FAQ

Is it safe? Cosmetic PRP is a simple and safe procedure. Most patients will have some subtle redness at the completion of the procedure and the only real potential ‘complication’ may be mild swelling or bruising that may last three to seven days. Because the PRP is extracted from your own blood, there is no risk of disease transmission, allergic or immune reaction. As with all cosmetic and medical procedures, there are certain health conditions that will exclude patients.

Does it hurt? A local anaesthetic cream or gel is used to numb the skin. A very fine needle is used to inject the PRP and the injection itself may be slightly uncomfortable. As the PRP injection is intended to produce an inflammatory and healing response, most patients can expect the injected area to feel slightly tender and warm for the first day after the procedure. Please note that no ice, steroidal, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (eg. Nurofen, Ibuprofen) should be used for 7 days post procedure as it can interfere with the healing response.

Is PRP approved for use in professional or elite athletes? The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) allow the use of PRP therapy in all applications for elite athletes.

Is PRP new? Platelet Rich Plasma was first used in cardiac surgery in 1987 to improve post-operative healing. The next area in medicine to adopt the therapy was dental surgery where it has been safely used for over 20 years. More recently it has been utilised in plastic surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, implant surgery, and spinal fusion surgery. Latest advancements in technology have allowed the positive outcomes from these applications to be replicated in the outpatient clinic setting. Alocuro is continually reviewing cutting-edge research to ensure that Alocuro’s PRP therapy protocols offer the patient the best possible outcome from PRO-PRP.

How to choose a reliable PRP therapy.  Please note that not all PRP injections are equal. We strongly advise that patients seeking this type of therapy ask the clinic they are planning to attend what type of PRP medical device they are using, whether it is CE for Europe, TGA for Australia approved; and what concentration of PRP it provides. Many PRP devices produce a PRP concentration only slightly higher that the concentration found in whole blood. Those products should not be marketed as PRP, as all leading researchers state that to be called PRP, the plasma extract should have a platelet concentration of at least 3 times the concentration level found in the patient’s blood.

Patients can seek further information from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) website on the regulation of PRP and autologous conditioned serum products. Patients are encouraged to ask the professional performing their PRP procedure if they are using a TGA registered PRP kit and if they are working with a doctor or dentist, as is required by TGA guidelines.

Alocuro produces PRP in line with the recommended levels and can provide a concentration up to 10 times normal concentration levels if required. The medium concentration levels that Alocuro recommends – usually 5 times normal levels, will provide a superior therapeutic outcome for regeneration of tissue.

Average cost? The average cost of an Alocuro platelet rich plasma (PRP) therapy treatment for cosmetic purposes ranges from $500- $1000 depending on the size and scope of the area being treated.