Whilst PRP is the most well-known treatments of this kind, Platelet Rich Fibrin (or PRF) is growing in popularity and can be used in a number of versatile ways - so, what is PRF and why is it different to PRP?

PRP tubes will contain a chemical compound which stops the blood sample from coagulating and forming a hard clot. There are different options available for anti-coagulation, but Sodium Citrate (which hospitals use to store blood for blood-transfusions) is the most common and very safe.

On the other hand, PRF tubes contain no anticoagulant. This means that left to its own devices and when exposed to oxygen, the blood sample taken from a patient will form a solid clot.

This clot can be used in dentistry during implant preparation, in sports therapy to speed-up the healing of joints, or in cosmetics. Alternatively, as coagulation takes time, PRF is an injectable liquid for (depending on the brand of supplier) for up to 16 minutes. This is an option for practitioners trying to provide the most autologous procedure, without the introduction of any foreign substances (like anti-coagulants). With a PRF treatment, a fibrin matrix is created, which releases growth factors and other elements more slowly over time. This means that while PRP releases these healing factors for 2-3 days, PRF releases them over 2-3 weeks.

If you want to find out more about PRF, please see the link to a useful article here.