PRP and PRF in East Finchley: your own blood, used for your own skin
A natural option for tired skin and the under-eye area, with the evidence stated as it is, not as it is sold.
PRP (platelet-rich plasma) and PRF (platelet-rich fibrin) are treatments made from a small sample of your own blood, prepared in the clinic and placed back into your skin to encourage it to repair itself. Nothing is added from a bottle. At Nova we use them for the face and for the under-eye area, on their own or with microneedling. A session is £220 for the face or under the eyes, £240 with microneedling, and PRF is priced the same as PRP.
It suits adults with dull, thin or tired-looking skin, fine lines, crepey skin under the eyes, and early acne scarring, who want a natural option and will do a course of three. It is not for anyone under 18, anyone pregnant or breastfeeding, or anyone with a blood disorder or on blood thinners without a conversation first. We do not currently offer PRP or PRF for the scalp: hair loss is assessed and advised at a consultation, and we explain why below.
What happens at your appointment
What results to expect and how long they last
Your first visit is a free consultation. We look at your skin or the area under your eyes in good light, go through your health, medicines and allergies, and photograph the area for your record. We say plainly whether PRP or PRF fits what you have described, or whether a skin booster, polynucleotides, filler or nothing at all is the better answer. New clients are offered a few days to think before booking; returning clients can go ahead on the day.
On the day, numbing cream goes on the area, a small blood sample is taken from your arm, as for a blood test, and prepared in the room while the cream works. The prepared sample is then placed into the skin with a fine needle, or applied to the skin during microneedling. Allow 45 minutes, or 75 with microneedling. You leave with a written aftercare sheet.
Nothing changes on the day. Expect redness and swelling for a day or two, often a bruise, and small bumps under the eyes that flatten within a day. Most people notice the skin looking a little brighter and smoother at four to eight weeks, building over the course. A course is three sessions, four to six weeks apart, then a session every six to twelve months if you want to keep it.
The honest position on the evidence: the published trials of PRP for the skin are small, and because every clinic prepares it differently, nobody can tell you how big the benefit is. Some people are pleased with the change in texture and under-eye skin; some see little. Results vary and cannot be guaranteed. We photograph before and after the course so you judge it against something real.
Who it suits and who it does not
PRP and PRF suit adults with dull or thin skin, fine lines, crepey or dark-looking under-eye skin caused by thin skin, and early acne scarring, especially people who want a treatment made from their own body rather than a product. PRF has no additive at all, releases more slowly, and is the one we usually suggest under the eyes.
We do not treat anyone under 18 (no cosmetic injectable of any kind), anyone pregnant or breastfeeding, anyone with an active infection, cold sore or inflamed skin in the area, or anyone with a blood or platelet disorder. Blood thinners, a low platelet count, a recent course of prescription acne tablets, cancer treatment and autoimmune conditions all need a discussion first. If your under-eye problem is a hollow, PRP will not fill it: that is a conversation about tear trough filler. If your problem is pigment, a prescription cream used at night exists, discussed face to face.
Hair loss: PRP for the scalp is not something we offer at the moment. If hair loss is your concern, book the free consultation. We look at the pattern, ask the questions that point to the cause, say honestly what treats it, including the prescription options, a tablet or a liquid, that have the strongest evidence, and tell you when a GP or a dermatologist is the right next step. Nothing for the scalp is bookable here.
The honest limit
PRP and PRF improve the quality of thin, tired skin by a modest amount, over a course, in some people. They do not fill a hollow, lift anything, clear pigment or remove eye bags. The evidence is small and mixed, and anyone who promises you a result from a vial of your own blood is promising more than the research supports. If we think a skin booster, polynucleotides or filler would serve you better, we will say so, and that includes saying so when it costs more.
Prices (per session)
Consultation: Free
PRP, face (course of three): £220
PRP, under eye (course of three): £220
PRF, face or under eye: £220
PRP or PRF with microneedling: £240
PRP or PRF for the scalp: Not offered at present; hair loss assessed and advised at a consultation
Risks
Common and short-lived: redness, swelling, tenderness, small bumps and bruising at the injection points, worst the next morning under the eyes and settling within a few days; a bruise can take up to ten days. Less common: a cold sore flare if you are prone, or puffiness under the eyes that takes a week or two to settle. Rare: infection at the site, and, under the eyes, product placed into or near a blood vessel, which can damage the skin and, very rarely, affect vision; we work in the shallow layer the treatment is made for and take particular care around the eyes. Because it is your own blood, an allergic reaction to the treatment itself is not a concern; the numbing cream can occasionally cause one.
The clinic is at 260 East End Road in East Finchley, three minutes on foot from East Finchley station on the Northern line. Our PRP and PRF clients come mostly from Hampstead, Hampstead Garden Suburb, Highgate and Muswell Hill, with others from Finchley, Golders Green, Crouch End, Whetstone and Barnet. See every area we serve.
This page is general information, not medical advice. What suits you depends on your own skin, health and history, which we go through at a free consultation before anything is booked.
Common questions
Does PRP hurt?
Expect a short sting at each point and a feeling of pressure, less with the numbing cream. The blood sample feels like an ordinary blood test. Under the eyes we go slowly and most people find it easier than they expected.
What is the difference between PRP and PRF?
Both come from your own blood. PRP is prepared with an anti-clotting agent and is thinner; PRF has nothing added and forms a soft gel that releases more slowly. We usually suggest PRF under the eyes and either for the face. They cost the same.
How many sessions do I need?
Three, four to six weeks apart, then one every six to twelve months if you want to keep the result. We photograph before the first and after the third so you can see what changed.
Is this the vampire facial?
Yes, that is the nickname for PRP applied during microneedling, which we offer at £240. The name sells it; the evidence is thinner. The microneedling does most of the work on texture and the PRP adds to it.
Can PRP replace filler under my eyes?
No. PRP and PRF improve the quality of the skin; they add no volume. If your dark circles are a shadow from a hollow, that is a conversation about tear trough filler, and we tell you which you have at the consultation.
Do you offer PRP for hair loss?
Not at the moment. Hair loss is assessed and advised at a free consultation: we look at the pattern, explain what treats it, including prescription options that are discussed in person, and tell you when a GP or dermatologist is the right next step. Nothing for the scalp is bookable here.
Is there downtime?
A day or two of redness and swelling, and perhaps a bruise under the eyes for up to ten days. No make-up for 24 hours, no exercise, alcohol, sauna or hot bath for 48 hours, and paracetamol rather than ibuprofen if you need something.
Can I have PRP if I am under 18, pregnant or breastfeeding?
No. We give no cosmetic injectable to anyone under 18, and we do not treat in pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Skincare and some other treatments can still be discussed.