Book a consult

ED & Sexual Medicine — Southern California

VIGOR SHOT™

the PRP procedure for ED

Your own biology, put to work. A PRP treatment made from your own blood and performed by a licensed clinician — a regenerative idea with encouraging early research, offered with the evidence picture in plain view.

Call 949-570-0800 Book a consult

Ask for a private consult.

  • From your own blood
  • Physician-supervised
  • Your response measured, not assumed

Individual results vary. Autologous PRP preparations are not FDA-approved for sexual-medicine uses. A medical consultation is required before any treatment.

The results and experiences featured on this site are examples, not promises. Individual results and patient experience vary. A medical consultation and prescription are required before any medication is provided.

What It Is

Your own blood, returned with intent

The Vigor Shot™ procedure is a PRP treatment for erectile dysfunction, performed by a licensed clinician as part of a personalized plan. PRP — platelet-rich plasma — is a concentrate prepared from a standard draw of your own blood. Autologous is the medical word for that: from you, for you. The preparation is made in clinic, from your blood, to our clinical standards.

PRP itself isn't new or exotic. It has been used in medicine for decades — in orthopedics, sports medicine, and wound care among other fields[1] — and applying it to erectile tissue is one of the regenerative directions now being studied for ED. What the name means here: PRP is a category, and the category is crowded with big talk. The Vigor Shot™ procedure is how PRP treatment for ED is delivered at Dr. Vigor® — evaluation in front of it, a licensed clinician performing it, honest expectations around it, and your results tracked instead of assumed.

The Biology

Repair signals, delivered where they're needed

Platelets do more than clot. They carry growth factors — signaling proteins your body uses for vessel and tissue repair. Concentrate them and place them in erectile tissue, and the idea is to support the things a reliable erection depends on: the blood-vessel lining, the growth of small vessels, the smooth muscle that has to relax and fill, and the nerve signals that start the whole process.[2]

In laboratory and animal studies, those signals look encouraging — healthier vessel function, a better balance of smooth muscle to scar-like tissue, and support for nerve pathways after injury.[3] In men, the functional results in trials are encouraging too, particularly for men with partial ED — the next section covers them, with the citations. Individual results vary. Tissue-level proof in humans is still maturing, and the research is a work in progress — a reason to track your response carefully, not a reason to dismiss the idea.

The Evidence

What the studies report — the encouraging part first

PRP for ED is one of the more promising ideas in regenerative sexual medicine, and it has now been tested in randomized, placebo-controlled trials and pooled reviews. Studies report improved erectile-function scores in treated men, with the better responses generally seen in men with partial, mild-to-moderate ED.[4] A double-blind randomized trial reported improvement over placebo, and pooled analyses describe short-term gains for some men.[5] In one trial, more than two-thirds of treated men reached a clinically meaningful improvement at six months, versus about a quarter on placebo.[6] Individual results vary.

Honest medicine adds the rest. Some studies show no meaningful difference from placebo.[7] The trials so far are small, short, and hard to compare, because PRP preparations differ from study to study.[8] Professional societies in sexual medicine classify PRP for ED as investigational and say it belongs in research settings or in care that's fully transparent about the uncertainty, with shared decision-making as the standard.[9] This page is that transparency, and the consult is that shared decision.

Here's what the two halves add up to: a promising, well-tolerated regenerative option for the right man — offered after an evaluation, never positioned as a replacement for treatments that are established, and measured so you know whether it's helping you. Results aren't guaranteed or permanent — which is why yours are measured. Individual results vary. What we can offer is the real picture and a plan built around your response.

Dr. Vigor Editorial Team

The Regulatory Picture

The regulatory picture, in plain view

Here's the regulatory picture, plainly: PRP injections for erectile dysfunction are not FDA-approved, and the devices used to prepare PRP at the point of care are FDA-cleared — two different things. Clearance of a preparation device is not approval of PRP injections for ED, and it is not evidence that the injections work.[10] This category likes to blur that line, so you won't see clearance used as a selling point here, because it isn't one.

Serious problems with any treatment can be reported to the FDA MedWatch program, and concerns about clinical care to the state medical board.

