PRP Atlas
Directory / Guides

Guides to PRP & regenerative medicine

Plain-English answers, written from published sources and cited on every page. Guides are not medical advice — they exist so you can ask a provider better questions.

Doctor consults with a distressed male patient in office. Stock photograph, not taken at any listed clinic.
PRP Side Effects and Risks: What's Normal, What's Not
Most people get sore and bruised for a few days. A smaller number run into something worth a phone call. Here's how to tell the difference, and who…
Black metal tool in close up photography. Stock photograph, not taken at any listed clinic.
Exosome Therapy
Do Exosomes Work for Hair Loss? What the Evidence Shows
Exosome injections for thinning hair are sold in clinics across the US, but no exosome product is FDA-approved for anything, and the human evidence…
A woman crouches down to pick up a tennis ball. Stock photograph, not taken at any listed clinic.
Joint, Sports & Spine Pain
PRP vs. Cortisone Shots for Joint and Tendon Pain
Corticosteroid injections work fast and fade; PRP works slowly, if at all, and costs far more. Here's what the trials actually show, how tendons…
Doctor consults with patient via video call. Stock photograph, not taken at any listed clinic.
Questions to Ask Before Your First PRP Appointment
A practical checklist for a PRP consultation: who performs the injection, what preparation system is used, how many sessions, what happens if it…
A man and a woman standing next to each other. Stock photograph, not taken at any listed clinic.
Joint, Sports & Spine Pain
Prolotherapy Explained: The Older Cousin of PRP
Prolotherapy injects an irritant solution — usually concentrated dextrose — into ligaments, tendons, and joints to provoke healing. Here's what's…
Person standing in front of window. Stock photograph, not taken at any listed clinic.
How to Tell a Legitimate Regenerative Clinic From a Storefront
A practical screening guide for patients considering PRP, stem cell, or other regenerative treatments: what credentials actually mean, what an NPI…
Cyclist on wet road under stormy sky with rain. Stock photograph, not taken at any listed clinic.
Joint, Sports & Spine Pain
PRP for knee osteoarthritis: what to expect from a course
An honest look at the evidence for platelet-rich plasma in knee arthritis — how long relief tends to last, who tends not to respond, and how PRP…
Doctor consults with patient in modern office. Stock photograph, not taken at any listed clinic.
Is PRP FDA-approved? How these treatments are actually regulated
PRP itself is not FDA-approved for hair loss, arthritis, or skin. The centrifuge that spins it may be FDA-cleared — a much weaker claim. Here's the…
Man in gray t-shirt standing in front of mirror. Stock photograph, not taken at any listed clinic.
Hair Loss
Does PRP Work for Hair Loss? What the Evidence Actually Shows
A plain look at platelet-rich plasma for pattern hair loss: what three systematic reviews actually found, why the studies disagree, why no two…
White microscope on top of black table. Stock photograph, not taken at any listed clinic.
Exosome Therapy
Is Exosome Therapy FDA-Approved? What the FDA Has Warned Patients About
No — there are no FDA-approved exosome products for any use. The FDA issued a public safety notification after reports of serious adverse events, and…
A woman with brown hair among green foliage. Stock photograph, not taken at any listed clinic.
Skin & Aesthetics
PRP Facial (Vampire Facial): What It Does, Evidence and Downtime
A plain-language look at microneedling with PRP versus injected PRP — what the aesthetic evidence actually supports, what recovery looks like, and…
Woman dropping a specimen on a test tube. Stock photograph, not taken at any listed clinic.
Stem Cell Therapy
PRP vs. Stem Cell Therapy: What's Actually Different
PRP is a blood product with no meaningful stem cell content. What US clinics sell as "stem cell therapy" is a different category of product with a…
Empty hospital corridor with benches and doors. Stock photograph, not taken at any listed clinic.
What does PRP cost, and why does the price vary so much?
PRP is almost always cash-pay, and the price for the same injection can differ by thousands of dollars between two offices in the same city. Here's…