Filling Prominent Nasolabial Fold Appliying Platelet Rich Plasma(PRP) Gel

INTRODUCTION

PRP gels has been used for a few years in facial plastic surgery to decrease hematoma formation, seroma formation, postoperative swelling, and healing time. Despite having a volume itself, PRP gel hasn’t ever used as a filling material in aesthetic plastic surgery practice. The gel has not only volume advantage but also the benefits of PDGF and cytokines. Due to this, we used the PRP gel as a filling material for nasolabial folds.

METHOD

3,W patients were refered to our clinic with prominent nasolabial fold due to aging.  Mean age was 46( 42- 48). We obtained PRP gel from their own blood without anesthesia by embryologists. Blood was centrifuged, and the platelet and fibrinogen rich plasma component were harvested. It was applied in policlinic doing injection with 18 G canule about 2 cc. Patients were visited at 1th week, 1th, 3th and 6th months. Photos and videos were taken. For one patient MR imaging was performed.

RESULT

In one patient PRP gel was seen at MR imaging at nasolabial fold area at 1th month.

In physical examination, gel was perceivable. Nasolabial fold depth was reduced  at static and dynamic visualization and their face were looked younger.

CONCLUSION

Prominent nasolabial folds  due to ageing are a major aesthetic concern among women. There are many treatments like injection of artificial fillers, fat grafting operations, facelift procedures. And the most popular is fat graft. We shared our patients whom we used PRP gel for filling the nasolabial fold.

PRP gels has been used for a few years in facial plastic surgery to decrease hematoma formation, seroma formation, postoperative swelling, and healing time.  Their use as a biological dressing after laser resurfacing has demonstrated faster healing and decreased erythema. The application of platelet gels to fat grafts enhances the longevity when injected for contour augmentation. When platelet gel is used in conjunction with sutures it provides for greater tensile strength. PRP gel hasn’t ever used as a filling material in aesthetic plastic surgery practice.

In this study we used PRP gel as a tissue fiiler. It an easy harventing, cost effective method and the main advantage is restoring the problem with autologous tissue even easier than fat graft.