Preparing for a PRP session (face or scalp)

PRP means drawing a little of your blood, spinning it to concentrate the platelets, then re-injecting that concentrate. Nothing is added: it is your own plasma. That is why the preparation differs from other injections.

What to expect

Allow an hour: the blood draw, around ten minutes of centrifugation, then the injections. A course usually comprises three sessions a month apart.

Preparing, 72 hours before

Drink plenty the day before and on the morning itself: well-hydrated blood draws more easily and yields more platelets. Have a light breakfast — coming fasted risks feeling faint during the draw.

Avoid anti-inflammatories for the seven days before: they reduce platelet activity, which is precisely what we are trying to concentrate. No alcohol or tobacco the night before.

What to tell us

Anaemia, a clotting disorder, anticoagulant therapy, a blood disease, active cancer, pregnancy or breastfeeding. A blood test may be requested before the first session.

How the session goes

The blood is drawn from the crook of the elbow, like a routine test. The tube is spun in front of you, then the plasma is injected in micro-points across the face, or into the scalp if hair loss is being treated.

Afterwards, and what to do

On the face: redness and slight swelling for a few hours, no make-up for twelve hours. On the scalp: do not wash your hair for twenty-four hours, and avoid dyes and straightening for a week.

No anti-inflammatories for the following 48 hours either: the reasoning is the same as before the session.

When to call us back

Call in case of persistent pain at the draw site, spreading redness, or fever. A bruise in the crook of the elbow is ordinary; inflammation that progresses is not.

None of the above replaces the prior consultation: it alone says whether this procedure is right for you, and on what terms.