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The Effects of Platelet-Rich Plasma on Recovery Time and Aesthetic Outcome in Facial Rejuvenation: Preliminary Retrospective Observations

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Abstract

Background

This study focused on the possible effect of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on recovery time and aesthetic outcome after facial rejuvenation. We conducted a retrospective analysis with regard to recovery time and the aesthetic improvement after treatment among four groups of patients: those treated with fat grafting only (Group I), those treated with fat grafting and PRP (Group II), those treated with a minimal access cranial suspension (MACS)-lift and fat grafting (Group III), and those treated with a MACS-lift, fat grafting, and PRP (Group IV).

Methods

For the first part of this study, i.e., evaluation of recovery time after surgery, the following selection criteria were used: nonsmoking females, aged 35–65 years, with a complete documented follow-up. In total, 82 patients were included in the evaluation of patient-reported recovery time. For the second part of the study, i.e., evaluation of potential differences in aesthetic outcome, the records of these 82 patients were screened for the presence of pre- and postoperative standardized photographs in three views (AP, lateral, and oblique), leaving 37 patients to evaluate. A questionnaire was developed to evaluate the aesthetic outcome in all four groups of patients. This questionnaire was given to an expert panel that consisted of ten plastic surgeons.

Results

The addition of PRP to a lipofilling procedure resulted in a significant drop in the number of days needed to recover before returning to work or to restart social activities [Group I (no PRP) took 18.9 days vs Group II (PRP) took 13.2 days, p = 0.019]. There seemed to be no effect when PRP was added to a MACS-lift + lipofilling procedure. Also, the aesthetic outcome of the lipofilling and MACS-lift + lipofilling groups that received PRP (Groups II and IV) was significantly better than the groups without PRP (Groups I and III).

Conclusions

Adding PRP to facial lipofilling reduces recovery time and improves the overall aesthetic outcome of a MACS-lift.

Level of Evidence V

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Annebeth Kroeskop and Eline Noels for assisting with the online survey.

Conflict of interest

All authors have no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and publication of this article. None of the authors received financial support for the research, authorship, and publication of this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plastic Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Joep C. N. Willemsen & Berend van der Lei

  2. Bergman Clinics The Hague, Binckhortslaan 149, 2516 BA, The Hague, The Netherlands

    Joep C. N. Willemsen, Berend van der Lei & Hieronymus P. J. D. Stevens

  3. Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Karin M. Vermeulen

Authors
  1. Joep C. N. Willemsen
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  2. Berend van der Lei
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  3. Karin M. Vermeulen
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  4. Hieronymus P. J. D. Stevens
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Correspondence to Joep C. N. Willemsen.

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Willemsen, J.C.N., van der Lei, B., Vermeulen, K.M. et al. The Effects of Platelet-Rich Plasma on Recovery Time and Aesthetic Outcome in Facial Rejuvenation: Preliminary Retrospective Observations. Aesth Plast Surg 38, 1057–1063 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-014-0361-z

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