PRF Gel

At Face Forward Medical Aesthetics, we are passionate about seeking out the most cutting-edge modalities, technologies, and skincare options for our patients. PRF is an innovative tool in our anti-aging arsenal for revitalizing your appearance and enhancing your total well-being. We are excited to speak with you today about how treatments with PRF gel can assist in your goal of looking and feeling your absolute best.

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What is PRF?

Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) is a blood plasma by-product that helps to accelerate healing. During the normal recovery process, the body sends several different cell types, including platelets, to a wound in order to bolster healing. Platelets help form blood clots and release important growth factors that initiate a self-repairing mechanism in the skin.
In the past, PRF has been used exclusively in a hospital setting due to the high costs of separating out the platelets and the high volume of blood needed to produce sufficient amounts of PRF. However, new technology has emerged that is making the process easier and more affordable.

What is the difference between PRP and PRF?

PRP (platelet-rich plasma) production uses an anticoagulant to prevent your blood sample from clotting while it's processed. In PRF (platelet-rich fibrin) production, fibrin (a component of clots) is allowed to form. The final PRF product creates a sort of scaffold or matrix that enables platelets to be released more slowly once they're injected, versus the rapid release of platelets that is generated with PRP.

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What is PRF gel (platelet rich fibrin) gel?

Liquid PRF is produced by a hard spin of blood without clot activators and anticoagulants, thereby generating an upper platelet-poor plasma (PPP) layer, a cell-rich buffy coat layer known as PRF, and the remaining red clot (RC) layer.

Heating PPP has been shown to generate an albumin gel that, when mixed back with PRF, generates Alb-PRF that has extended healing properties when implanted. PRF gel, which, as stated above, is a mixture of the PPP and PRF, yields a viscous consistency. The gel allows the matrix to stay in place for a longer period of time. The platelets can be released slowly over 30+ days instead of in a short burst over the course of 2 days as occurs with PRF, or over the course of a few hours as occurs with PRP.

How does PRF gel work?

The gel serves to localize both activated platelets and their presynthesized growth factors in the treated area. The platelets trapped in the gel continue to synthesize and release bioactive growth factors after injection. These growth factors promote neocollagenesis, resulting in soft-tissue augmentation and reduction of wrinkles.

It is suggested that the continual release of growth factors from trapped platelets at the injection site may be responsible for the sustained therapeutic effects of plasma gel for several months after the treatment session.

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What are the benefits?

PPP (platelet-poor plasma) gel injection as a dermal filler is a cost-effective, well-tolerated, non-surgical procedure. The gel is an autologous material easily obtained from the patient’s own blood, and therefore, any risks of immunogenic reactions or disease transmission are eliminated.

The viscous plasma gel gives an immediate and significant volumetric filling effect maintained for 3-6 months. It does not depend on high concentrations of platelets and gradual release of growth factors like PRP but rather on its fibrin bundles that provide a scaffold for platelets, trapping them in the treatment area to serve as a source for sustained release of growth factors. Initial results are encouraging and promising, and this is a great alternative to undereye filler, for which very few patients are candidates.

What does the procedure entail?

After your blood is drawn, it is then spun in a centrifuge to separate out the different components. We extract the PPP and PRF from the blood tube. We heat and cool the blood products using a dedicated device designed for this specific protocol. The PRF gel is formed and transferred into a syringe.

The treatment area is cleaned and prepped. The product is then injected. Most patients find the process easy to tolerate, and they experience very little discomfort. Clients will generally require 2-3 sessions for initial correction, followed by an annual session for maintenance.

Why choose us?

Face Forward Medical Aesthetics is a full-service medical spa in Lexington, MA, that caters to discerning patients seeking state-of-the-art skincare from caring, knowledgeable aesthetic authorities. By empowering our clients through education and information and by supporting them through active listening, we ensure a seamless experience along with stunning, personalized results.