Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy
- Time in clinic
- About 45 minutes
- Sessions
- 3, spaced 4 to 8 weeks apart
- Downtime
- A few days
- Results from
- 3 to 4 weeks
Key takeaway
Skin knows how to repair itself, and your blood carries some of what it uses.
A little is drawn and concentrated, then returned to your skin, where texture and fine lines can slowly improve.
Before your visit
It suits
- Fine lines or early signs of ageing
- Dull or tired skin
- Uneven skin texture
- Signs of sun damage
- Wanting a treatment from your own blood
Tell your practitioner about a bleeding or clotting disorder, low or abnormal platelets, significant anaemia, an active infection or blood-thinning medication before you book.
To prepare
- Mention any medical condition, medication, supplement, allergy or past reaction to injections.
- Keep taking prescribed medication unless the doctor who prescribed it says otherwise.
- Treatment waits if the area is sunburnt, infected or badly irritated.
Your own platelets do the work
Time in clinicAbout 45 minutes
A small sample of your blood, 10 to 40 ml, spins in a centrifuge for five to eight minutes. It settles into three layers: platelet-poor plasma, red blood cells and a buffy coat of platelets and white cells.
The platelets are drawn from the buffy coat. They carry growth factors involved in healing and tissue repair.
Your practitioner injects the plasma through fine needles, into the dermis or deeper depending on the area. It adds no volume, so any change comes from the skin’s own response.
On the day
Blood is drawn from your arm as for a routine test, and while it spins, a topical anaesthetic goes on your skin. The injections still pinch or press a little. After about 45 minutes you leave a bit tender where the needles went in.
Where it can be used
- Full face
- Under-eye area
- Cheeks
- Forehead
- Jawline
- Neck
- Décolletage
- Backs of the hands
Our clinics
A skin treatment at Cocoon Canggu. 
The consultation comes first, with your doctor, before anything is booked. 
Reception at Cocoon Canggu. 
Refreshments are waiting when you arrive. 
The corridor to the treatment rooms at Legian. 
The Ubud lounge, and the rice field beyond it.
Healing, day by day
DowntimeA few days
Until it settles
- Keep the area clean, with no rubbing or massage for about 48 hours.
- No hard exercise, saunas, steam rooms, hot tubs or heat for at least 72 hours.
- Pause retinoids, AHAs, BHAs, strong vitamin C and other actives for five days or until settled.
- No aggressive facials, peels or laser for the first month.
- Keep out of direct sun, with broad-spectrum sunscreen every day.
Day by day
- First 48 hours
Ice for 20 minutes, three times a day. Keep moving lightly, and do not rub or massage the area.
- Up to 3 days
Mild redness and swelling are normal, and some people get a headache.
- First week
Any bruise fades, and arnica gel can help. A hyaluronic acid moisturiser eases dryness or peeling.
- Two weeks
For discomfort, paracetamol, not ibuprofen or aspirin, as inflammation is part of healing. No alcohol or smoking.
- Two weeks or more
Keep out of direct sun, with SPF 40 or higher and a wide-brimmed hat.
- About six weeks
The full result usually shows from about six weeks.
Results
Results from3 to 4 weeks
The first changes show at three to four weeks, and texture can keep improving for several months. Results vary with your age, your skin, your lifestyle and what is being treated.
Redness and swelling usually settle within a few days. Any small marks or bruises fade.
Questions people ask
A filler adds volume and can contour the face the day it goes in, and PRP does neither. For that, ask us about filler.
An allergic reaction to it is less of a worry than with a foreign substance. It is still an injection, so bleeding, infection, bruising or nerve and tissue injury are possible.
We usually recommend a course of three sessions, four to eight weeks apart. After that, follow-up sessions may be needed up to three times a year.
Yes, we include it in treatments with Dermapen or RF Microneedling, and aftercare depends on the combination and the area.
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