PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma)
Episodes covering prp (platelet-rich plasma) — protocols, research, and expert discussions.
Concentrated platelets from your own blood injected to accelerate healing in joints, tendons, skin, and hair follicles
PRP has the strongest evidence for knee osteoarthritis, where multiple meta-analyses show it outperforms hyaluronic acid and placebo for pain reduction and function. For hair loss (androgenetic alopecia), evidence is promising with several RCTs showing increased hair density. Tendon injuries and facial rejuvenation have moderate but less consistent evidence.
The treatment uses your own blood, minimizing rejection risk. Results vary significantly based on preparation method, injection technique, and the condition being treated. Consider for knee OA that hasn't responded to conservative treatment, or hair loss before committing to finasteride.
Science & Mechanisms
Mechanism of action:
- Platelets release growth factors: PDGF, TGF-β, VEGF, EGF, IGF-1
- These growth factors recruit stem cells and stimulate tissue repair
- Anti-inflammatory cytokines reduce local inflammation
- Concentrated platelets (3-8x baseline) amplify natural healing response
- Fibrin matrix provides scaffold for tissue regeneration
Key studies:
- Filardo et al. (2021): Meta-analysis of 30 RCTs showing PRP superior to hyaluronic acid for knee OA
- Gentile et al. (2020): Meta-analysis confirming efficacy for androgenetic alopecia
- Fitzpatrick et al. (2017): Systematic review of PRP for tendinopathy
- Everts et al. (2020): Review of PRP mechanisms in skin rejuvenation
Applications with evidence:
- Knee osteoarthritis - strong evidence (multiple meta-analyses)
- Hair loss (androgenetic alopecia) - moderate-strong evidence
- Tendinopathy (tennis elbow, patellar, Achilles) - moderate evidence
- Facial rejuvenation - moderate evidence
- Rotator cuff injuries - emerging evidence
- Wound healing - emerging evidence
PRP preparation variations:
- Leukocyte-rich (LR-PRP): Higher growth factors, more inflammatory
- Leukocyte-poor (LP-PRP): Less inflammatory, preferred for joints
- Platelet concentration: 2-8x baseline affects potency
- Activation method: Calcium chloride, thrombin, or freeze-thaw
Episodes
Andrew Huberman hosts Dr. Craig Koniver, a board-certified physician specializing in performance medicine, for a deep dive into the therapeutic use of peptides and hormones for ...
In this second part of the HBOT series, Dr. TJ Williams dives deeper into the science and clinical applications of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. He recaps Dr. Godman's research sho...
Andrew Huberman explores the neuroscience of pain perception and how to leverage brain-based protocols to manage pain and accelerate injury recovery. He explains that pain and i...
Jack Butler, founder and CEO of Pulsed Harmonix, joins the Bee's Knees podcast to explain how pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy works and why it may benefit people dea...
Dr. Cat Stone, one of the world's leading non-surgical aesthetic practitioners and a licensed global trainer for the vampire facial and related PRP techniques, joins Inside Aest...
Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Mary Alice Mina recaps her interview with Dr. Amelia Hausauer by busting five common PRP myths. She explains that PRP is backed by robust evide...
Dr. Ricky Singh from Weill Cornell and New York Presbyterian provides a comprehensive, evidence-based review of PRP therapy for musculoskeletal conditions. He walks through the ...
Comedian Jim Jefferies joins Dr. Priyanka Wali and Sean Hayes to discuss his medical adventures including hemorrhoid surgery and diverticulitis. Before the interview, the hosts ...
Wild Health's Dr. Mike shares his first-hand experience getting PRP for a near-full-thickness rotator cuff tear, joined by sports medicine physician Dr. Mark Goodman who perform...
In part two, Dr. TJ Williams shares his own PRP success story - healing a torn ligament in his wrist that had failed to respond to other therapies, confirmed by MRI showing the ...
Dr. TJ Williams hosts Dr. David Harshfield, chairman of the Institutional Review Board for the International Cellular Medicine Society, for a deep dive into platelet-rich plasma...
Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Jeff Piccirillo traces his PRP journey from 2002, when a rep brought a centrifuge into the OR to augment spine fusion bone grafts, to founding a regenerat...