Medicine’s future is often talked about as exciting and endless, but treatments now available in 2015 are shifting the conversation to what’s already possible. And within the field, perhaps no field is being talked about as much as regenerative medicine. What is regenerative medicine? The idea stems from today’s growing technology in the field of medicine designed to regenerate positive features of the human body. Everyone looking to recover from injuries to those involved in the anti-aging battle has been undergoing regenerative procedures. And the results so far have been incredibly promising.

Following is an overview of growing treatment options which have already shown signs of success:

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)

Within our blood is a fluid called plasma, which carries our red and white blood cells, as well as platelets. Platelets contain natural growth factors which stimulate cells to grow and spread. Platelet Rich Plasma is an exciting new procedure that infuses a patient’s own plasma into areas in need, promoting regeneration. The procedure is currently used at New England Center for Hair Restoration to stimulate hair growth in patients’ balding or thinning areas.

Stem Cells

All cells go through the natural cycle of division and death, a process known as Apoptosis. Stem cells are the body’s natural healing cells and can actually replenish tissue in areas of dead cells. The idea behind stem cells procedures is to adminster a patient’s own stem cells to areas in need, replenishing tissue.

Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy is the use of extremely cold temperatures to treat tissue damage. On a smaller scale, Cyrotherapy has been used to “freeze” warts. But now, some facilities are using Cyrotherapy chambers where patients are surrounded with liquid nitrogen around -180 °F for two-to-three mintues. The goal for this type of treatment is to increase the survival time of cells by reducing their growth and reproduction.