Dr. Anita Dormer is a physician with a mission. She is determined to find the most effective and safest treatments for her patients to look and feel good about themselves. It is this mission that brought her to Mount Pleasant to partner with SkinnyMe Weight Loss and Aesthetics Clinic. Subsequently, she introduced an innovative procedure – PRP (platelet-rich plasma) therapy – to the Charleston area.
SkinnyMe has since 2010 helped thousands of people lose weight and keep it off. It is unique because it deals with the whole person, not just with a body that needs to lose weight. The founder, Nancy Boulware, recognized the domino effect when someone starts to lose weight, feel better, change their habits and gain confidence.
“There have been many studies on how looking good helps people have better lives, which improves their relationships at work and in their marriage, as well as their overall confidence,” Dr. Dormer said.
PRP is a non-surgical, natural procedure used by orthopedic and cosmetic doctors across the country – and now at SkinnyMe – to treat multiple cosmetic and medical issues. For example, PRP can help with the stretch marks that emerge when people lose weight.
PRP therapy works by using a patient’s own blood. The blood is drawn, then spun in a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets, which contain proteins called growth factors that are vital to healing injuries and scars. The concentrated plasma is injected into a specific area, enhancing the body’s natural healing process by stimulating collagen production and skin regeneration.
“It adds volume to the injured area as the platelets are tricked into thinking they need to heal an injury,” Dr. Dormer said. “This therapy will also thicken the skin, which is why it is used to correct fine lines and wrinkles.”
Outside of cosmetics, doctors are using PRP injection therapy for athletes and others with joint and bone pain. It’s also popular for hair replacement.
“We can inject the platelets right into the affected area and the hair will actually grow back,” Dormer said.
In addition, PRP therapy is being used to treat male and female sexual dysfunction. The “O Shot” is for women who experience pain during intercourse or have other sexual issues. PRP therapy stimulates vaginal and clitoral rejuvenation, which allows women to enjoy sex again.
“Although we are not certain of all the mechanisms which cause PRP to produce such effects, the unipotent cells found in PRP repair damaged tissues and will also increase vascularity to the affected area, therefore improving sensation and sensitivity,” said Dr. Dormer. “Additional benefits with PRP therapy is that it is your own cells, so there are no side effects such as overinflated facial features like one might get with injudicious use of fillers, and that the patients only have to come back annually for an injection of platelets to maintain some results,” she said.
“At SkinnyMe, we want to help people live healthier, happier lives,” she added. “We have a team of professionals we can refer our patients to, like personal trainers and therapists, who address issues that are more complex.”
In addition to weight loss and aesthetics, SkinnyMe offers bio-identical hormone replacement therapy for the relief of symptoms of menopause and adropause, the male equivalent. Treatment plans are tailored to each individual by a board-certified anti-aging practitioner.
For more information on PRP therapy, visit www.skinnymeweightloss.com or call 843-352-9642.