What to Expect

The visit, start to finish

It's a single in-clinic visit, and it moves in a simple sequence. It starts with a standard blood draw. While the preparation is made and topical or local anesthesia takes effect, you wait, comfortably and privately. The treatment itself is short: a sequence of precise injections with a fine needle into the erectile chambers, followed by a brief observation, and then you go home the same day. Temporary pressure, soreness, or bruising at the treatment sites is common and usually resolves on its own.[11] Patient experiences vary, and your clinician gives you the exact timings for your visit at the consult.

The program, not just the appointment. The Vigor Shot™ program is structured as a series with follow-through. In the randomized trials, PRP was given as two injections about a month apart, with response measured over the following months.[4] Your clinician sets your own schedule with you — the sessions, the follow-up visits, and the point at which you review your tracked response together and decide what, if anything, comes next.

Afterward

Aftercare — and the short list that means "call now"

At home, expect localized tenderness or bruising for a few days. Simple measures like cold packs are usually enough — follow your clinician's instructions, and don't start new supplements or medications without clearance. To reduce infection risk at the treatment sites, your clinician will tell you how long to hold off on partnered sexual activity, and give you the specifics for your case.

Seek urgent care right away

These are uncommon, and they are not wait-and-see: rapidly worsening pain, spreading redness or warmth, fever, significant bleeding, difficulty urinating, or an erection lasting four hours or more.[12]

Candidacy

Who considers it — and who shouldn't

Who considers it: adults with ED — often men with partial ED who want a non-surgical, regenerative option inside a comprehensive plan — open to screening and correcting low testosterone first or in parallel, open to counseling when the psychological side is part of the picture, and comfortable with honest expectation-setting and tracked results.

Usually postponed, or not appropriate — the kinds of things that put any injection procedure on hold: an active infection — fever, or skin that's red, warm, or draining · bleeding or clotting disorders, including very low platelets · a recent blood clot, or a clotting tendency not yet stable on treatment · severe anemia · blood cancers outside stable remission · anticoagulant medication that can't be safely managed around the procedure · anyone told by a doctor to avoid injections or blood draws for now.

The list isn't exhaustive — the evaluation is. If one of these applies to you, your clinician coordinates with the specialist who manages it before anything moves forward.

The risk conversation, plainly: common effects are temporary — injection-site pain or pressure, bruising, swelling, brief numbness or tingling, minor bleeding. Less common or rare: infection, a collection of blood under the skin, a fainting response, allergic reaction to the local anesthetic, scarring, injury to a vessel or nerve, and priapism — a prolonged erection that needs urgent care.[13] Serious complications appear uncommon in published studies.

Hormones First

Check the hormonal groundwork

An adequate hormonal baseline helps the biology this treatment supports do its job — and low testosterone can blunt the response. The vessel and tissue biology a PRP treatment is trying to support runs on an adequate hormonal baseline — testosterone helps drive the signaling behind blood flow, the upkeep of smooth muscle, and desire itself.[14] So for men not already on therapy, testosterone deficiency is discussed at the evaluation and tested where indicated.

If labs and symptoms confirm it, that conversation belongs to the Calibrated TRT® program — The Two-Test Standard™ applies: two separate blood tests confirming low testosterone, symptoms that match those numbers, and an in-person visit with vitals, before any prescription. Correct the baseline first, or in parallel, and nothing else you try is working against a hormonal headwind — for the men it fits, it's often the first thing to get right.

Explore Calibrated TRT

Mind and Body

The psychological side gets screened too

The encouraging part first: the physical and psychological threads of ED feed each other — difficulty breeds worry, and worry makes difficulty likelier — which means the loop runs both ways, and progress on either side helps the other. So the evaluation screens for contributors like performance anxiety, avoidance, and relationship strain. When counseling would help — instead of the Vigor Shot™ procedure or alongside it — we say so, and we can refer you to a licensed sex therapist or counselor. Counseling is guideline-supported care for many men with ED,[15] and many men run both tracks at once.

