No doubt, one of the marvels of the present is medical exploration, partnered with technology ` affording opportunities never envisaged in the past.
Plasma therapy involves injections with the concentration of a patient’s own platelets to accelerate the healing of ligaments, tendons, muscles, and joints. In other words, dealing basically with the muscular and skeletal system.
Plasma is the liquid portion of our blood consisting of water and proteins and facilitates the circulation of the red and white blood cells throughout the body having their own specific functions.
The injecting of PRP reduces inflammation normally dealt with via anti-inflammatory medicines like opioids, having negative side effects on the body organs.
Preparation involves anything from one to several tubes of one’s own blood then run through a centrifuge, spinning the solution, concentrating the platelets to be injected for a variety of complaints like tennis elbow, golfer’s shoulder, rotator cuff shoulder damage, runner’s knee, and tendonitis.
At this point, one is reminded of cortisone – one of the oldest medical treatments to alleviate inflammation, but not pain, especially in the cases of those suffering from osteoarthritis and other complaints. A question also arises as to why constant use leads to weight gain and bloating ` this apparently due to salt and water retention.
Certain concerns result, as PRP could enhance growth and may be considered as a performance-enhancing substance. Therefore some International anti-doping agencies disallow use but is generally considered safe especially as there is little chance of rejection of one’s own body substances.
In the realm of anti-aging and beauty-enhancing, procedures PRP is currently being used to reduce the prominence of scars, wrinkles, sun damage and dark circles, deterioration of the neck, décolletage and hands ` a local anesthetic being applied prior to the procedure.
Injecting PRP into the scalp to regenerate the follicles after hair loss has had an element of success. Cancer patients are not always aware that loss of hair after chemotherapy need not be permanent. However, the re-growth will be slower.
We are living in exciting, progressive and more relaxed times and the past may conjure up images of women wearing dark glasses, incognito as possible, entering the waiting rooms of plastic surgeons fearful of being recognized!