FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Everything you need to know before you decide.
You've had your consultation. Now you're doing your homework. Good — that's exactly what we'd want you to do. Here are the questions we hear most, answered plainly.
Getting Started
Not at all. While high-profile athletes have brought these treatments into the spotlight, the majority of our patients are everyday people — they just want to move without pain, keep up with their grandkids, or get back to the activities they love. If you have an injury or condition affecting your quality of life, you're a candidate.
Regenerative therapy has a strong track record with tendinosis, tendon tears (if not too large), plantar fasciitis, meniscal tears, labral tears, osteoarthritis (if not too severe), and mild-to-moderate neuropathies like carpal and cubital tunnel syndrome. As a general rule: the earlier you come in, the better your outcome. If the condition is too advanced for regenerative therapy, Dr. Albano will tell you directly and may refer you for surgical evaluation.
Yes — we see patients from across the country. The process starts with a phone consultation where Dr. Albano reviews your records, imaging, and history to determine if you're a candidate. If so, we schedule your visit around your travel schedule. Most treatments are completed in a single day. Salt Lake City is a Delta hub with easy connections from most major cities, and our Sandy office is 20 minutes from the airport. Several hotels are within walking distance, and we recommend staying two to three days to ensure you're cleared for travel before heading home.
The Treatments
What to expect during your procedure — from harvest to injection.
PRP (platelet-rich plasma) is made from your own blood — we draw it, concentrate the platelets, and inject them into the damaged area to trigger your body's healing response. Regenerative cells are harvested from your own healthy fat tissue or bone marrow and contain living stem cells that assist in repairing damaged tissue. We typically use both together for the most complete treatment, though some cases call for PRP alone. Every plan is individualized.
We work with two types. Autologous cells come from your own body — harvested from fat tissue (typically the thighs and buttocks for women, the flank or abdomen for men) or bone marrow. Allogeneic cells come from placental, amniotic, or umbilical cord tissue — ethically sourced material that would otherwise be discarded, containing growth factors that support your body's natural healing. No babies are harmed in this process.
Everything — harvest, preparation, and injection — is done in our clinic on the same day. Depending on the complexity of your treatment, you can expect to be in the office anywhere from one to several hours.
We work hard to keep you comfortable. For most treatments we use a nerve block; for procedures that don't require one, we use full-strength local anesthetics near the skin and diluted anesthetics at deeper levels (to protect stem cell activity). Nitrous oxide is available if needed, and we have an anesthesiologist on hand for more invasive procedures or patients who request it. Post-procedure, expect increased soreness for one to three days as your body's inflammatory healing response kicks in. Most patients return to their baseline pain level within about two weeks.
On average, patients receive one to three rounds. We start with one round and monitor your progress over roughly four months. If you've reached your recovery goal, we're done. If there's still meaningful room for improvement, we'll discuss whether a second round makes sense. The number depends on the severity of your condition, your activity goals, and how your body responds.
Prolotherapy triggers your body's natural inflammatory response to bring healing cells to the area — but it's not a biological agent like PRP or regenerative cells. We think of it as a lighter-touch option: effective on its own for some conditions, and sometimes used alongside more advanced treatments to enhance results.
Cost & Insurance
Straightforward answers on what's covered and how to pay.
The procedures themselves are not currently covered by insurance. However, most plans will cover your initial consultation, imaging (MRI, X-ray, ultrasound), labs, braces and slings, and post-treatment physical therapy. We recommend calling your insurer to confirm your specific coverage before your visit.
We are currently not in-network with Medicare, AARP Medicare Complete, Medicaid, Select Health's Select Value or Community Care, Aetna, or Altius. If you carry one of these plans, we can still evaluate you for a nominal fee to determine if you're a candidate. All patients are welcome on a self-pay basis.
Because no two treatment plans are alike, costs vary depending on your condition, goals, and overall health. Dr. Albano will walk you through a personalized plan and associated costs during your consultation — no surprises.
No. We require 50% prior to your procedure, with the remaining balance covered by a financing plan established beforehand. We accept HSA funds, all major credit cards, and offer Cherry financing. We want your focus during recovery to be on healing — not on financial stress.
Results & Safety
What to realistically expect — and honest answers on risk.
Recovery isn't a straight line — expect good days and harder days. Most patients see measurable improvement around the four-month mark and meaningful quality-of-life gains by the end of the full healing process. The first two weeks typically involve increased soreness as your body's healing response activates, followed by gradual improvement from there.
With an accurate diagnosis, over 80% of patients who receive these treatments can expect meaningful improvement. Results depend on the severity of the condition, your overall health, and how closely you follow the recovery protocol. Dr. Albano will give you an honest assessment of your individual likelihood of success during your consultation.