Measured, Not Assumed

How you'll know if it's helping you

"Is it working?" shouldn't be a feeling. Your response is tracked with validated questionnaires — the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-EF) and the Erection Hardness Score are the standard tools[16] — at baseline and at follow-ups, alongside a record of anything else you're doing, so the two of you can tell what's actually helping. If it's helping, you'll see it. If it isn't, that's a finding too — and the plan changes.

FAQ

Questions, answered

Is the Vigor Shot™ made from my own blood?

Yes. The Vigor Shot™ procedure uses platelet-rich plasma prepared from a standard draw of your own blood, made in clinic to our clinical standards and administered by a licensed clinician.

Does PRP work for ED?

For many men in published studies, yes — trials report improved erectile-function scores, with the better responses generally seen in men with partial, mild-to-moderate ED.[4] Results vary, some studies found no difference from placebo, and larger, longer trials are still needed. That's exactly the framing the Vigor Shot™ procedure is offered under — and why your response is measured rather than assumed.

Is PRP for ED FDA-approved?

No. PRP injections for ED are not FDA-approved, and professional societies classify PRP for ED as investigational. Devices used to prepare PRP are FDA-cleared, which is a different thing — clearance to prepare is not approval to treat.

How soon might I notice anything?

In studies that reported improvement, changes typically showed within one to three months — and other studies found none at the same time points.[7] Individual results vary, and anyone promising you a date is guessing. Your tracked response is how you'll know.

Does it hurt?

Most men report low discomfort. Topical or local anesthesia is used, and in published reports men have rated the injection discomfort around 4 on a 10-point scale.[11] Expect temporary soreness or bruising afterward. Patient experiences vary.

How many sessions will I need?

In the randomized trials, PRP was given as two injections about a month apart, with response measured over the following months.[4] The Vigor Shot™ program is structured as a series with follow-up visits, and your clinician sets the schedule with you and adjusts it to your response.

How long do results last?

Not yet established — that's the honest answer. Follow-up in published studies runs weeks to a few months, so durability isn't well defined.[4] Whether and when anything more makes sense is a decision you make with your clinician, guided by your tracked results.

Is it safe?

Serious complications appear uncommon in published studies, and typical effects — soreness, bruising, temporary swelling — resolve on their own.[13] As with any injection, infection and other risks are possible, the full risk conversation happens at your evaluation, and the red-flag symptoms listed on this page mean urgent care, right away.

What does the Vigor Shot™ procedure cost?

Program pricing depends on the plan your clinician recommends. You'll know your full cost before you start, reviewed with you before you enroll. Call 949-570-0800 and ask — nobody will make you book to find out. HSA/FSA accepted for eligible services.

Citations & References

The research behind this page

Every clinical statement on this page is footnoted to peer-reviewed research, a professional-society guideline, or an official regulatory source. Each reference was resolved and checked against its published record before it was placed here.

