Autologous Conditioned Plasma Therapy

With an extensive and successful track record for enhancing healing autologous conditioned plasma (ACP) is also known for its effectiveness as an aesthetic treatment. This nonsurgical, minimally invasive procedure uses your own blood for natural skin rejuvenation, minimizing wrinkles and improving the skin’s texture on the face, neck, and hands. It has also been shown to improve the thickness and diameter of hair follicles and delay the progression of hair loss when used to treat alopecia in men and women. YES Medspa offers ACP therapy in Langley, BC, for people who want a natural treatment for skin rejuvenation or early hair loss.

What Is Autologous Conditioned Plasma Therapy?

Autologous in medicine means cells or tissues are obtained from the patient. This form of nonsurgical treatment has been used for many years to treat athletes suffering from injuries, to treat some degenerative joint problems, to aid in the healing of chronic wounds, and in dental restorative surgery. Health Canada has also acknowledged the use of autologous cells for some cosmetic treatments. ACP therapy does not contain stem cells and should not be confused with stem cell therapy.

Conditioned plasma refers to the process used to produce plasma that is rich in platelets. This process begins by drawing blood, similar to having a blood test. At YES Medspa, we most frequently use the Arthrex ACP® double-syringe system because it efficiently concentrates platelets and growth factors and requires less blood to be drawn than most other ACP systems. This reduces the time needed to administer the ACP treatment, and its unique double-syringe design allows for convenience, sterility and safety.

Once the blood is drawn, we spin it in a specialized centrifuge to separate the autologous conditioned plasma from other elements of the blood. The autologous conditioned plasma is then injected superficially into the treatment area or used topically after treatments such as Morpheus8 RF microneedling.

What Are the Benefits of ACP Therapy?

Growth factors in autologous conditioned plasma promote the body’s natural healing processes. Platelets are one of 4 main elements of human blood. Along with plasma, red blood cells, and white blood cells, platelets are essential for blood clotting and healing after trauma. Proteins contained in platelets, called growth factors, stimulate other cells to produce the components needed for tissue healing.

An ACP application or injection has an extremely high platelet concentration, making it 5 to 10 times more potent than anything typically found in human blood. Once applied, the chemical messengers released from your platelets known as cytokines trigger new collagen & elastin production as well as enhance blood flow to the area.

ACP for Skin Rejuvenation

ACP can be injected superficially to the tear troughs, nasolabial folds, neck, and other areas of crepey or thinning skin. After a series of 3 monthly treatments, clients can expect their results to last anywhere from 1-3 years. Maintenance treatments are performed every 8-12 months. With ACP, clients can expect a:

  • Reduction in fine lines and wrinkles
  • Enhancement of skin texture and tone
  • Improved and more even skin color
  • Thicker skin

ACP Therapy for Alopecia

Clinical studies have shown, that when injected into the scalp, ACP therapy can stimulate the blood supply to your hair follicles. In turn, this can increase the diameter of your hair follicles and cause a thickening of your hair. It has also been shown to awaken dormant hair back to its growth cycle.

At our Vancouver-area med spa, we provide autologous conditioned plasma therapy as both a standalone cosmetic treatment and an enhancement to other skin rejuvenation treatments, such as injectable wrinkle reduction or Morpheus8 microneedling.

What to Expect After Treatment?

Topical and injectable ACP treatments involve minimal to no downtime. We recommend avoiding extreme temperatures for 48 hours after the treatment and not rubbing or touching the treatment area immediately post-treatment. Most patients see improvement in the skin’s texture and tone almost immediately, however, these results are temporary as your body absorbs the plasma. Final results are seen 6 to 12 weeks after each treatment. Mild swelling and bruising may occur in the treatment area. A series of 3 to 6 treatments are recommended for best results, with treatments spaced 4 to 6 weeks apart.

ACP is an excellent alternative for patients who want a more natural solution to rejuvenate their appearance or to address early hair loss or hair thinning.

To learn more about autologous conditioned plasma therapy and how it can rejuvenate your skin, request a consultation at YES Medspa or call our office at (604) 888-9397 (Medspa). At YES Medspa & Cosmetic Surgery Centre, we specialize in offering you a full range of surgical and non-surgical options for aesthetic enhancement, all performed by our certified specialist physicians and nurses.

*Health Canada Information Update: July 26, 2019. https://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2019/70559a-eng.php

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