What is the Difference Between PRP & Amniotic Growth Factors?

On the ever-growing list of regenerative medicine treatments, there are two all-stars being used by doctors all over the world every single day—PRP (platelet-rich plasma) and amniotic growth factors. They can both be used to speed up healing from musculoskeletal injuries and have been shown to reduce pain and inflammation to the point that many patients are able to avoid “necessary” surgery. If you’re experiencing discomfort every day because of a joint or muscle problem, then both may offer exactly what you need to get your health on the right track. But, which one should you choose? Understanding a little more about these treatments can make the decision a little easier.

The Basics

PRP is made by taking a small sample of a patient’s blood and spinning it in a centrifuge. This causes the liquid plasma to separate from the PRP, which is not only rich in platelets, but other growth factors and proteins as well.

Amniotic growth factors come from donations made by mothers who delivered their child via C-section (the harvesting process doesn’t affect the mother or baby). A small portion of the amniotic fluid is taken, and then it is processed into a substance that contains millions of live cells.

Both of these can be injected into an injured part of the body where it will then stimulate and fuel the natural healing response, leading to accelerated recovery and a decrease in unpleasant symptoms.

Time

A PRP treatment typically takes more time (a few hours) compared to amniotic growth factors because with the ladder, the therapeutic substance is already made and ready to go the moment the patient walks into the clinic. With PRP, the process of actually creating it takes up the bulk of a patient’s appointment time.

Effectiveness

Both substances have been proven to deliver positive results in several studies, but amniotic growth factors tend to be more consistent than PRP. Why? Because PRP is made using a patient’s blood, there is a lot of variance in the concentration of healing factors it can contain. With amniotic growth factors, the processing it goes through makes it much more consistent, meaning the healing it provides is more similar from person to person. So, on average, it tends to work notably faster compared to PRP.

Expense

PRP and amniotic growth factors are typically not covered by insurance plans, so patients are faced with an out-of-pocket expense no matter which one they choose. Generally, amniotic growth factors are more expensive because the substance takes more time and technology to create, while PRP can literally be made while a patient waits. This extra cost is offset by the fact that amniotic growth factors tend to increase the rate of healing compared to PRP, however.

Thankfully, if you look at the science, talk to doctors, and read patient stories, either treatment is ultimately a reliable choice. To choose the one that best suits your body, goals, and budget, it’s best to have a conversation with your doctor, and they should help point you in the right direction.

About the Author

Dr. Joel Stein has been helping people get out of pain for almost 40 years as an osteopathic doctor. Over the course of his career, he has successfully treated thousands of patients dealing with chronic back and joint pain, often using PRP and amniotic growth factors to do so. To learn more about these treatments and find out which one would be best suited to you, you can schedule an appointment at our Fort Lauderdale office by clicking here.