  1. Pretorius J, Habash M, Ghobrial B, Alnajjar R, Ellanti P. Current status and advancements in platelet-rich plasma therapy. Cureus. 2023;15(10):e47176. PMID 38021947. PRP has been used in medicine for about four decades, with the largest evidence base in musculoskeletal conditions.
  2. Anastasiadis E, Ahmed R, Khoja AK, Yap T. Erectile dysfunction: is platelet-rich plasma the new frontier for treatment in patients with erectile dysfunction? A review of the existing evidence. Front Reprod Health. 2022;4:944765. doi:10.3389/frph.2022.944765. Yafi FA, Jenkins L, Albersen M, et al. Erectile dysfunction. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2016;2:16003. PMID 27188339. Platelet growth factors (including VEGF, PDGF, IGF-1, and TGF-β) and their proposed angiogenic, reparative, and neurotrophic effects in erectile tissue.
  3. Tai HC, et al. Intracavernous injection of platelet-rich plasma reverses erectile dysfunction of chronic cavernous nerve degeneration through reduction of prostate hyperplasia: evidence from an aging-induced erectile dysfunction rat model. FASEB J. 2023. doi:10.1096/fj.202201443R. PMID 36856608. Anastasiadis E, Ahmed R, Khoja AK, Yap T. Erectile dysfunction: is platelet-rich plasma the new frontier for treatment in patients with erectile dysfunction? A review of the existing evidence. Front Reprod Health. 2022;4:944765. doi:10.3389/frph.2022.944765. Rat models of cavernous nerve injury and aging-related ED show improved erectile responses and nerve regeneration after intracavernous PRP.
  4. Poulios E, Mykoniatis I, Pyrgidis N, et al. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) improves erectile function: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Sex Med. 2021;18(5):926–935. PMID 33906807. Panunzio A, Labate C, Zacheo F, et al. Platelet-rich plasma intracavernosal injections for the treatment of primary organic erectile dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of contemporary controlled studies. Int J Impot Res. 2024;36(6):562–571. PMID 37993601. Double-blind RCT in 60 men with mild-to-moderate ED: IIEF-EF improved by 2.7–3.9 points over placebo at 1–6 months. Pooled placebo-controlled data: +2.99 to +3.21 IIEF-EF points at 1–6 months.
  5. Poulios E, Mykoniatis I, Pyrgidis N, et al. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) improves erectile function: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Sex Med. 2021;18(5):926–935. PMID 33906807. Huang H, Qin J, Wen Z, et al. Efficacy and safety of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in erectile dysfunction (ED): a systematic review and meta-analysis. Transl Androl Urol. 2024;13(6):970–982. doi:10.21037/tau-24-30.
  6. Poulios E, Mykoniatis I, Pyrgidis N, et al. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) improves erectile function: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Sex Med. 2021;18(5):926–935. PMID 33906807. 20 of 29 men (69%) in the PRP group reached a minimal clinically important difference at six months, versus 7 of 26 (27%) on placebo.
  7. Masterson TA, Molina M, Ledesma B, et al. Platelet-rich plasma for the treatment of erectile dysfunction: a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Urol. 2023;210(1):154–161. PMID 37120727. Double-blind RCT in 61 men with mild-to-moderate ED: no significant difference from placebo in IIEF-EF at 1, 3, or 6 months.
  8. Khodamoradi K, Dullea A, Golan R, et al. Platelet rich plasma (PRP) growth factor concentration varies in men with erectile dysfunction. J Sex Med. 2022;19(9):1488–1493. PMID 35817715. Anastasiadis E, Ahmed R, Khoja AK, Yap T. Erectile dysfunction: is platelet-rich plasma the new frontier for treatment in patients with erectile dysfunction? A review of the existing evidence. Front Reprod Health. 2022;4:944765. doi:10.3389/frph.2022.944765. Growth-factor concentrations vary between men and preparations; no standardization exists for PRP preparation, concentration, or dosing schedule across studies.
  9. Liu JL, Chu KY, Gabrielson AT, et al. Restorative therapies for erectile dysfunction: position statement from the Sexual Medicine Society of North America (SMSNA). Sex Med. 2021;9(3):100343. PMID 34000480. Burnett AL, Nehra A, Breau RH, et al. Erectile dysfunction: AUA guideline. J Urol. 2018;200(3):633–641. PMID 29746858. SMSNA does not advocate restorative therapies, including PRP, for routine clinical use pending adequately powered controlled trials.
  10. Liu JL, Chu KY, Gabrielson AT, et al. Restorative therapies for erectile dysfunction: position statement from the Sexual Medicine Society of North America (SMSNA). Sex Med. 2021;9(3):100343. PMID 34000480. Anastasiadis E, Ahmed R, Khoja AK, Yap T. Erectile dysfunction: is platelet-rich plasma the new frontier for treatment in patients with erectile dysfunction? A review of the existing evidence. Front Reprod Health. 2022;4:944765. doi:10.3389/frph.2022.944765. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. MedWatch: the FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program. fda.gov/safety/medwatch. Accessed August 25, 2026. Autologous platelet-separator devices are cleared for point-of-care preparation; PRP injection for ED has no FDA approval and remains investigational.
  11. Poulios E, Mykoniatis I, Pyrgidis N, et al. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) improves erectile function: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Sex Med. 2021;18(5):926–935. PMID 33906807. Masterson TA, Molina M, Ledesma B, et al. Platelet-rich plasma for the treatment of erectile dysfunction: a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Urol. 2023;210(1):154–161. PMID 37120727. No adverse events in the 2021 trial; mean injection pain about 4 on a 10-point scale and no serious adverse events in the 2023 trial.
  12. Masterson TA, Molina M, Ledesma B, et al. Platelet-rich plasma for the treatment of erectile dysfunction: a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Urol. 2023;210(1):154–161. PMID 37120727. Burnett AL, Nehra A, Breau RH, et al. Erectile dysfunction: AUA guideline. J Urol. 2018;200(3):633–641. PMID 29746858. Red-flag guidance reflects standard post-injection care; priapism (an erection lasting four hours or more) is a urologic emergency.
  13. Masterson TA, Molina M, Ledesma B, et al. Platelet-rich plasma for the treatment of erectile dysfunction: a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Urol. 2023;210(1):154–161. PMID 37120727. Poulios E, Mykoniatis I, Pyrgidis N, et al. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) improves erectile function: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Sex Med. 2021;18(5):926–935. PMID 33906807. Alkandari MH, Touma N, Carrier S. Platelet-rich plasma injections for erectile dysfunction and Peyronie’s disease: a systematic review of evidence. Sex Med Rev. 2022;10(2):341–352. PMID 34219010. Reported effects were minor and self-limited; systematic review found minimal safety concerns in published human studies.
  14. Bhasin S, Brito JP, Cunningham GR, et al. Testosterone therapy in men with hypogonadism: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2018;103(5):1715–1744. PMID 29562364. Spitzer M, Basaria S, Travison TG, et al. Effect of testosterone replacement on response to sildenafil citrate in men with erectile dysfunction: a parallel, randomized trial. Ann Intern Med. 2012;157(10):681–691. PMID 23165659. Endocrine Society guideline on evaluation of hypogonadism; randomized trial of testosterone added to sildenafil in men with ED and low testosterone.
  15. Burnett AL, Nehra A, Breau RH, et al. Erectile dysfunction: AUA guideline. J Urol. 2018;200(3):633–641. PMID 29746858.
  16. Rosen RC, Riley A, Wagner G, Osterloh IH, Kirkpatrick J, Mishra A. The international index of erectile function (IIEF): a multidimensional scale for assessment of erectile dysfunction. Urology. 1997;49(6):822–830. PMID 9187685. Burnett AL, Nehra A, Breau RH, et al. Erectile dysfunction: AUA guideline. J Urol. 2018;200(3):633–641. PMID 29746858. The IIEF is the validated standard instrument; the AUA guideline recommends validated questionnaires to assess ED and treatment response.

