Evaluation of the Effect of PRP Injections on Changes in Facial Skin Structures Assessed by Ultrasound Imaging

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections into the facial skin in women based on facial skin ultrasound findings. The study included 50 women who underwent intradermal PRP injections into the facial skin for the first time. All patients underwent an ultrasound scan of the facial soft tissues and a skin assessment using a 3D skin analyzer both before the procedure and one month afterwards. Positive changes in the ultrasound parameters of the facial soft tissues were observed. The median thickness of the dermis increased by 30.8% in the forehead region, by 29.6% in the mid-cheek region and by 17.4% in the parotid region (p < 0.05). The thickness of the subcutaneous fat layer increased by 37.1%, 14.0% and 25.0% respectively (p < 0.05). The thickness of the subepidermal low-echogenic band decreased by 16.7% in the forehead region, by 8.3% in the mid-cheek region and by 16.7% in the parotid region; statistically significant changes were observed in the mid-cheek (p = 0.0299) and parotid regions (p = 0.036). High-frequency ultrasound enabled the quantitative assessment of short-term changes in facial soft tissue parameters following PRP administration. However, these findings represent ultrasound-derived morphometric changes and do not independently establish the presence of tissue regeneration or a treatment-specific biological effect.