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PRP injections - a plain-English map of where it earns a place.

A high-level orientation to platelet-rich plasma - what it is, how it is prepared, and the specialties that use it, from musculoskeletal medicine to hair restoration and dentistry. If you want the detail for one specific use, we point you to the dedicated page.

See indicative pricing
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Indicative pricing

What private PRP injections costs in the UK.

A cross-specialty snapshot of PRP pricing. Detailed ranges live on the dedicated pages for each use.

In short

PRP in our UK network typically costs £350–£3,600 per session, depending on specialty and preparation.

OptionIndicative range
MSK - single-site PRP with ultrasound£650–£1,600
Hair - scalp PRP session£350–£900
Aesthetic - face PRP (single session)£350–£850
Dental - PRP/PRF adjunct at surgery£200–£600
ENT - vocal fold PRP (office)£1,800–£3,600
ENT - olfactory cleft PRP£950–£1,800
Course pricing - typically 3 sessions£1,000–£4,800

Prices vary by clinic, by consultant seniority and by whether combined visits or extra work-up is needed.

The problem

PRP is a preparation, not a diagnosis.

The same syringe of concentrated platelets is used for wildly different problems. Whether it is worth it depends on which problem you have - and on the clinician holding the needle.

  • Different pathology, different evidence

    PRP for tennis elbow, hair loss and gum grafting all use platelets - but the evidence base and expected benefit are not the same. Grade the evidence per indication.

  • Preparation matters

    Not all PRP is equal. Kit choice, centrifuge protocol, platelet concentration and leucocyte content all change the biology. Ask what your clinic uses.

  • Doctor > device

    A CE-marked kit with the wrong clinician is worse than a modest kit with the right one. Diagnosis, patient selection and technique dominate outcome.

When it helps

When PRP is a reasonable option.

The broad clinical situations where PRP is worth discussing - plus the red flag that means specialist review before any injection.

  • Musculoskeletal

    Tennis elbow, patellar and Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciopathy and selected knee osteoarthritis.

  • Hair restoration

    Androgenetic alopecia in men and women, and telogen effluvium in selected cases.

  • Aesthetic skin

    Fine lines, dermal quality and acne scarring - usually alongside microneedling, not stand-alone.

  • Dental and oral

    PRP and PRF (platelet-rich fibrin) as adjuncts in extractions, sinus lifts, bone grafting and implant placement.

  • Laryngology

    Vocal fold atrophy, superficial scar and post-radiation stiffness - a small but growing use.

  • Rhinology and olfaction

    Olfactory cleft PRP for post-viral anosmia is an emerging use in selected clinics.

  • Ophthalmology

    PRP eye drops (autologous serum-family products) for severe dry eye and neurotrophic ulcers.

  • Red flag: red, hot, spreading joint or sudden weakness

    Suggests infection or rupture. Same-day A&E or specialist review - not a PRP booking.

Where PRP is used

The specialties that use PRP - and the ones that do not.

A neutral tour of PRP across medicine, with an honest evidence grade for each. For deep detail on any single use, we point you to the dedicated page.

  • Leucocyte-poor PRP

    Filtered for intra-articular use. Reduces post-injection flare, preferred for many knee osteoarthritis protocols.

  • Leucocyte-rich PRP

    Higher white-cell content, favoured for many tendinopathy protocols where an inflammatory trigger helps healing.

  • Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF)

    A more advanced preparation that clots into a fibrin scaffold - used mainly in oral surgery and periodontics.

  • Autologous whole blood (ABI)

    Simpler, cheaper, older evidence base - still used in tennis elbow.

  • Autologous serum eye drops

    A different member of the same biological family - used in severe dry eye and corneal healing.

  • Microneedling + PRP

    A common aesthetic combination - most of the perceived benefit comes from the microneedling, PRP amplifies it modestly.

  • Prolotherapy

    Dextrose-based sclerosing injection - an alternative regenerative option, cheaper and older.

  • Stem cell / BMAC / adipose products

    A different category - more invasive, more expensive, and much more variable evidence. Not the same as PRP.

Safety and recovery

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  • Local soreness for 24–72 hours

    Common across all indications. Paracetamol only for two weeks - no NSAIDs.

