PLATELET RICH PLASMA
HOW DOES PRP WORK?
Your blood carries platelets, and platelets carry growth factors: the signalling proteins your body uses to repair damaged tissue, build collagen and grow new blood vessels. PRP concentrates them and puts them exactly where they are needed.
A small blood sample is taken from your arm, just like a routine blood test. It is spun in a centrifuge using the Cellenis PRP system, which separates the plasma and concentrates the platelets. We prepare either 11ml of blood, giving around 6ml of plasma, or 22ml, giving around 12ml for larger areas such as the full face. The plasma is then injected into specific areas, or microneedled across the skin, where the growth factors prompt repair and new collagen over the following weeks.
Because it is made entirely from your own blood, nothing synthetic is added and there is nothing for your body to react against.
WHAT DOES PRP TREAT?
PRP for the face
Dull, tired skin, uneven texture and tone, fine lines and acne scarring. Applied across the face by microneedling, this is what is often called a vampire facial. For scarring and texture, medical microneedling with PRP as an add-on goes further than either alone.
PRP for rosacea
PRP can help calm the redness of rosacea and support the skin's barrier as it repairs. It works alongside, rather than instead of, your skincare and any medical treatment you have been prescribed, and we will talk through what else helps at your appointment.
PRP under the eyes
Injected directly into the thin skin beneath the eyes, PRP can improve crepiness, fine lines and dark circles caused by thin, see-through skin. It does not fill hollows. If volume is the problem, Bio Filler or tear trough filler will do more, and our eye treatments page compares them.
PRP for hair
Injected into the scalp, PRP can strengthen thinning hair and support regrowth in the early stages of hair loss. Because low iron, low vitamin D and thyroid problems all cause hair loss, we may suggest a blood test first, so any underlying cause is treated alongside PRP. See our hair restoration page for the other options.
PRP FOR HAIR — WHAT IT CAN AND CANNOT DO
PRP is one of the better-evidenced non-surgical options for hair thinning, and it is also one of the most oversold. Both things are true.
It works by improving blood supply to the follicle, extending the active growth phase, and supporting follicles that have begun to miniaturise but have not yet been lost.
It will not regrow hair from a follicle that has already died, and it will not restore a fully bald area. If the scalp is smooth and shiny, the follicles are gone and no injection will bring them back.
It works best in early to moderate thinning, where there is still visible fine hair rather than bare scalp, and where treatment starts sooner rather than after years of decline.
A shedding phase is normal. Many people notice increased shedding a few weeks after starting. This is follicles resetting into a new growth cycle, not the treatment failing — but it is alarming if nobody warns you, which is why we do.
Protocol: three to four sessions at monthly intervals initially, then maintenance every three to six months. Hair responds slowly; the first honest assessment is at four to six months.
It works better alongside other measures — prescribed topical or oral treatment where appropriate, and correcting any nutritional deficiency. We will discuss all of it rather than selling you injections alone.
PRP OR CELLENIS BIO FILLER?
Both start with your own blood. They are not the same treatment and they do different jobs.
PRP is a liquid. It regenerates — improving the quality, texture and health of skin or scalp. It adds no volume.
Cellenis Bio Filler takes the process further. The platelet-poor portion of your plasma is heated in a controlled way, restructuring the proteins into a dense gel scaffold, which is then recombined with PRP. The result is an autologous filler that provides genuine volume alongside regeneration, with results developing over six to twelve months after a completed course.
In short: if the concern is skin quality, PRP.
If the concern is volume as well as quality, bio filler.
Many patients have both, and we will tell you which is appropriate rather than defaulting to the more expensive one.
"VAMPIRE FACIAL" — A NOTE ON THE TERM
You will see PRP marketed as a "vampire facial", and we still use the term because it is what people search for.
It is worth knowing what it originally described: microneedling with plasma applied topically to the surface afterwards. That does deliver the plasma through the micro-channels and it does work — but it is a different, gentler treatment from injecting concentrated platelets at a controlled depth into the tissue.
Where we are treating skin quality generally, we usually inject.
Where we are treating scarring or texture, we combine microneedling with PRP so you get both the collagen induction and the growth factors.
Which approach you have is a clinical decision based on what we are treating, and we will explain which we are using and why.
