What are the advantages of Platelet Rich Plasma versus other Prolotherapy solutions?

The other Prolotherapy solutions act on white blood cells, getting them to release the ‘growth factors’ which trigger the connective tissue healing system.  Platelet Rich Plasma also utilizes the other source of these chemical, the platelets, to add to add additional ‘triggering chemicals’, which generally provides overall a ‘stronger’ healing response.  Also, if the white blood cell part of this mechanism is ‘unavailable’ due to necessary use of corticosteroids or other immunosuppressants (such as for immunosuppression following organ transplant), then the healing system can still be triggered via the platelet mechanism.  Secondly, the addition of the stem cells to the equations makes it more likely that more cartilage can be produced.  While Dextrose Prolotherapy has been shown to grow cartilage in a majority of knees treated in a research study, this effect is likely more pronounced when using PRP.  PRP is overall the ‘strongest’ connective tissue healing trigger that we have.