Aesthetic medicine
Plasmolifting with platelet-rich plasma
Plasmolifting uses your own blood. A small volume is centrifuged to separate plasma with a raised platelet concentration, which is then injected into the skin. Using your own material makes the procedure immunologically more acceptable — it does not make it proven for every indication, nor free of risk.
Why autologous plasma is discussed at all
Platelets contain growth factors that take part in the body’s natural healing processes. The idea behind the method is to concentrate those factors and apply them locally in order to stimulate tissue processes in the skin.
That is a reasonable biological premise, but a premise is not evidence. There is a distance between a mechanism that sounds logical and a clinical result that can be measured reliably, and for this method that distance has not been covered equally for every indication.
How the material is prepared
Venous blood is drawn into a dedicated tube and centrifuged to a defined protocol. The plasma fraction with the higher platelet concentration is separated and used immediately. No foreign substances are added and nothing is stored for later.
Concentration, volume and preparation method differ between protocols and manufacturers. That is one reason published studies are hard to compare: two procedures with the same name can mean two different products.
An honest account of the evidence
The quality of the evidence for platelet-rich plasma varies substantially by indication. In some fields of medicine it has been studied in more depth, whereas for aesthetic application to facial skin the published studies are often small, with differing preparation protocols, differing session counts and subjective outcome measures.
So no efficacy percentages appear here. We will tell you plainly that the effect is moderate, gradual and temporary, that it is delivered as a course, and that outcomes vary between patients more than with standardised procedures. If you are expecting a permanent change, this is not the right method.
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Who performs the procedure
The procedure is performed by Dr Nevena Karadjova, a specialist in Oral Surgery (MU-Varna, 2019). Handling blood products requires strict asepsis, correct labelling and single-use consumables — each sample is processed separately and used only for the person it was taken from.
If you have a blood disorder, take anticoagulants or have an active infection, tell us in advance. Some of these are contraindications; others require coordination with your treating physician.
Stages of treatment
How the procedure runs
Roughly 45 to 60 minutes, including preparation of the plasma.
Consultation and history
We assess your goal, medical history, any blood disorder, medication and the presence of active infection, and establish whether the method is appropriate.
Informed consent
You receive written information about the procedure, the expected effect, the number of sessions in the course, the risks and the cost. Consent is signed beforehand.
Blood draw and processing
Venous blood is taken and centrifuged on site. A bruise at the venepuncture site is possible, as with any blood test.
Application
The plasma is injected into the skin of the treated area with a fine needle. Redness, swelling and tenderness are possible for the first hours to days.
Course and review
Several sessions are usually planned at set intervals, followed by maintenance. The result is judged after the course is complete, not after the first session.
Who this is for
Who this suits
- Adults in good general health with moderate expectations
- Willingness to complete a course and follow it with maintenance
- Understanding that the method rests on a mixed evidence base
- No active infection and no blood-related contraindication
Good to know
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Blood disorders, thrombocytopenia and coagulation abnormalities
- Active infection, including at the treatment site, or active malignancy without your oncologist’s opinion
- Expecting a permanent change or a result comparable to surgery
Good to know
Risks and limitations
The material being your own reduces the risk of an immune reaction to a foreign substance, but it does not make the procedure risk-free. All the risks of injection remain: bruising, swelling, redness, tenderness and, less commonly, infection at the treated sites.
There are also the risks of the blood draw itself: bruising, discomfort at the venepuncture site and, less commonly, a vasovagal reaction with light-headedness. If you tend to feel faint when blood is taken, please say so in advance.
The effect is temporary and requires repeating. Outcomes vary between patients more than with well-standardised procedures, and in some patients the change may be hard to perceive. Nobody can promise you a result.
If you are looking for an effect on deep folds, lax tissue or contour, plasmolifting is not the appropriate method and should not be offered to you as a substitute for other treatment.
Alternatives
What else we will discuss
Mesotherapy
Another approach to skin quality, also delivered as a course and also with a moderate, temporary effect. The choice depends on your goal, tolerance and preference.
Daily care and sun protection
These do more, and for longer, than any injectable procedure. They are the first step rather than the last.
Dermatology referral
For skin disease, pigmentation or anything suspicious we refer you on rather than applying an aesthetic procedure.
Doing nothing
With a method whose evidence is mixed, this is a particularly sensible choice if your expectations are high.
Meet the dentist
Dr Nevena Karadjova
Dentist · Specialist in Oral Surgery
All implantology and All-on-X surgery of the clinic: implants, bone grafting and sinus lift, oral surgery, aesthetic medicine.
- DMD, Medical University of Varna
- Specialty in Oral Surgery, MU-Varna, 2019
- Assistant, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dental Medicine, MU-Varna, 2016–2019
- Resident, Maxillofacial Surgery Clinic, UMHAT “Sv. Marina”, Varna, until 2017
- 2,000+ implants placed personally
Frequently asked questions
Questions about plasmolifting
Using your own material reduces the risk of an immune reaction to a foreign substance, but it does not remove the risks of the procedure itself: bruising, swelling, tenderness and, less commonly, infection. The risks of the blood draw are added to that. No procedure is risk-free and we will not describe this one as such.
The method is delivered as a course rather than a single treatment. Several sessions at set intervals are usually planned, followed by maintenance. The exact number is decided at consultation according to your goal and your skin, not by a universal package.
The quality of the evidence varies substantially by indication. For aesthetic application to facial skin, published studies are often small, use different preparation protocols and rely on subjective outcome measures. That is why we describe a moderate effect and publish no percentages.
Mesotherapy introduces a manufactured preparation, while plasmolifting uses a fraction of your own blood. Both are delivered as courses with a moderate, temporary effect. Which one suits you is decided at consultation according to your goal and preference. In both cases the aim is skin quality rather than a change in contour.
The blood draw is like a routine blood test. For the application, fine needles are used and topical anaesthetic cream is available if you want it. We will not promise a particular experience, because sensation is strictly individual. If you tend to feel faint when blood is taken, tell us before the appointment.
We do not publish a price, because cost depends on the area and the number of sessions in the course. After consultation you receive a written price for the whole course, so you can judge the real outlay before starting.
Related treatments
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A consultation covering the indications, a candid discussion of the evidence and a written price for the full course.
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