The "platelet-rich fibrin matrix" (PRFM) method is a cosmetic surgery procedure involving

plasma needling Plasma needling is a minimally invasive aesthetic medical procedure purported to rejuvenate skin, minimize the appearance of hypertrophic and hypotrophic scars and stretchmarks, and reduce pattern hair loss through multimodal physical and bioch ...

. It is a way of extracting

platelet Platelets or thrombocytes () are a part of blood whose function (along with the coagulation#Coagulation factors, coagulation factors) is to react to bleeding from blood vessel injury by clumping to form a thrombus, blood clot. Platelets have no ...

s from the patient's own blood and using them as a

dermal filler Injectable filler is a special type of substance made for injections into connective tissues, such as skin, cartilage or even bone, for cosmetic or medical purposes. The most common application of injectable fillers is to change one's facial appear ...

– that is, as a substance injected under the skin of the face to try to fill out

wrinkles A wrinkle, also known as a rhytid, is a fold, ridge or crease in an otherwise smooth surface, such as on skin or fabric. Skin wrinkles typically appear as a result of ageing processes such as glycation, habitual sleeping positions, loss of bo ...

. PRFM is an

outpatient A patient is any recipient of health care services that are performed by healthcare professionals. The patient is most often ill or injured and in need of treatment by a physician, nurse, optometrist, dentist, veterinarian, or other healt ...

procedures that, , costs about $900 to $1,500 in the U.S. and takes less than half an hour. Blood is drawn from the patient's arm and spun in a

centrifuge A centrifuge is a device that uses centrifugal force to subject a specimen to a specified constant force - for example, to separate various components of a fluid. This is achieved by spinning the fluid at high speed within a container, thereby ...

to separate out the platelets, which are then injected back under the patient's facial skin. It can also be combined in a specific way with other fillers. A procedure using this combination has been marketed as the "Vampire facelift". PRFM has been available on the U.S. market since 2009. It was developed and is marketed by the

Aesthetic Factors Aesthetics (also spelled esthetics) is the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature of beauty and taste, which in a broad sense incorporates the philosophy of art.Slater, B. H.Aesthetics ''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy,'' , acces ...

corporation. A platelet extraction centrifuge was cleared by the U.S.

Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respo ...

(FDA) in 2002. , platelets extracted in this centrifuge have not been cleared or approved by the FDA for facial rejuvenation. Nonetheless, Selphyl has been described as an "FDA approved dermal filler" in YouTube videos and trade publications. The

efficacy Efficacy is the ability to perform a task to a satisfactory or expected degree. The word comes from the same roots as '' effectiveness'', and it has often been used synonymously, although in pharmacology a distinction is now often made betwee ...

of PRFM is contested. , according to a ''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' report, it is attested by several plastic surgeons who use it but remains unproven by research. Phil Haeck, the president of the

American Society of Plastic Surgeons The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) is a professional society that represents plastic surgeons in the United States and Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces a ...

, dismissed the procedure as "creepy", "a gimmick" and as "antiquated as

bloodletting Bloodletting (or blood-letting) was the deliberate withdrawal of blood from a patient to prevent or cure illness and disease. Bloodletting, whether by a physician or by leeches, was based on an ancient system of medicine in which blood and othe ...

". It is marketed as Selphyl, TruPRP, Emcyte, Regen, and Pure Spin.

References

{{reflist Plastic surgery