Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) for Stretch Marks in Los Angeles, CA
Why Do Stretch Marks Develop?
Estimates suggest up to 80 percent of people have stretch marks (striae). These unwanted markings can manifest on several different parts of the body, including the stomach, thighs, arms, and breasts. Rapid weight gain, extreme weight loss, and hormonal changes are typically the catalysts that cause your skin to stretch beyond its normal capacity. In turn, the dermis breaks, leaving reddish purple streaks or stripes on your skin. Pregnancy is a perfect storm of weight gain and hormonal changes that frequently results in stretch marks; in fact, 90 percent of women develop these "tiger stripes" during their pregnancy.
Unfortunately, preventive measures often prove ineffective in the treatment of stretch marks; diminishing your stretch marks appearance after their development is often the best strategy. One treatment, which uses your blood's own growth factors, is quickly becoming the go-to stretch mark treatment: Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP).
PRP for stretch marks utilizes platelets and other growth factors harvested from your blood to promote your body's natural healing ability and eliminate everything from stretch marks to wrinkles and scarring. You do not have to bear the burden of unsightly stretch marks anymore. To schedule a consultation with a qualified healthcare practitioner in Los Angeles that specializes in PRP treatment for stretch marks, call (424) 365-1800 or contact Dr. Jeremy Fischer online.
Why Is PRP Good for Stretch Marks?
Your blood is comprised of a liquid called plasma that contains platelets and red and white blood cells. Your blood platelets contain proteins called growth factors that have been deemed to be critical in healing injuries, which is why PRP is most often seen in the media as a treatment for athletic injury, with famous athletes (like Tiger Woods and Kobe Bryant) touting its ability to help them heal.
In the human body, platelets are activated in response to injury. They clot blood and facilitate healing of an active injury. PRP likewise responds with its cascade of healing growth factors to heal an injury. Unfortunately, stretch marks are scars, not fresh injuries. To activate the PRP response to eliminate stretch marks, controlled injury must be created. That is where micro needling comes into play. Micro needling pricks microscopic holes into the outer and inner layers of your skin to cause micro-injuries that trigger your body's healing response. That is when PRP steps in with its concentrated platelets and growth factors—first to clot the micro-bleeding, then to trigger collagen and elastin growth. Each time the process occurs, your stretch marks get smaller and less-noticeable.
Who is a Good Candidate for PRP Stretch Mark Removal?
Because PRP is nothing more than your own blood placed in a centrifuge to concentrate your platelets, there is no allergic response or risk using PRP injections even in deep tissue, much less in skin.
Good candidates for PRP stretch mark removal include:
- Mothers who developed stretch marks during pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Teens who experience stretch marks due to growth spurts and hormonal changes of puberty
- Individuals with drastic weight loss or weight gain
- Individuals with a family history of developing stretch marks
- People exposed to high levels of cortisol, whether due to prescription corticosteroids or Cushing’s disease, who have developed stretch marks
- Individuals who have developed stretch marks due to nutritional deficiencies
People prone to infection or with compromised immune function should discuss the risk of infection with a healthcare professional prior to using PRP for stretch marks.
What to Expect Using PRP for Stretch Marks
PRP treatment for stretch marks is conducted in an office or clinic setting and normally takes no more than an hour. First, your blood is drawn and processed in a centrifuge to concentrate your platelets.
Once your platelet-rich plasma is prepared, your healthcare provider will begin with the micro needling portion of the procedure. There are various tools used to accomplish micro needling, but they are all designed to cause minimal, sometimes no pain. There is often a numbing agent used in the process. Next, your healthcare provider will begin topical application of the PRP to the needled area, which takes about 20-30 minutes.
You may experience minimal pain or inflammation at the site of treatment, but since PRP has pain-relieving properties, it normally kicks in and provides its own pain relief. Most people see improvement in the first treatment, but three or four sessions may be required. They are best spaced one month to six weeks apart.
Using your body's own platelet-rich plasma can be a safe and effective way to heal and repair your body from the skin damage and unsightly appearance of stretch marks. If you are one of the 260 million Americans who suffers from stretch marks, request more information about PRP stretch marks treatment today. Call (424) 365-1800 or contact Dr. Jeremy Fischer online.
Vitality Integrative Medicine
Address
4849 Van Nuys BlvdSuite 104
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
(424) 365-1800
www.vitalityintegrative.com
Hours
Mon:
8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Tue:
8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Wed:
8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Thu:
8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Fri:
8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sat:
8:00 am - 12:00 pm