The names look similar, but they start from different places
During consultations, PRP and SVF often come up side by side. Both are autologous procedures that reuse material taken from your own body, and both involve a centrifuge. The names, three-letter English abbreviations, also look alike.
But where the material comes from is different, and as a result what is inside is different too. One collects the signaling substances that cells release, while the other collects the cells themselves.
Once you understand this difference, it becomes easier to see which one is raised in which situation and why the procedures and burdens differ. It also gives you a reference point when you hear explanations in a consultation.
PRP is platelets collected from blood
PRP stands for platelet-rich plasma. A small amount of blood is drawn from the arm and placed in a centrifuge, where components of different weights separate into layers. The heaviest red blood cells sink to the bottom, and above them a thin layer forms where the platelets gather. PRP is what you get by drawing off only that layer.
The concentration factor varies with the equipment and method, but the goal is to make it several times denser in platelets than ordinary blood. Too dilute and the signal is weak, while denser is not necessarily better either, so finding the appropriate range is said to be the key.
Platelets are the first cells to gather when a wound occurs. They do more than stop bleeding: they release dozens of growth factors that signal the surrounding cells to begin recovery. PRP is a way of gathering these signaling substances in one place and delivering them where they are needed.
There is one point to note here. Strictly speaking, PRP is not stem cell therapy. Rather than introducing living stem cells, it is closer to introducing a concentrate of growth factors. That is also why the word cell does not appear in its name.
SVF is a cell mixture obtained from fat
SVF stands for stromal vascular fraction. It refers to the cluster of cells that remains after a small amount of adipose tissue is harvested, treated with an enzyme and centrifuged.
There is a reason an enzyme is used. Adipose tissue is a structure in which fat cells and the connective tissue holding them together are intertwined. That entanglement has to be loosened for the cells inside to come free. An enzyme that breaks down collagen plays this role.
What you obtain contains adipose-derived stem cells along with fibroblasts, immune cells, microvascular endothelial cells and preadipocytes. The fact that living cells are present, rather than growth factors alone, is where it parts ways with PRP. The concept is covered in more detail in What Are Stem Cells?
The reason fat is used is quantity. Adipose tissue is known to contain tens to hundreds of times as many stem cells as bone marrow yields. Bone marrow harvesting is itself burdensome and the yield is small, so in the aesthetic field fat is used far more actively.
The burden of harvesting is different
For PRP, drawing blood is all it takes. It is not very different from having blood drawn at a health check, so the burden is small, and in many cases everything from the blood draw to the injection is finished within about an hour. The fact that no anesthesia is needed also lowers the threshold.
SVF requires fat, so a procedure equivalent to liposuction is needed. Even in small amounts, anesthesia is involved and recovery time has to be set aside. The Korean Society of Anesthesiologists has issued an opinion that, for procedures using autologous adipose-derived stem cells, at least 6 hours of inpatient observation, and in some cases more than a day, is appropriate.
In return, once harvesting is done, the remaining cells can be stored in a liquid nitrogen tank at minus 196 degrees and used again later. That means the harvesting does not have to be repeated every time.
TheLINE Plastic Surgery keeps a dedicated laboratory inside the clinic so that fat harvested in the operating room goes straight into separation and analysis. In 2023 the clinic was recognized by the Ministry of Science and ICT as a dedicated SVF research department.
| Category | PRP | SVF |
|---|---|---|
| Where the material comes from | Blood (a small draw from the arm) | Adipose tissue (a small harvest) |
| What is inside | A concentrate of the growth factors released by platelets | Living cells including adipose-derived stem cells, fibroblasts and immune cells |
| Separation method | Centrifugation | Enzyme treatment followed by centrifugation |
| Anesthesia | Not required | Required |
| Time and observation | About an hour from blood draw to injection | A procedure equivalent to liposuction; opinion advises at least 6 hours of observation |
| Storage and reuse | Blood drawn each time | Can be stored in a liquid nitrogen tank at minus 196 degrees and used again |
| Is it stem cell therapy? | No (a growth factor concentrate) | Living cells are used |
What is used, and when
Because the burden is low, PRP is used widely across many fields. PRP for knee osteoarthritis has been approved in Korea as a new medical technology. It has also long been used in the skin and scalp fields.
Because SVF contains living cells, it comes up in areas such as the knee joint, scars and hair. It is also used in combination with fat grafting or surgery to support recovery.
The basis for choosing is not simple. What you want to improve, whether you can handle anesthesia and recovery, and whether you plan to do it once or continue over several sessions all come into play. It is hard to declare one superior, and there are cases where both are used together.
The cost structure differs as well. SVF, which involves a harvesting procedure, requires a longer preparation process and facilities, so the burden is calculated differently.
Limits worth knowing
With both methods, results vary greatly from person to person. That is because the amount and activity of the components obtained differ with age, general health and the condition of the harvested tissue. There is no guarantee that the same person receiving the same procedure at a different time will get the same result.
Because autologous tissue is used, the burden of immune rejection is described as relatively low, but pain, swelling, bruising and the possibility of infection at the injection site remain. With SVF, the fact that harvesting fat is itself a procedure also has to be taken into account.
Nor are the effects immediate. Tissue has to respond and recover, so it takes time, and the treatment is often divided over several sessions.
Regenerative medicine is governed by the Act on Safety and Support of Advanced Regenerative Medicine and Advanced Biopharmaceuticals. It is provided at institutions that meet the personnel, facility and safety management standards set by law and have been designated as treatment institutions by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. In your consultation, please check whether the clinic holds that designation and where the cells are processed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is PRP also stem cell therapy?
No. PRP concentrates platelets to gather growth factors; it is not a method of introducing living stem cells. It is an adjacent field in that it supplies signaling substances that support regeneration, but the concepts are distinct.
Can I have both?
There are cases where they are applied together. However, if their purposes overlap, one may be enough, so it is better to sort out the order and the necessity in a consultation first.
PRP is simpler, so should I try it first?
It is true that the burden is lower, but the indications are not the same. Rather than choosing something just because it is simple, it is better to decide based on the problem you are trying to address.
How long do the effects last?
It is difficult to state a fixed period. It varies with the treated area, the purpose and the individual's capacity to recover, and the treatment is often divided over several sessions.
Does the yield decrease with age?
The number and activity of cells are known to vary with age and general health. However, individual differences are large, so it is hard to predict results from age alone; we check your condition in the consultation before deciding.
Is SVF harvesting difficult if I am slim?
If there is little fat available to harvest, fewer cells are obtained. That said, the amount used for aesthetic purposes is smaller than for body contouring surgery, so whether it is feasible is decided after examining the possible sites together in the consultation.
Which does TheLINE recommend, SVF or PRP?
We do not start with a fixed answer. TheLINE Plastic Surgery Clinic decides on a direction after reviewing the area and purpose you want to improve and the extent to which you can handle anesthesia and recovery. Adipose SVF is separated in our in-house laboratory and either applied the same day or stored at minus 196 degrees for later use.
