Microneedling & PRP

Dr. Susan Bard offers microneedling and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy at her Manhattan dermatology practice for skin rejuvenation, acne scar improvement, and hair restoration. PRP sessions take approximately one hour and include a blood draw, centrifuge processing to concentrate growth factors, and injection or topical application of the resulting plasma. PRP is used alone or combined with microneedling (the vampire facial) to address acne scars, fine lines, volume loss, wrinkles around the eyes, hair loss, and melasma. Sessions are spaced at least four weeks apart, and combination protocols with fillers, neuromodulators, and lasers are available.

Microneedling and platelet-rich plasma therapy at Manhattan Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery harness the skin's own regenerative mechanisms to improve texture, tone, and structure with minimal downtime and no foreign material. Microneedling uses a device fitted with fine-gauge needles to create controlled micro-channels through the epidermis into the papillary dermis at calibrated depths, triggering the wound-healing cascade — specifically, fibroblast activation and upregulation of collagen I, collagen III, and elastin — without creating ablative thermal injury to the surrounding tissue. Repeated micro-injury over a series of sessions progressively thickens the dermis, smoothing the skin surface, reducing the visible depth of atrophic acne scars, and improving the overall quality and reflectance of the skin. The addition of platelet-rich plasma to microneedling — performed as the vampire facial — amplifies the regenerative stimulus significantly. PRP is prepared from the patient's own blood drawn at the beginning of the appointment: a standard venepuncture collects 20–60 mL of whole blood, which is centrifuged to separate red blood cells, buffy coat (containing the platelets and white cells), and platelet-poor plasma. The concentrated PRP layer — typically achieving four to eight times baseline platelet concentration — contains a high density of alpha granules that release growth factors including PDGF, TGF-beta, VEGF, EGF, and IGF-1. When applied immediately after microneedling, the PRP is driven through the open micro-channels into the dermis, where growth factor delivery to fibroblasts, keratinocytes, and stem cell niches directly at the target depth amplifies collagen induction, angiogenesis, and tissue regeneration beyond what microneedling alone achieves. PRP is also used as a standalone injectable — the vampire lift — where it is injected beneath the skin surface with a fine needle or cannula to address under-eye hollowing, tear trough deepening, nasolabial folds, perioral lines, and volume loss in the cheeks and temples. Unlike synthetic fillers, PRP provides no immediate volumetric correction, instead delivering a gradual improvement in tissue quality and modest biostimulatory volume over several weeks following each session. For hair restoration, PRP is injected directly into the scalp in a grid pattern over areas of thinning or androgenetic alopecia, stimulating miniaturised follicles and extending the anagen (growth) phase of the hair cycle. The protocol at Dr. Bard's Manhattan practice follows a series of three to four initial sessions, each spaced one month apart, followed by maintenance sessions every three to six months. Combination treatment plans that incorporate PRP with dermal fillers, neuromodulators, laser resurfacing, or chemical peels are frequently employed to address multiple concerns in a coordinated protocol.