Compare and decide
PRF vs PRP under the eyes: which one for crepey skin, which one for dark circles
In the 14-study review that compared them, PRF had the better evidence for crepey skin, fine lines, and texture, and PRP had the stronger signal for dark circles from pigment. Both come from a single blood draw, and the difference is in the spin: PRF is spun slower, with no anticoagulant, and sets into a gel.
What changes in the centrifuge
Both start the same way: a blood draw from your arm, right in the treatment room. Then the tubes go into a centrifuge, and that’s where the two protocols split.
PRP tubes contain an anticoagulant and are spun fast. What comes off the top is a liquid plasma with concentrated platelets, ready to inject or to apply during microneedling. PRF tubes have no anticoagulant and are spun slower. Without the anticoagulant the sample starts to clot, so what you get is a soft fibrin scaffold holding platelets and white cells that releases growth factors (PDGF, VEGF, TGF-beta) gradually as it breaks down, per Davies and Miron in Periodontology 2000. That’s why PRF goes in soon after spinning, since it’s setting the whole time.
Neither is a drug and neither is FDA-approved for anything cosmetic. The centrifuge kits are cleared only to prepare platelet concentrate from blood, per an example 510(k) clearance. Using your own blood under your eyes is off-label, and we explain that at the PRF under eyes consult.
PRF also gives a short-lived volume effect from the fluid itself that fades over days to weeks. The fullness you see on day 1 isn’t the final result, and it’s expected to settle.
PRF and PRP under the eyes
| Feature | PRF | PRP |
|---|---|---|
| Spin | Slower, no anticoagulant | Faster, with anticoagulant |
| What it is at injection | Soft fibrin gel | Liquid plasma |
| Growth factor release | Gradual, as the gel breaks down | Faster, from the liquid |
| Best evidence for | Texture, fine lines, crepiness | Dark circles from pigment |
| Sessions in the studies | 3, about 4 weeks apart | 3, about 4 weeks apart |
| Skin change shows | Weeks 4 to 8, judged at 3 months | Weeks 4 to 8, judged at 3 months |
| Durability | Often diminished by 6 months | Pigment results sustained at similar intervals |
| Reversible | No | No |
What the studies say
The best summary is a 2025 systematic review of 14 studies on PRP and PRF around the eyes by Sollitto and colleagues. It found that “PRF was associated with improvements in skin texture, wrinkles, and crepiness, while PRP showed stronger evidence for treating hyperpigmentation.” Side effects in both were mild and short-lived. On durability, it noted that “PRF improvements often diminished by 6 months,” while PRP pigment outcomes “were sustained at similar intervals.”
A 2025 narrative review of 96 articles found that “Only few studies have compared PRP versus PRF with all demonstrating superior outcomes using PRF.” Read that with two caveats: the samples were small and the protocols weren’t standardized, and the senior author founded a PRF company. The head-to-head evidence is still thin. What the evidence does support is which problem each one has data for, as shown in the table above.
Which one is right for your under-eyes?
Crepey skin, fine lines under the eye, and early hollowing: PRF. The gel sits where it’s placed and works on the thin skin over weeks. This is often what people describe as “tired eyes.”
Dark circles that are brown rather than blue, meaning pigment in the skin: PRP, and the Sollitto review backs it. Some plans combine PRP with microneedling over the cheek and under-eye area for texture and pigment together.
Dark circles that are blue or purple, meaning thin skin showing the vessels beneath: PRF, with realistic, modest expectations. It thickens skin quality gradually over a series, so it won’t fix a vascular shadow in one visit.
A deep hollow: neither, because that’s a volume concern. Under-eye filler with one of the three products approved for infraorbital hollowing (Juvederm Volbella XC, Restylane Eyelight, RHA Redensity Eye) gives immediate, predictable volume. PRF is gradual and subtle, and it can’t be dissolved, which is worth weighing when you choose between them.
Bags: neither. Puffiness from herniated fat needs a surgical approach. A systematic review of periorbital treatments concluded that “Blepharoplasty surgery is best when excessive skin laxity is the underlying cause,” per Michelle and colleagues.
Your appointment and the first week
The visit includes a blood draw, the spin, topical numbing, then a cannula or fine needle under each eye. It takes about 45 minutes, and the injection feels like pressure.
Day 0: puffiness from the fluid, possibly with a bruise starting. Days 1 to 3: swelling settles, and bruising shows if it’s coming. Days 3 to 7: any bruising yellows and clears. Bruising is the main social downtime, so allow a week before any photographed event. Afterward, use a cold compress, keep your head up the first night, skip makeup over the needle sites for 24 hours, and avoid rubbing.
For a wedding, the last of three sessions should land 6 to 8 weeks before the date, which means starting the series about four months ahead. The PRF page’s wedding FAQ has the full calendar.
Sessions, results, and how long it holds
The studies used three sessions about 4 weeks apart. Skin quality changes show over weeks 4 to 8 as collagen forms, and we’ll look at your series result together at about 3 months. PRF results often fade by month 6, so maintenance every 6 to 12 months is the usual plan. PRP pigment results held longer in the review. Individual results vary.
Why not just get filler?
Some people prefer not to have a foreign gel under thin skin, and filler in this area has its own risks: lumps, a bluish tint through thin skin, and migration. Filler is the right call for volume but not for crepiness, and PRF is the reverse. Your consult will determine which concern you have. If crow’s feet are also a concern, those are treated with a neuromodulator.
Book your PRF under-eye consult
You’ll find us on Lincoln just north of Wrightwood. Take the Brown Line to Diversey and head south on Lincoln. Directions for getting to Lincoln Avenue are on the location page.
Your questions, answered
Can I have PRF and PRP in the same visit?
Yes. Both come from the same blood draw, so a visit can spin one set of tubes for PRF to inject under the eyes and another for PRP to apply during microneedling over the cheeks and under-eye. That pairs PRF’s texture evidence with PRP’s pigment evidence. It does add time to the appointment and a second line to the quote, so your provider will help you decide whether both are useful for your concern.
Is PRF better than filler under the eyes?
They do different things. Filler gives immediate, predictable volume for a hollow and lasts about a year with the three products approved for under-eye hollowing, and it can be dissolved. PRF improves crepey, thin skin gradually over a 3-session series, uses your own blood, and can’t be dissolved. For a hollow, filler. For crepiness, PRF. If you have both concerns, the two can be staged.
Does PRF work for dark circles caused by thin skin?
Partly, and gradually. PRF has the better evidence for skin texture and crepiness, so over a series it can thicken the skin quality under the eye and make the vessels beneath less visible. It won’t erase a vascular shadow, and results often diminish by 6 months. Dark circles from pigment respond better to PRP.
How many days is the under-eye puffy after PRF?
The fluid puffiness settles over days 1 to 3. Bruising, if it appears, yellows and clears by about day 7. Plan a week before a photographed event. The day-1 fullness is fluid, not the result, and the skin change shows over weeks 4 to 8.