The name is theatre. What matters is where the plasma ends up.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Your course.
Three sessions, four to six weeks apart, for skin. This is not upselling — a single session gives a temporary improvement, and the change people actually want comes from the course. Booking the three together costs less than paying per session.
Results.
Build gradually from around four to six weeks and continue developing for several months. Maintenance is generally recommended every six to twelve months.
On the day.
Blood draw, processing while you wait, then treatment. Numbing cream is applied where appropriate. Allow an hour.
Afterwards.
Redness, warmth and mild swelling for 24 to 72 hours. Bruising is common and can be significant around the eyes, lasting up to two weeks. Tenderness for a few days. Small raised bumps at injection points settling within hours.
Results depend partly on you.
Because the active ingredient is your own blood, outcomes vary with your age, general health, smoking status and medication. This makes PRP less predictable between individuals than a manufactured product, and we will not promise you a specific result.
Safety.
Because it is made entirely from your own blood, there is no risk of allergic reaction or rejection. The risks are those of taking blood and of the injections themselves — bruising, swelling, tenderness, and rarely infection. Your practitioner will go through all of it before you consent.
PRP RESULTS
Skin often looks fresher within the first week as swelling settles. The real change builds gradually as new collagen forms, and shows most clearly after the second and third sessions. The standard course is three sessions, four to six weeks apart. Depending on what we are treating, a fourth is sometimes recommended, and maintenance sessions keep the result.
BOOK YOUR PRP
PRP FAQs
What is PRP?
PRP, platelet rich plasma, is a regenerative treatment made from your own blood. A small sample is taken, spun in a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets and the growth factors they carry, then injected or microneedled back into your skin or scalp to stimulate repair, collagen and new blood supply.
Is PRP the same as a vampire facial?
A vampire facial is the popular name for PRP applied to the face, usually by microneedling plasma into the skin. We offer that, and also inject PRP directly into specific areas such as under the eyes and the scalp, which places the growth factors where they are needed rather than on the surface.
How much is PRP in Cardiff?
At Sebastian Rose in Cardiff, PRP under the eyes or for rosacea is £280 per session, or £800 for a course of three. Full-face PRP is £360 per session, or £950 for three. PRP for hair is £399 for a new patient session, £999 for a course of three, and £299 for maintenance sessions. Book PRP.
How many sessions will I need? The standard course is three sessions, four to six weeks apart. Depending on what we are treating, and how your skin or scalp responds, a fourth session is sometimes recommended. After the course, maintenance sessions keep the result.
What does PRP treat?
On the face: dull skin, uneven texture and tone, fine lines, and acne scarring, especially combined with microneedling. Rosacea: to help calm redness and support the skin's barrier. Under the eyes: thin, crepey skin and dark circles caused by thin skin. On the scalp: thinning hair and hair loss.
What system do you use?
We use the Cellenis PRP system. It prepares either 11ml of blood, giving around 6ml of plasma, or 22ml, giving around 12ml, which is used for larger areas such as the full face or for a more concentrated treatment.
What is the difference between PRP and Bio Filler?
PRP improves skin quality but does not add volume. Bio Fillertakes your plasma further, heating it into a natural gel that can restore volume, for example under the eyes or across the face. Both use only your own blood.
Can I add anything to my PRP?
Yes. When you book, you can add exosomes for £95 or microneedling for £140. Exosomes add a further concentrated dose of repair signals, and microneedling spreads the plasma evenly across the skin and adds its own collagen stimulus, which helps most with texture and scarring.
Should I have a blood test before PRP for hair?
Often, yes. Low iron, low vitamin D and thyroid problems are common causes of hair loss, and PRP cannot correct a deficiency. We may suggest a blood test first so that any underlying cause is treated alongside PRP, which gives it a better chance of working.
Is there any downtime?
Expect mild redness, swelling and pinpoint marks for a day or two. Under the eyes, bruising can occur. Most people return to normal activities the next day.
Who is not suitable for PRP?
Anyone with a blood or platelet disorder, anyone taking blood-thinning medication, anyone with an active infection or cancer, and anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding. We go through your full medical history before treatment and will tell you honestly if PRP is not right for you.
PRP taken further into a natural filler
Texture, scarring and fine lines
PRP and polynucleotides for thinning hair
Compare every under-eye option we offer