PDGF helps kick start new collagen production as well as aiding with blood vessel formation through angiogenesis.
When injected during PRP treatments, PDGF works alongside other active ingredients like EGF and FGF, further increasing their potency for maximum skin rejuvenation.
Insulin-Like Growth Factors 1 & 2 (IGF1 & IGF2)
Insulin-like growth factors 1 and 2 are two proteins that work similarly together: they help stimulate cell proliferation, migration, differentiation, and survival — all essential processes needed for proper cell rejuvenation. IGFs can help reduce wrinkles while improving overall tone, clarity, and brightness of the skin after being injected during PRP treatments.
Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF)
Connective tissue growth factor is involved in wound healing and tissue remodeling, and it encourages the formation of new connective tissue such as collagen and elastin. When injected into the dermis, CTGF helps to increase cell proliferation and enhance the deposition of extracellular matrix molecules within the skin, resulting in thicker, firmer dermal layers. This helps to improve skin hydration, elasticity, and volume while smoothing out wrinkles and fine lines.
Keratinocyte Growth Factor (KGF)
Keratinocyte growth factor has powerful regenerative properties that aid in wound repair, and it is present naturally in the blood when a wound-healing cascade begins. The initial stage of tissue healing is attributed to KGF, which covers the wound area and forms the epithelium or surface layer. Thereby, it’s easy to see how this mechanism facilitates a positive outcome during PRP skin rejuvenation therapy.
Who Is a Good Candidate?
This treatment can be used to diminish wrinkles and fine lines, reverse sun damage, and even out texture irregularities from acne, acne scarring, and age spots. The treatment has also been successful in improving other conditions such as stretch marks and Rosacea. Any individual suffering from these common skin issues should consider scheduling a consultation to determine if this corrective and regenerative treatment is right for them.
Is Treatment Painful?
This skin rejuvenation technique may sound like a painful process, but in reality you shouldn’t feel any discomfort at all. Our experienced professionals always make sure to apply a numbing cream during the process so that our patients are as comfortable and relaxed as possible. With proper numbing and care, there’s no cause for concern when it comes to pain or discomfort.
How Long Do Microneedling Results Last?
The results of your treatment can last anywhere from three to six months, depending on environmental factors such as sun exposure and self-care practices like locking in moisture with a hydrating lotion or cream and wearing sunscreen in the sun. Regular sessions can also help maintain results and keep your skin looking healthy and glowing for months.
Make a Commitment To Improving Your Skin Health Today
Everyone wants to feel confident in their own skin, and at Prizant Dermatology, we understand that. Our PRP microneedling treatment plan is tailored specifically to meet each person’s unique and individual skincare needs. We also provide follow-up visits to ensure that the treatment is being effective for you. Contact Prizant Dermatology in Pittsburgh, PA, today to learn more about how we can help you get the skin you desire.
