What exactly is stem cell therapy these days? Stem cell research is in the news pretty often, and it always seems to be a very controversial issue politically. Many people forget, though, that stem cell therapy involves a lot more than just the more controversial research; stem cell treatments are used quite often for treating serious injuries and to repair cellular damage safely using the highest technological advancements available.
It may seem like a complicated process (and the details definitely can get confusing), but understanding the importance of stem cell therapy is a lot easier when you know what all of the terminology means! So with that in mind, let’s take a quick look at two of the most important types of stem cell treatments today:
- Adipose tissue: This is another way of saying “fat cells.” Adipose tissue is often used in stem cell treatments because it has a high concentration of regenerative cells. Adipose tissue is taken from a patient’s abdominal area (perhaps better known as the “love handles”) through a simple liposuction procedure and is used to derive stem cells for the same patient.
- Platelet-rich plasma therapy: PRP therapy is a process which uses the patient’s own blood to create a liquid which has a high concentration of platelet cells. These cells naturally occur in the blood and assist with clotting, and they also help the body repair cellular damage when a tendon or ligament is injured. With PRP therapy, these cells are separated after the blood is drawn, and then they’re used as an injection into the injured area.
Stem cell therapy really has become one of the most versatile and promising methods of treating injuries. Who knows — you might just end up benefiting from stem cell treatments yourself some day!