PRP Plasma Therapy — Skin & Scalp

MarBelle Clinic uses the Arthrex PRP system — a closed, single-use tube-based centrifugation system trusted across both orthopaedic and aesthetic medicine — to prepare platelet-rich plasma from the patient's own blood for facial and scalp injection. Centrifuging a small blood draw concentrates platelets to three to five times their normal blood levels; when re-injected into the target tissue, the activated platelets release a spectrum of growth factors (PDGF, TGF-β, IGF-1, VEGF) that stimulate fibroblast migration, collagen synthesis, and angiogenesis. For skin, this translates to improved texture, tone, and firmness; for the scalp, it supports hair follicle activity and may slow miniaturisation in early androgenetic alopecia.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy uses the body's own biological growth factor reservoir — concentrated from a blood draw — to provide tissue regeneration signals at the injection site. The underlying science rests on the role platelets play in natural wound healing: when a vessel breaks, platelets aggregate and degranulate, releasing their alpha-granule contents (primarily growth factors) to initiate the repair cascade. PRP therapy creates a localised pharmacological concentration of these signals without any synthetic or foreign material. At MarBelle Clinic, the Arthrex ACP (Autologous Conditioned Plasma) system is used. This is a well-validated, double-syringe centrifugation system designed originally for orthopaedic PRP use — where the clinical evidence base and quality control requirements are more stringent than in aesthetic medicine alone. A 15ml blood draw is taken via a standard venous puncture, placed in the proprietary Arthrex tube, and centrifuged for five minutes. The double-syringe design separates the plasma fraction with minimal red blood cell contamination — important because erythrocytes can cause inflammatory reactions when injected into skin. For facial treatment, the PRP is injected superficially across the dermis in a microinjection pattern — similar to the skinbooster injection technique. The growth factors stimulate resident fibroblasts and keratinocytes, improving overall skin quality, hydration, and collagen density. Most patients notice an improvement in skin radiance and texture within four to six weeks. A series of three to four sessions spaced four weeks apart is recommended for initial tissue regeneration, with annual maintenance thereafter. For scalp treatment, PRP is injected into the mid-scalp dermis at the level of the hair follicles — typically in a grid pattern across zones of concern. The growth factors — particularly PDGF and VEGF — support follicle survival by improving local vascularity and directly stimulating the follicle progenitor cells. Evidence in early-to-moderate androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata suggests PRP can meaningfully slow hair loss progression and improve hair shaft thickness, though it does not permanently reverse established follicle loss. The treatment is well tolerated. Blood draw involves a brief sting; the injections are preceded by numbing cream where needed. Side effects are limited to redness, mild swelling, and occasional small bruises at injection points — all resolving within 24–48 hours. There is effectively no systemic toxicity risk as the product is autologous.