“Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a treatment derived from the patient’s own blood and processed to increase platelet concentration,” says Michael Baria, M.D., director of the orthobiologics program at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “Platelets contain proteins that promote tissue repair. By increasing platelet concentration and injecting them at the site of injury, PRP aims to improve the capacity for healing and recovery.”

A person’s blood consists of red cells, white cells and platelets. Platelets are key to clotting, as well as carrying nutrients, hormones and proteins throughout the body to the places that need them. Human blood is also rich in plasma, which makes up over half of an individual’s blood composition. Plasma carries vital elements, such as water, enzymes and salt, throughout the body.

PRP is the result of a step-by-step therapeutic process in which a medical professional takes platelets from a patient’s blood and directly places them in a targeted area to hasten the healing process.