Alam M, et al. - This study was carried out to determine if platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection improves the visual appearance of photodamaged facial skin, including texture and color. According to findings, PRP is efficacious for facial rejuvenation, particularly for textural improvement of photoaged skin.

Methods

• Participants and raters were masked to groupings in this randomized clinical trial.
• The establishment was an academic-based, urban outpatient dermatology practice in Chicago, Illinois.
• Participants (aged 18-70 years with bilateral cheek rhytids of Glogau class II or greater) received 3 mL intradermal injections of PRP to one cheek and sterile normal saline to the contralateral cheek. .
• The study was conducted between August 21, 2012 and February 16, 2016.
• Photoaging scores (with subscores for fine lines, mottled pigmentation, roughness, and sallowness) as rated by 2 masked dermatologists were the primary outcomes.
• Participant self-assessment scores of improvement on a 5-point scale (worsening, no change, mild improvement, moderate improvement, or significant improvement), participant overall satisfaction scores on a 4-point scale (not satisfied, slightly satisfied, moderately satisfied, or very satisfied), and participant-reported or investigator-observed adverse events were included secondary outcomes.

Results

• Of the 27 participants enrolled, 19 (mean [SD] age, 46.37 [10.88] years; 17 female) were examined.
• Adverse events reported that were not related to the study agent included redness (n = 18), swelling (n = 16), bruising (n = 14), pruritus (n = 1), skin scaling (n = 1), and skin dryness (n = 1).
• At 12 months, no participants reported any adverse events.
• Mean (SD) photoaging scores rated by 2 skin specialists did not show a significant difference between PRP and normal saline for fine lines (baseline, 1.00 [0.75] vs 1.05 [0.78]; 2 weeks, 0.95 [0.71] vs 0.95 [0.71]; 3 months, 0.95 [0.71] vs 0.95 [0.71]; 6 months, 0.95 [0.71] vs 0.95 [0.71]), mottled pigmentation (baseline, 1.21 [0.53] vs 1.21 [0.54]; 2 weeks, 1.16 [0.60] vs 1.16 [0.60]; 3 months, 1.00 [0.47] vs 1.11 [0.46]; 6 months, 1.16 [0.69] vs 1.16 [0.69]), skin roughness (baseline, 0.47 [0.61] vs 0.47 [0.61]; 2 weeks, 0.47 [0.61] vs 0.47 [0.61]; 3 months, 0.47 [0.61] vs 0.47 [0.61]; 6 months, 0.37 [0.60] vs 0.37 [0.68]), and skin sallowness (baseline, 1.11 [0.88] vs 1.11 [0.88]; 2 weeks, 0.95 [0.85] vs 0.95 [0.85]; 3 months, 0.58 [0.61] vs 0.58 [0.61]; 6 months, 0.37 [0.68] vs 0.37 [0.68]).
• Participants rated the PRP-treated side as significantly more improved vs normal saline for texture (mean [SD] self-assessment score, 2.00 [1.20] vs 1.21 [0.54]; P=.02) and wrinkles (mean [SD] self-assessment score, 1.74 [0.99] vs 1.21 [0.54]; P=.03) at 6 months after a single treatment.