Microneedling with injectable platelet-rich fibrin for facial rejuvenation

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this literature review is to evaluate the efficacy of microneedling treatment with injectable platelet-rich fibrin (i-PRF) for facial skin rejuvenation applications, using an objective skin analysis system and validated patient-reported outcome measures. Methods: The search approach involved the exploration of electronic databases. An advanced search option was applied to filter our search line, i.e., from February 2011 to April 2021. We performed a search on Medline, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science, while improving the accessed articles via Ovid interface. Our keywords were chiefly aligned with a combination of MeSH terms and text words. All retrieved articles were written in English. Results: The search yielded 73 studies. After reviewing their title and summary, nine of them were found to meet the inclusion criteria and, next, the full-text articles were reviewed. Of these, three studies were excluded from systematic research, as they would no longer meet the inclusion criteria. In total, six studies were considered for review. Conclusion: Microneedling treatments combined with blood concentrates are increasingly being utilized as autologous products for aesthetic purposes. Few works can be found on i-PRF in facial rejuvenation, and even fewer on i-PRF along with microneedling. Combined applications seem to be promising and minimally invasive. Further research on PRP and PRF is warranted to better elucidate their functional roles in medical cosmetic rejuvenation.