By Ashli Urano
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy has emerged as an innovative treatment embraced by medical professionals around the world. This article explores the views of three highly respected doctors in Frisco who have incorporated PRP therapy into their medical practices. These doctors have seen the remarkable benefits of PRP across different areas of healthcare, using the body’s natural healing powers. Through their experiences and specialized expertise, these doctors offer insight into how PRP is making an impact within Frisco’s healthcare community.
Dr. Brian Rudman, owner of Formula Wellness, has been a board-certified Anesthesiologist since 1997. He received his undergraduate degree from Northwestern University before obtaining his Doctorate in Medicine from the University of Missouri. In 2016, Dr. Rudman’s focus shifted to health and wellness. As he worked toward becoming board-certified in functional medicine, his ultimate goal was to treat health issues naturally.
“We had this kind of natural-first approach using nutrition, exercise, and supplementation, with meditation being the second approach. A lot of our focus is on weight loss, hormone replacement, and concierge medicine,” Dr. Rudman explained. “Aesthetics became a natural progression to our business model. It’s a combination of wellness and aesthetics, but mainly focusing on ‘How do we do things as natural as possible?’ PRP feeds into that because it’s a natural way to regrow tissues using your own body’s natural growth properties.”
Dr. Rudman explained that the PRP process first involves drawing a patient’s blood. Within the blood, the red blood cells produce its color, and the remaining component, known as serum, consists of both platelet-poor and platelet-rich elements. The area surrounding the platelets contains essential growth and repair factors that are vital for the body’s healing mechanism.
Our bodies possess an incredible capability to naturally repair damaged tissues, whether from exercise-induced muscle strain or partial tearing of ligaments or tendons. These repair factors are sourced from our blood. In the PRP process, these concentrated repair factors are collected, and then administered locally to specific areas that require repair or growth.
“We use PRP to treat shoulder issues, tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, and other injuries. We also offer a full hair restoration program using PRP, supplements, medications, and hair transplantation,” Dr. Rudman said. “Injections in the scalp will help regrow and revitalize hair. We use PRP post hair transplantation to preserve as many existing hair follicles as possible.”
There’s a growing interest in PRP’s natural approach to facial aesthetics. “People no longer want to be overfilled with hyaluronic fillers. We still do quite a bit of fillers, but people are moving away from the overfilled look and taking as much of a natural approach as possible,” Dr. Rudman said. “PRP is a great way to rebuild collagen and the elasticity or stretchiness of your skin by injecting it into the face. There are lots of uses for PRP. It’s a natural way to improve, regrow, and refresh tissues.”
Dr. Rudman also uses PRP injections for hormone replacement therapy and sexual rejuvenation in both women and men. These injections increase sensitivity and blood flow, improving erectile firmness in men and relieving vaginal dryness in women.
Formula Wellness does everything a traditional medical spa does and more. In addition to regular procedures and PRP, they offer biostimulators, as well as laser and energy-based medicine.
Dr. Andrew Dold, owner of Star Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, opened his practice soon after moving to Frisco in 2016. As an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine, Dr. Dold tackles various joint issues involving the shoulder, hip, elbow, knee, and ankle. Born in South Africa and raised in Canada, he attended medical school at Trinity College, University of Dublin in Ireland. He continued his orthopedic surgery training at the University of Toronto before completing a sports medicine fellowship at Langone Medical Center and the Hospital for Joint Diseases in New York City. Dr. Dold furthered his education with a surgical leadership diploma from Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Dold provided additional information regarding PRP. He began by explaining the three primary components of whole blood. They are red blood cells, white blood cells, and plasma, which includes the platelet layer. Red blood cells are responsible for oxygen transportation from hemoglobin molecules contained within them. Athletes like endurance cyclists may aim for a higher red blood cell count to enhance oxygen, delaying fatigue during races.
