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Wounds happen for various reasons; some are the result of trauma, while others develop from chronic conditions like diabetes. Treating whatever type of wound you have correctly to avoid infection and other complications is essential.
More minor, less complex wounds don't usually require professional treatment unless you notice signs of an infection. But if you have a deep wound or are living with diabetes, you should seek professional care to avoid healing issues.
At Phoenix Foot and Ankle Institute, Dr. Jeffrey E. McAlister and his team provide regenerative medicine and various wound treatments to help you heal. Dr. McAlister is a foot and ankle specialist providing skin biologics to the Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona, communities.
Platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, is a treatment that utilizes the body's healing properties to accelerate cell production and enhance recovery. Doctors use PRP in various ways, including to repair an injury, to accelerate healing after surgery, and even to heal certain types of wounds.
The magic behind PRP comes from the platelets in your blood. Platelets are an essential factor in clotting after an injury or cut – but they do much more than that. On each platelet are powerful proteins that stimulate growth and tissue repair.
Plasma is the liquid portion of the blood that we use to inject platelets into a wound — but how do we separate the two? We use a centrifuge machine to spin the blood down, separating the plasma and concentrating the platelets within it.
Once we have the PRP mixture, we put it in a syringe, clean off the wound, and inject it right into the treatment area. When the platelets sense the area requires healing, they work with their growth proteins, rebuilding and reconstructing cells and tissues.
The PRP process doesn't happen overnight; the platelets need time to rebuild the cells and stimulate collagen and elastin to form a framework for the new skin. However, it's often much quicker than traditional wound healing, especially with larger or more complex wounds.
Wound care is just one of the many ways medicine utilizes PRP preparations – but which wounds does it work on the best? The truth is that PRP can work on many types of wounds, because the platelets work to create new cells and tissues for regrowth.
However, some wounds are better for PRP treatment. Dr. McAlister recommends PRP therapy for those with the following types of wounds:
After extensive surgery, you may have a wound that doesn't seem to heal right. After a foot or ankle procedure, Dr. McAlister may inject PRP in the operating room to accelerate the healing of the incision.
If you've had surgery elsewhere and have a wound that doesn't seem to heal, he can also utilize PRP to accelerate the process and allow the skin to heal over time.
Diabetic foot wounds don't heal well because of the damage to the nerves and circulatory system from high blood sugar. This damage prevents you from feeling the wound and keeps vital nutrients from reaching the area.
Dr. McAlister utilizes PRP to provide the wound with extra support from the platelets and growth proteins. The PRP begins to work right away, rebuilding healthy tissues to allow the area to finally heal.
Non-healing wounds happen for various reasons, including in people with chronic medical problems like diabetes. These wounds can occur anywhere but are standard on the feet and lower legs because they don't get excellent circulation.
PRP works on these wounds to provide them with the growth proteins they need to allow a wound that can't heal to build healthy new cells and tissues.
Pressure ulcers occur when too much pressure is put on one area of the skin, which causes a wound that's difficult for the body to heal. Venous ulcers occur when circulation problems happen in the legs, causing ulcers on the calves or ankles.
Because of circulatory compromise, these wounds are too complex for the body to heal, so they don't get the required cells and nutrients. PRP provides these wounds with the growth factors they need to begin recovery.
Very large wounds may require PRP simply because their size makes them difficult to treat at home. These wounds may also be painful, which is where PRP can help. PRP reduces inflammation and increases cell production to help the body take on a large wound and allow it to heal fully.
To schedule a consultation with Dr. McAlister for regenerative medicine or wound care, call the office in Scottsdale or Phoenix today, or request a consultation using our online booking feature.
