Injectable · Skin Rejuvenation · Autologous

PRP for Skin

How this page was made
This page was written with AI assistance and reviewed against the sources listed under References below. It is general information only, not medical advice. See our full disclaimer for how SHEA creates and reviews treatment information.
01

What it is

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is prepared from a person’s own blood and contains a higher concentration of platelets than whole blood. Platelets contain growth factors involved in normal wound healing and tissue repair.

This page covers PRP used for skin treatment. PRP for hair loss uses the same underlying material for a different purpose. See the PRP for Hair page for that use.

For facial skin treatment, PRP may be injected directly or used together with procedures such as microneedling. These approaches should not be assumed to have identical evidence, since microneedling itself can affect the skin.

Because PRP is prepared from the patient’s own blood, allergic reactions to the injected material are less of a concern than with some externally introduced substances. This does not eliminate risks associated with facial injection itself.

02

Why people consider it

  • They are considering treatment aimed at aspects of facial skin quality such as texture or fine lines
  • They are considering PRP alongside another procedure such as microneedling, including for acne scarring
  • They prefer a treatment prepared from their own blood rather than an externally manufactured injectable material
03

What the experience is like

Blood is drawn and processed to separate a platelet-rich preparation. The PRP may then be injected into the treatment area or used as part of another procedure such as microneedling.

Temporary redness, swelling, bruising, or tenderness can occur after treatment. Preparation methods, platelet concentrations, injection techniques, and treatment schedules vary between clinics, so there is no single PRP protocol that applies to every treatment.

04

Limitations & considerations

Facial injection risk
Serious vascular complications from facial PRP injection appear to be rare, but cases of permanent vision loss have been reported after accidental injection into facial blood vessels. Using a patient’s own blood does not eliminate this mechanical injection risk.
  • PRP preparation methods vary substantially, including platelet concentration and processing technique, which makes results from different studies and clinic protocols difficult to compare directly
  • Clinical evidence for facial rejuvenation remains uncertain, and current reviews do not support assuming consistent improvement across patients or treatment protocols
  • When PRP is combined with microneedling, laser treatment, or another procedure, improvement cannot necessarily be attributed to PRP alone
  • Medical conditions, medications, active infection, and other factors that may affect blood collection, platelet function, healing, or injection safety should be discussed with the treating clinician
  • Safety during pregnancy or breastfeeding has not been well established for cosmetic PRP treatment
  • No specific improvement in wrinkles, texture, hydration, scarring, or other skin-quality measures can be guaranteed
Evidence note
PRP has been studied for facial rejuvenation in a number of clinical studies and systematic reviews, but the evidence remains difficult to interpret because preparation methods, treatment protocols, comparison groups, and outcome measurements vary substantially between studies.
A 2024 overview of 13 systematic reviews identified 28 unique primary studies and found that much of the available evidence was based on uncontrolled studies or studies with methodological limitations. The authors concluded that the available evidence was insufficient to draw firm conclusions about PRP for facial rejuvenation. More recent reviews report potentially favorable findings for some skin outcomes while continuing to emphasize differences in treatment methods and the need for better controlled studies.
Serious vascular complications from facial PRP injection appear to be rare but have been reported, including permanent vision loss. These reports concern injection-related vascular injury and should be considered separately from questions about whether PRP improves skin quality.

References

Peer-reviewed literature.

1. Cruciani M, Masiello F, Pati I, Pupella S, De Angelis V. Platelet rich plasma for facial rejuvenation: an overview of systematic reviews. Blood Transfusion, 2024;22(5):429–440.
Peer-reviewed · Umbrella review of 13 systematic reviews / 28 primary studies
2. Hesseler MJ, Shyam N. Platelet-rich plasma and its utility in the treatment of acne scars: a systematic review. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2019;80(6):1730–1745.
Peer-reviewed · Systematic review · Acne scar specific
3. Shetty VH, Bhandary SN, Bhandary R, Suvarna C. A comparative study of efficacy and safety of autologous fat grafting versus platelet-rich plasma in the treatment of post-acne scars. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021;20(11):3454–3461.
Peer-reviewed · Comparative study (n=24) · PRP used with subcision · Acne scar specific
4. Kalyam K, Kavoussi SC, Ehrlich M, et al. Irreversible blindness following periocular autologous platelet-rich plasma skin rejuvenation treatment. Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2017;33(3S Suppl 1):S12–S16.
Peer-reviewed · Case report · Serious adverse event
5. Wu SZ, He X, Weiss RA. Vision loss after platelet-rich plasma injection: a systematic review. Dermatologic Surgery, 2022;48(6):697–698.
Peer-reviewed · Systematic review · Serious adverse events
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