White blood cells play a crucial role in fighting infections and are commonly transported by lymph glands throughout the body. Diseases like HIV target specific white blood cells, weakening immunity and leaving individuals vulnerable to infections. Platelets, the third blood component, serve as the body’s healing cells, carrying anti-inflammatory cytokines and factors that aid in healing injuries. In instances such as a cut from shaving, platelets migrate to the affected area, forming a blood clot to enable the healing process.
Dr. Dold explained, “The idea of platelet-rich plasma is to draw blood and place it into a centrifugation system where it spins for about 15 minutes. The centrifugal force of the spinning allows the different cells, which are different weights, to be separated. The idea is we get rid of the white and red blood cells and concentrate the platelets into a supraphysiologic concentration of these platelets and then inject it back into the patient’s body at the source of the injury or pathology.”
In sports medicine, PRP treatment is extremely common. “We use PRP for soft tissue injuries such as rotator cuff tendonitis in the shoulder,” Dr. Dold said. “It’s also used for different tendinopathy (jumper’s knee, runner’s ankle, or Achilles tendonitis), as well as tendon and muscle tears. We also treat more chronic ailments like osteoarthritis of the hip or knee. PRP injections work well, especially in the early stages of arthritis.”
Without hesitation, Dr. Dold feels PRP treatment is a safe procedure that has been studied extensively. “It has proved to be very successful in the treatment of multiple different muscular-skeletal pathologies,” he explained. “It’s also used as an adjunct in surgery to help improve surgical outcomes and decrease the chance of recurrence rate after recovery from surgery. It’s very safe and is more beneficial than corticosteroid for the treatment of a number of different ailments.”
Dr. Timothy Rodgers, a board-certified dermatologist, attended medical school at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine after graduating from the University of Kansas. He then completed his residency training at the University of Michigan Medical Center’s Department of Dermatology before establishing Rodgers Dermatology in 2006.
Dr. Rodgers treats children and adults with skin conditions. Additionally, he specializes in enhancing skin aesthetics through cosmetic procedures and advanced laser treatments. He provides a range of services, including general, surgical, and cosmetic dermatology.
“PRP has been around for roughly 15 to 20 years. It started in dentistry to assist with bone grafts, then caught on in dermatology for cosmetic purposes like promoting hair growth and skin rejuvenation,” Dr. Rodgers explained. “If we are using PRP for skin rejuvenation, we do microneedling. It’s placed on the skin and massaged into the pores. We use PRP for a number of different procedures.”
He went on to say, “We specialize in skin rejuvenation for fine lines and wrinkles. PRP can be combined with fillers like Juvederm, and can be injected in the lips and cheeks. Additionally, PRP can be used as an add-on to various laser procedures or combined with microneedling, which involves creating channels in the skin.”
Rodgers Dermatology provides hair restoration or hair growth, which helps the new hair grow, as well as prolonging the active growth phase. With treatment, the hair becomes thicker and stronger by injecting PRP directly into the scalp, flooding the area with growth factors and platelets. Typically, a series of four treatments are needed, then maintenance continues every six months.
The main question potential patients ask is about seeing results. “The time it takes to see a difference depends on the patient,” he said. “People seem to have different rates of improvement, so whether that’s due to age or the concentration of the platelets, or any other factors, is really hard to know.”
Many doctors offer PRP injections ranging from $600 – $800. While insurance does not currently cover the cost, the benefits may be worth the expense.
PRP therapy is a substantial advancement in modern medicine, presenting a safe, natural, and effective treatment for many different medical conditions. By skillfully applying PRP in wellness, orthopedics, and dermatology, these doctors are redefining healthcare in Frisco.
To learn more about Dr. Rudman at Formula Wellness visit formulawellnesscenter.com, to learn more about Dr. Dold at Star Orthopedics visitstarorthopedics.com, and to learn more about Dr. Rodgers at Rodgers Dermatology, visit rodgersderm.com.
Ashli Urano is a freelance writer obsessed with competitive tennis, true crime, and her Goldendoodle named Sadie Kirenia
