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Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections into the vaginal wall – marketed for more than a decade as a sexual-enhancement procedure – have finally been put through their first proper placebo-controlled trial. That is the real story here: a procedure sold widely on the back of uncontrolled, observational reports had never, until now, been tested against a dummy injection for sexual function. And the result is modest.1,2,3
In a single-blind randomised trial of 52 premenopausal women, 69.2% of those given PRP reported that their sexual function had improved at six months, against 34.6% on a saline placebo – yet the main objective measure barely reached significance.1
What did the study find?
A new randomised controlled trial has found that platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections into the vaginal wall may improve sexual function in premenopausal women, and the effects appear to last at least six months.1
The study, published in Obstetrics & Gynecology, is the first properly controlled trial to test vaginal PRP for sexual function. PRP injections have been marketed for years under various brand names, but this is the first time the procedure has been put through a rigorous, placebo-controlled trial in premenopausal women.1,2,3
How does vaginal PRP work?
PRP is made from your own blood. A small sample is drawn and spun in a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets – the tiny cell fragments packed with growth factors that help tissues heal and regenerate.3
In this trial, 2 to 4 mL of PRP was injected into the distal anterior vaginal wall (the front wall of the vagina, close to the opening) at sites near the urethra. The idea is that these growth factors stimulate tissue regeneration, improve blood flow, and enhance nerve sensitivity in the area.1
The control group received saline injections in the same locations. This was a single-blind trial, meaning the participants did not know which treatment they had received.1
Who was in the trial?
Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz enrolled 52 sexually active premenopausal women aged 18 to 50. Importantly, these were women without severe sexual dysfunction – they were experiencing mild to moderate concerns about their sexual function rather than clinically significant problems.1
Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a single PRP injection (26 women) or a saline placebo (26 women), and were followed up at six weeks and six months.1
The results
Women who received PRP showed greater improvements in their Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) scores compared with the control group at both timepoints, although the overall between-group difference was borderline (P = .05).1
At six weeks, the PRP group’s total FSFI score increased by a median of 2.2 points, compared with 0.3 in the control group. At six months, the improvement was 1.6 points for PRP versus 0.8 for control.1
The PRP group also showed improvements across individual domains – desire, arousal, lubrication, and orgasm – though these individual subscale differences did not reach statistical significance compared with the control group.1
Where the results really stood out was in how women themselves felt about the change. The Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) measures whether a person feels their condition has improved. At six months, 69.2% of PRP recipients reported improved sexual function, compared with 34.6% of the control group (P = .01).1
No serious side effects were reported in either group.1
What this means for you
This is a well-designed pilot study, but it is still small – just 52 women – and the individual subscale improvements were not statistically significant compared with placebo. The overall FSFI difference was borderline, and the confidence intervals at six months overlapped with zero for the PRP group.1
That said, the patient-reported outcomes were notable. When nearly 70% of women in the PRP group say they feel better versus about a third in the placebo group, that is a meaningful signal worth investigating further.1
In our clinic, week in and week out, we see people drawn to procedures that promise a quick fix for sexual concerns, often before the simpler, well-evidenced options have been explored. We always encourage starting with a careful look at what is actually driving the problem.
PRP is not a treatment for conditions like vaginal dryness caused by low oestrogen, infections, or skin conditions – those require specific medical treatment. But for women with milder, less well-defined sexual function concerns, this trial suggests PRP could have a role to play.1
Larger, multicentre trials with longer follow-up will be needed before PRP can be recommended as a standard treatment. For now, if you are considering PRP, look for a practitioner who uses evidence-based protocols rather than marketing hype.
What to do next
If you have concerns about your sexual function, the first step is a conversation with a practitioner who can help you work out what is going on. Many sexual function concerns have treatable causes – hormonal, physical, or psychological – that respond well to first-line approaches.
If you are curious about PRP specifically, ask any prospective practitioner about their protocol, the evidence behind it, and what realistic outcomes look like. Be cautious of clinics that lean heavily on brand names and marketing claims rather than published data.
Frequently asked questions
What is PRP?
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a concentrate of your own blood platelets, which are rich in growth factors. It is used in various areas of medicine, from orthopaedics to dermatology, to promote tissue healing and regeneration.3
Is vaginal PRP the same as the branded sexual-enhancement injections?
Branded vaginal PRP injections are marketed for sexual enhancement under various trade names. This trial used a similar technique – PRP injected into the anterior vaginal wall – but without the brand-name markup or marketing claims.1
Does PRP hurt?
The study does not detail the pain experience, but PRP injections are typically performed with local anaesthetic. Women in the trial tolerated the procedure well, with no serious adverse events reported.1
How long do the effects last?
In this trial, benefits were still present at six months, though the difference between PRP and placebo narrowed over time. Longer-term data is not yet available.1
Can PRP help with vaginal dryness?
This trial did not specifically study women with vaginal dryness, though lubrication was one of the subscales that improved. If your dryness is caused by low oestrogen (as in menopause), hormonal treatments remain the first-line option.1
Is PRP covered by insurance?
PRP for sexual function is generally not covered by health insurance and is considered an elective procedure. Costs vary widely depending on the practitioner and location.
This is general information, not a substitute for personalised medical advice. If you have symptoms or concerns, please see your healthcare provider.
Related Posts
References
- Clarke B, Gaddam N, Garcia B, Iglesia CB, Podolsky R, Dieter AA. Vaginal Injection of Platelet-Rich Plasma for Sexual Function: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Obstet Gynecol. 2026 (online ahead of print, 19 March 2026). PMID 41855531. Full text
- Sukgen G, Ellibeş Kaya A, Karagün E, Çalışkan E. Platelet-rich plasma administration to the lower anterior vaginal wall to improve female sexuality satisfaction. Turk J Obstet Gynecol. 2020;16(4):228-234. PMID 32231853. Full text
- Dankova I, Pyrgidis N, Tishukov M, et al. Efficacy and safety of platelet-rich plasma injections for the treatment of female sexual dysfunction and stress urinary incontinence: a systematic review. Biomedicines. 2023;11(11):2919. Full text
