PRP for ageing skin: realistic expectations

Key takeaways

• PRP is made from your own blood, spun to concentrate platelets, which release growth factors.
• A 2025 systematic review found the strongest evidence for skin thickness and elasticity, weaker for wrinkles and texture, and the weakest for hydration.
• In a randomised trial, patients felt their texture and wrinkles improved more with PRP than salt water, but blinded doctors found no significant difference.
• Side effects are usually mild: bruising, swelling and soreness for a few days.
• I offer PRP, but I do not promote it. It suits a narrow set of goals.

What is PRP and how does it work?

PRP stands for platelet-rich plasma. We draw a small amount of your blood, spin it in a centrifuge, and separate the part rich in platelets. Platelets carry growth factors, proteins the body uses in healing. The idea is that putting a concentrated dose into the skin nudges it to build collagen and repair.

On the face, PRP is usually given in one of two ways: - Injected in tiny amounts across the treated area with a fine needle. - Applied after microneedling, so it can enter through the small channels. This is sometimes called a "vampire facial" on social media.

Because it is your own blood, there is no risk of an allergy to a foreign product. That is one reason people like it.

What does the evidence actually show?

I'll be straightforward, because there is a lot of noise about PRP.

A 2025 systematic review in the Annals of Plastic Surgery looked at 20 studies with 514 patients. Here is how often studies reported a significant improvement in each feature:

No serious side effects were reported. Patient satisfaction improved in every study that measured it.

Another 2025 systematic review, in Enfermería Clínica, reached a similar view: PRP may help facial rejuvenation, but techniques and doses vary widely and more research is needed to find the right method.

The most careful single study I know of is a randomised trial in JAMA Dermatology in 2018. Each person had PRP on one side of the face and salt water on the other. Six months later, patients rated the PRP side as better for texture and wrinkles. But when blinded doctors scored the photos, PRP was not significantly better than salt water.

That is very important to understand. You might feel a difference. An independent observer may not see one. Both things can be true.

So what is PRP good for?

In my practice, PRP makes sense for a fairly specific person: - Someone who wants better skin quality, a little more firmness and glow, rather than a change in shape. - Someone in their thirties or forties with early thinning or dullness. - Someone who prefers a treatment from their own blood and understands the result will be subtle.

What it does not do: - Lift jowls or sagging skin. - Soften strong frown lines the way a wrinkle injection does. - Restore lost volume in the cheeks or under the eyes the way a filler does. - Help ageing hands. A 2024 randomised trial found PRP no better than salt water for hand skin. I covered this in ageing hands.

If any of those are your main concern, I would rather tell you that up front than sell you PRP sessions that leave you disappointed. Often the better first step for skin quality is still the simple one: daily sunscreen and a retinoid at night, given a few months to work.

How many sessions, and how long before results?

Protocols vary, and that is part of the problem with the research. In the studies, people commonly had a few sessions spaced several weeks apart. Collagen remodelling is slow, so any change usually appears gradually over weeks to months, not the next day.

If I suggest PRP, I tell you the number of sessions and the fee in writing before we start, and we fix a review date to look honestly at whether it has helped you. If it hasn't, we stop. Basically, I don't believe in adding sessions on hope.

What are the side effects and who should avoid it?

Usually mild and short-lived: - Bruising and swelling at injection sites, for a few days. - Redness and tenderness, especially after microneedling. - Occasionally small bumps, dryness or flaking.

Who should not have PRP, or should discuss it carefully first: - People with blood or platelet disorders, or on blood-thinning medicines. - Anyone with active skin infection, cold sores or a flare of acne in the area. - People with certain cancers or uncontrolled medical conditions. - Pregnancy and breastfeeding, where most doctors prefer to wait.

Because it involves drawing blood and injecting, it should be done in a clean medical setting with proper sterile technique. Ask where and how the sample is prepared.

How I approach PRP at Dr Tvacha

PRP is on our menu, and I use it when it fits the goal. At a face assessment I look at what you want to change, and if it is volume, lines or sagging, I will tell you PRP is the wrong tool. If it is skin quality, I explain what the evidence shows and what you can realistically expect, and write the plan and fee down before you pay. You can read about the Long Game Anti-ageing Plan, compare with skin boosters, or find our centres in Thane and Mumbai.

Written by

Dr Amit KarkhanisAesthetic Physician · MBBS, Dip. Dermatology (UK) · Reg. No. 2001/02/1124

Founder of Dr Tvacha, practising in Thane since 2005. Leads the weight loss and hair programmes.