Therapeutic Effect of Combined Platelet-Rich Plasma Strategies on Morphea

In a pilot study from 2019, six patients with plaque and linear morphea were treated with a combination of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) strategies, including autologous PRP injections and a novel platelet-rich plasma gel (PRPG) filling technique. PRP was used at a concentration 3.5 times the baseline level, and PRPG was created by heating PRP. Treatments were administered through local and peripheral intradermal injections, deep subcutaneous injections, and PRPG fillings in tissue gaps, over three monthly cycles. Patients reported significant reductions in pain and tightness, and showed objective improvements in skin elasticity, dermal and subcutaneous tissue thickness, and vascular network density. The study was limited by its small sample size, lack of a control group, and the challenge of determining the individual contribution of each treatment method. Nevertheless, the results suggested that PRP and PRPG could be effective, minimally invasive treatments for morphea, with PRPG potentially serving as an alternative to traditional tissue fillers.