  • Bruising and swelling

    Minor in most, marked in some - settles within a week.

  • Infection is very rare

    Sterile technique with a closed-system kit brings the risk well under 1 in 500. Any spreading redness, fever or worsening pain needs same-day review.

  • Vasovagal at the blood draw

    A few patients feel faint at venesection. We lie you flat and it passes.

  • No NSAIDs and no cortisone in the window

    For two weeks either side. Both blunt the platelet response the treatment relies on.

  • Not for active malignancy or systemic infection

    Or thrombocytopenia, or on anticoagulation that cannot be paused.

  • Pregnancy and breastfeeding

    Elective PRP is usually deferred. Emergency indications are individual decisions.

  • Non-responder rate

    Even in the best indications, roughly one in three patients does not respond. We measure objectively and stop when it does not work.

  • It is expensive

    PRP is rarely covered by insurance. Do the maths before starting a course - and get a firm quote up front.

Reading your PRP record

Your PRP session record in four parts. Read the last one first.

Whichever specialty gave it to you, the record follows a similar shape - preparation, technique, adjuncts and next step.

A UK consultant reviewing a patient record

A quiet reminder

PRP without a written plan for what happens next is a bill, not a treatment.

Ask your care team to explain anything that is unclear.

  1. 01Preparation

    Kit, volume, platelet concentration

    The system used, blood volume drawn, resulting PRP volume, platelet fold-concentration where measured, and leucocyte content where relevant.

  2. 02Technique

    How and where it was placed

    Guidance modality (ultrasound, scalp map, endoscopy) and the exact site or sites injected.

  3. 03Adjuncts

    What went alongside

    Rehab, minoxidil, skincare, oral care, voice therapy or antibiotics - the wider plan the injection sits inside.

  4. 04Impression

    Expected response and next step

    Read this first: when to expect change, when to review, and whether a repeat session is planned.

Recognised by major UK insurers

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PRP cover is patchy across UK insurers - commonly excluded as unproven, occasionally covered for defined MSK indications.

Frequently asked

Everything we get asked about PRP injections.

Quick answers on cost, safety, recovery and how we compare with the NHS pathway.

  • What is PRP, in one sentence?

    Platelet-rich plasma is a portion of your own blood, spun in a centrifuge to concentrate platelets several-fold, then injected back into an area of injured or aged tissue to trigger a healing and remodelling response.

  • Where does PRP have the best evidence?

    Chronic lateral epicondylopathy (tennis elbow), androgenetic alopecia, and - as an adjunct - periodontal and oral surgery. Moderate evidence in patellar tendinopathy, plantar fasciopathy and knee osteoarthritis. Emerging evidence in vocal fold atrophy and post-viral anosmia. Weaker or absent evidence in most stand-alone aesthetic uses.

  • Does insurance cover PRP?

    Rarely. Most UK insurers exclude PRP as "unproven" for aesthetic and hair use, and cover is inconsistent for MSK.

  • How much does PRP cost in the UK?

    Dental adjunct £200–£600. Hair £350–£900 per session. Aesthetic face £350–£850. MSK £650–£1,600 per site. Vocal fold £1,800–£3,600.

  • Is PRP safe?

    Yes for most patients - because it uses your own blood, allergic reaction is very rare. The main risks are local soreness, bruising and, uncommonly, infection. Not offered in active cancer, systemic infection, low platelets or on anticoagulation that cannot be paused.

  • How many sessions will I need?

    Depends on the indication. Single or repeat MSK protocols use 1–3 injections. Hair loss courses commonly use 3–4 monthly sessions then maintenance. Aesthetic protocols often 3 sessions over 3–4 months. The dedicated page for your use has the specific protocol.

  • Which is better - PRP or stem cells?

    They are different products with different regulation, cost and evidence. Stem cell / BMAC therapies are more invasive, more expensive and - for most indications outside orthopaedics - less well studied. PRP is often the reasonable first step.

  • How is this page different from the specific PRP pages you link to?

    This is an overview to help you orient. Each specific use - MSK, hair, voice, anosmia - has its own dedicated page with the detailed protocol, evidence and pricing for that indication.

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