Stem cells and Platelet-Rich Plasma are pioneering the way for regenerative medicine. This may indeed be the new “Fountain of Youth”. Platelet-Rich Plasma, or PRP, is collected from your own blood.
Your collected blood is purified and made into a highly concentrated platelet solution. This magic youth serum is then injected into injured sites. The platelet concentration can be 5 to 10 times higher than the normal platelet concentration.
On the other hand, stem cell therapy is commonly used for tendon, ligaments, joints, and muscle injuries. In cosmetic medicine, I use PRP for hair growth. “Using yourself to build other areas of your body.”
I have worked on many hair loss patients who wanted to regrow their hair. By using stem cell therapy and PRP injections, I was able to regrow their hair back successfully.
So how does it work?
First, blood is drawn from the patient and placed in a centrifuge. Centrifugation separates the platelets and the blood cells. Then, I remove the newly concentrated platelets (PRP) and inject the PRP into the patient’s head.
You can watch the video below to see how I inject the stem cells and PRP into a patient to stimulate his hair growth.
As for stem cell therapy, I use a specialized needle to get blood from the hip marrow. Once inside the bone marrow, I am able to aspirate bone marrow and blood with stem cells.
This bone marrow blood is centrifuged just like PRP. Using ultrasound guidance, I can then inject these stem cells into the injured area.
Instead of aspirating stem cells from your hip, I prefer extracting stem cells from the blood itself. I will then combine these stem cells with PRP. The reason I prefer this method is because it avoids the patient getting poked by a bigger, thicker needle on the hip. This method is also less expensive.
Once everything is set, I begin the PRP procedure by numbing the dome of the head with local anesthesia. I wait for the anesthetic to take effect. Then, I inject the PRP into the deep and intermediate layer of the scalp. I inject the PRP and stem cells in the direction of the hair follicles.
Then, I use a Derma Pen (a micro needling pen) to inject the PRP and stem cells into the superficial layer of the scalp. The Derma Pen does a great job of quickly penetrating the epidermis and dermis. Because the needle is a microneedle, it almost painless.
Stem Cell research and treatments have been increasing popularity lately due to their significant success. More and more treatments are becoming available to heal, repair, and regenerate the human body.
If you are interested in learning more about stem cells and PRP, call my office and schedule a complimentary consultation.
The above post was written by Dr. Timothy Katzen — click here to learn more.
