What Is PRP and What Is It Used For?

You may have heard the term PRP floating around in conversations about injury recovery, skin rejuvenation, or even hair regrowth—but what exactly is PRP, and how does it work?

At Habitual Health Collective, we’re all about evidence-based, regenerative approaches that help your body heal from within. PRP is one of those powerful tools when required —and here’s why it’s gaining attention across both medical and wellness spaces.

What Is PRP?

PRP stands for Platelet-Rich Plasma. It’s a treatment that uses your own blood to stimulate healing. Sounds wild? It's actually backed by growing scientific research.

Here’s how it works:

• A small amount of your blood is drawn, just like a standard blood test.

• The sample is spun in a centrifuge to separate out the platelet-rich plasma—the part of your blood packed with growth factors and healing properties.

• This concentrated plasma is then injected into the area that needs support—whether it’s a painful joint, a stubborn tendon injury, or an area where tissue repair is needed.

It’s a completely natural, minimally invasive therapy that uses your body’s own cells to accelerate healing.

What Is PRP Used For?

PRP can be used in a range of clinical and cosmetic settings. At Habitual, it’s most commonly used in the context of musculoskeletal injuries and chronic conditions, but you might have also seen it used in dermatology or hair loss treatment.

Here are some of the most common uses for PRP:

1. Joint Pain and Osteoarthritis

PRP has been shown to reduce pain and improve function in joints affected by arthritis, particularly the knees. It works by reducing inflammation and supporting cartilage repair.

2. Tendon and Ligament Injuries

From tennis elbow to Achilles tendinopathy, PRP can be a great option for people struggling with slow-healing tendon injuries. It helps kick-start the body’s repair process and can be a helpful alternative to cortisone injections.

3. Muscle Injuries

Athletes and active individuals often turn to PRP for muscle strains or tears that aren’t healing well with standard rest and rehab.

4. Post-Surgical Healing

PRP is sometimes used after surgeries (like ACL repair or rotator cuff surgery) to speed up healing and reduce scar tissue formation.

5. Skin and Hair Regeneration

While not a service we offer at Habitual, PRP is also used in the cosmetic space for things like collagen stimulation, acne scarring, and even hair thinning or hair loss (you might have heard the term “vampire facial”).

Why Choose PRP?

The biggest advantage of PRP is that it’s autologous—meaning it comes from you. That means:

• No risk of rejection

• No synthetic substances

• Lower chance of side effects

• A natural way to support your body’s own healing response

Is PRP Right for You?

PRP isn’t a magic fix for every condition, and it's not the first step in most treatment plans. But for people struggling with stubborn injuries or degenerative conditions that haven’t responded to standard care, it can be a powerful next step.

References

• Platelet-rich plasma for the treatment of osteoarthritis:

  • Citation: Dai WL, Zhou AG, Zhang H, Zhang J. "Efficacy of Platelet-Rich Plasma in the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: A Meta-analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials." Arthroscopy. 2017 Mar;33(3):659-670.e1.

• PRP for Tendinopathy and Soft Tissue Injuries:

  • Citation: Fitzpatrick J, Bulsara M, Zheng MH. "The effectiveness of platelet-rich plasma in the treatment of tendinopathy: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials." Am J Sports Med. 2017 Jan;45(1):226-233.

• PRP for Muscular Injuries:

  • Citation: Hamid MS, Yusof A, Mohamed Ali MR. "Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for acute muscle injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis." Orthop J Sports Med. 2014.

• Use of PRP in Post-Surgical Healing:

  • Citation: Andia I, Abate M. "Platelet-rich plasma: Underlying biology and clinical correlates." Regen Med. 2013;8(5):645–658.

• Cosmetic Use – Skin and Hair Regeneration:

  • Citation: Gentile P, Garcovich S. "Autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in hair restoration: A systematic review." Dermatol Surg. 2020 Sep;46(9):1297–1310.

• Safety and Autologous Nature:

  • Citation: Marx RE. "Platelet-rich plasma: Evidence to support its use." J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2004 Apr;62(4):489–96.