No cases of cancer have been linked to these treatments across tens of thousands of patients treated with PRP, fat, bone marrow, amniotic, placental, umbilical, and exosome therapies. Dr. Albano has been using these treatments since 2007, has undergone several himself, and has treated his own family members. No cancer cases have been observed in his practice.
The most common side effects are temporary pain and stiffness for up to 14 days — sometimes significant enough to affect daily activities. Some patients experience light-headedness during or shortly after the procedure. Rare but serious risks include bone or joint infection, skin infection, bleeding, blood clots, or allergic reaction to anesthetic. Bone marrow harvesting carries additional rare risks such as local tissue damage. A permanent increase in pain or decrease in function is not expected. Every patient reviews and signs a full informed consent form before treatment — we believe you deserve to know all of this before you decide.
Preparing for Your Procedure
What you can do now to maximize your outcome.
NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen, Aleve, and similar) block the inflammatory response that our treatments are specifically designed to activate. Taking them before or after your procedure can significantly reduce — or eliminate — your results. Avoid NSAIDs for one week prior to your procedure and for three months after. If you need pain relief during recovery, we'll provide appropriate alternatives.
For lower extremity procedures, yes — significantly. Every extra pound of body weight adds roughly four pounds of pressure to the knees. We recommend reaching an ideal weight before treatment where possible. If weight loss is needed, we offer a physician-supervised medical weight loss program that our patients have found highly effective in preparing for procedures.
Think of hormones as fertilizer for your body's healing soil. Even if your levels aren't clinically "low," suboptimal hormones can meaningfully limit how well your body responds to regenerative treatment. For patients over 40, we often recommend evaluating and optimizing hormone levels before or alongside treatment. We offer bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) for exactly this reason.
Almost always, yes — and it's worth doing before your procedure too. One or two pre-habilitation PT sessions help prepare your body and significantly improve recovery outcomes. After treatment, physical therapy helps you progress back to full activity faster and more safely than rest alone.
Yes — significantly. Smoking impairs your body's healing response. For the best possible outcome, we recommend stopping smoking at least six months before your procedure.
Hormones & BHRT
Common questions about bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.
Bioidentical hormones are structurally identical to the hormones your body naturally produces — typically derived from plant sources like soy or yams. Because they match your body's own hormones exactly, they behave the same way. Synthetic hormones are chemically different, which is why pharmaceutical companies can patent them — but those structural differences also change how they interact with your body.
Delivery method depends on the specific hormone and how well it absorbs through different routes. Options include topical creams or gels, oral tablets or troches, sublingual (under-the-tongue), injection, or implantable pellets. The most common methods are topical, oral, and sublingual. Consistency is critical — same dose, same time, same method every day.
Over-the-counter products have several meaningful limitations: doses are typically too low to show up on lab work, ingredients are often poorly absorbed, quality and actual ingredient amounts vary significantly, and formulas come in standard sizes rather than being customized to your body. Compounding pharmacies use pharmaceutical-grade, micronized hormones that are precisely dosed, well-absorbed, and prescribed specifically for you.
You can stop whenever you choose. Your hormone levels will gradually return to their pre-treatment baseline over a period of several months. There's no obligation to continue — the decision is always yours.
Labs are repeated until your levels are dialed in, then monitored at less frequent intervals. For accuracy, draw blood five hours after your morning dose. Hold off on multivitamins and B vitamins until after your blood draw.
Sexual Health
Questions about the O Shot (women) and P Shot (men).
Yes. Both procedures use your own blood — drawn, spun down in a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets, and injected into the treatment area. Because it's your own biology, there's no risk of allergic reaction to the treatment itself.
We use medical-grade numbing cream before both procedures. For the O Shot, some women feel mild pressure as the needle enters the treatment area. For the P Shot, most men describe the sensation as a dull pinch. Discomfort is brief and manageable for most patients.
For the O Shot, most patients notice results within three weeks, with some experiencing improvement almost immediately. For the P Shot, many men see results shortly after the injection. We follow up at the one-month mark to assess progress and determine if a second treatment would help you reach your goals.
For the O Shot, most patients experience mild discomfort for 24 to 48 hours. Resuming sexual activity is based entirely on your comfort level — there's no mandatory wait. For the P Shot, most men are able to resume intercourse within a few days.
Many patients see improvement in urinary incontinence, though timelines vary. Some notice changes within one to two weeks; others take longer and may benefit from more than one treatment. The severity and type of incontinence both affect the outcome — discuss your specific situation with your provider to set realistic expectations.