PLATELET RICH PLASMA
A small sample of your blood, concentrated into a plasma rich in the growth factors your body uses to repair itself, and returned to the areas that need it. Regenerative medicine in its most literal sense — nothing is added, and nothing foreign is introduced.
PRP - YOUR OWN BIOLOGY, CONCENTRATED
Platelets are the cells your body dispatches to any site of injury. They arrive carrying growth factors — the signalling proteins that instruct surrounding tissue to rebuild collagen, restore blood supply and repair itself. PRP takes those platelets, concentrates them well above their normal level, and places them exactly where you want that repair to happen.
30 min
From 280 British pounds
HOW IT WORKS
One.
A small blood sample is taken from your arm, exactly as it would be for a routine blood test.
Two.
It is spun in a centrifuge using the Cellenis system — a closed, sterile process using a gel separator that isolates the platelet rich plasma cleanly from the red cells. Nothing is exposed to the air, and nothing is handled outside the tube.
Three.
The resulting plasma is concentrated in platelets, and with them the growth factors that drive tissue repair.
Four.
It is returned to you — injected directly into the treatment area, applied during microneedling, or both, depending on what we are treating.
What the growth factors actually do
They instruct your fibroblasts to produce new collagen and elastin. They improve microcirculation, which is why skin quality and colour improve as well as texture. They reduce inflammation. And in the scalp, they extend the growth phase of the hair follicle and improve the blood supply feeding it.
Volumes
We offer two: 11ml of blood drawn, yielding approximately 6ml of plasma, and 22ml drawn, yielding approximately 12ml. The larger volume is used for full-face treatment, for larger areas, and where a more concentrated result is wanted. Your practitioner will advise which is appropriate.
WHAT WE TREAT
Skin quality and texture.
The core use. Improvement in smoothness, firmness, radiance and overall condition, developing over the weeks following each session.
Fine lines.
Softened through improved skin quality rather than filled. PRP is not a filler.
Under the eyes.
One of the most requested areas, and one where PRP genuinely helps where the concern is thin, crepey or dull skin. It will not fill a hollow or remove a fat bag — nothing injected will do the latter.
Acne scarring.
Particularly effective combined with medical microneedling, which is how we usually deliver it for this concern.
Dull, tired or sun-damaged skin.
Including the neck, décolletage and hands, where treatment options are otherwise limited.
Reactive or inflamed skin.
The anti-inflammatory signalling in PRP can help where redness and reactivity are part of the picture. We will assess your skin and be honest about the likely degree of improvement.
Hair thinning.
PRP supports follicles that are still alive but miniaturising, improving thickness, density and the growth cycle. See the section below for what this can and cannot do.
Stretch marks and body scarring.
Improvement is gradual and works best alongside microneedling.
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.
FAQ
Is PRP the same as a vampire facial?
Broadly, though the original "vampire facial" described microneedling with plasma applied to the surface. We inject where clinically appropriate, or combine both. The term is marketing; what matters is the technique used and why.
Does it hurt?
The blood draw is a routine blood test. Numbing cream is used for the treatment itself. Most people describe it as very tolerable, though the under-eye area is more sensitive.
How many sessions will I need?
Three, four to six weeks apart, for skin. Three to four monthly sessions for hair. One session will not give the result described on this page.
How long do results last? After a completed course, generally six to twelve months for skin, with maintenance recommended thereafter. Hair requires ongoing maintenance every three to six months.
Will I bruise?
Possibly, and it is common around the eyes. Bruising can last up to two weeks, so please do not book this close to an event.
Is PRP safe?
The product is your own blood, so allergy and rejection are not concerns. The risks are those of venepuncture and injection — bruising, swelling, tenderness and, rarely, infection. No treatment is entirely without risk and we will go through all of it with you.
Can PRP fill my tear troughs?
No. PRP is not a filler and adds no volume. It improves the quality of thin, crepey under-eye skin. If you have a hollow, that needs a different treatment — and if you have a fat bag, that needs a surgical opinion.
Can it help my rosacea or eczema?
PRP has anti-inflammatory properties and some patients with reactive skin notice an improvement in overall condition. It is not a treatment for rosacea or eczema, and neither is a licensed indication - however, we have personally seen excellent improvement using PRP on our patients for these exact indications. If you have an active skin condition, it needs managing properly first — we will tell you honestly what we think PRP can add.
Will PRP regrow my hair?
It can improve thickness and density where follicles are miniaturising, but it cannot regrow hair from follicles that are already lost. It works best in early to moderate thinning.
Why am I shedding more after starting hair treatment?
This is expected around a few weeks in, as follicles reset into a new growth cycle. It is not a sign the treatment has failed.
Is PRP better than polynucleotides?
Different rather than better. PRP uses your own biology and requires a blood draw. Polynucleotides are a manufactured product with a larger published evidence base and no blood draw. Some patients prefer one for reasons of principle as much as clinical effect. We offer both and will discuss which suits you.
Can I combine PRP with microneedling?
Yes, and for scarring and texture it is how we usually deliver it. You get the collagen induction from the needling and the growth factors from the plasma in one appointment.
What should I avoid beforehand?
Ibuprofen, naproxen and aspirin blunt platelet activity, so avoid them for 48 hours either side where you safely can. Do not stop prescribed aspirin — tell us instead. Eat and drink normally before your appointment; being well hydrated makes the blood draw easier.
Who carries out the treatment?
NMC / GMC registered specialists. PRP involves venepuncture and injection and is a medical treatment throughout.
Do you treat under-18s?
No. All treatments at Sebastian Rose are for adults only, without exception.
BOOK YOUR CONSULTATION
We will assess your skin or scalp properly and tell you honestly whether PRP is the right treatment, whether something else would serve you better, or whether a combination would.
Consultations are face to face, in clinic, in Cardiff.
0800 772 0137 · 39 Charles Street, Cardiff, CF10 2GB