Getting Started

Start informed. FINISH STRONG®.

Getting started is simple — and private.

  1. Step 01

    Talk

    A focused consult — by phone or in person, virtual if you like.

  2. Step 02

    Test

    An in-person visit: vitals and bloodwork before any products or services.

  3. Step 03

    Tune

    Proven protocols do the groundwork. Your clinician makes the call — your plan, adjusted over time to your labs and how you actually feel.

Call 949-570-0800 Book a consult

Individual results vary. Treatment only when clinically appropriate.

Dr. Vigor® clinics in California are 100% physician-owned. The Vigor Shot™ procedure is provided only after evaluation by a licensed clinician, and only when clinically appropriate. Autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) preparations are not FDA-approved for sexual-medicine uses; devices used to prepare PRP are FDA-cleared for preparation at the point of care, which is not approval of PRP injections for any condition. PRP for erectile dysfunction is considered investigational by professional societies in sexual medicine. Benefit is not guaranteed, and individual results vary. Not all men are candidates. A medical consultation and prescription are required before any medication is provided. Treatment plans are set by the patient's own licensed clinician, who alone determines diagnosis, prescribing, and course of treatment — protocols inform that judgment and never replace it. When evaluation suggests that counseling with a licensed sex therapist or counselor would help, instead of or alongside medical treatment, we say so and can provide a referral. Dr. Vigor is a concierge clinic group and does not bill insurance. HSA/FSA accepted for eligible services. Services available at Dr. Vigor clinic locations in California.

Dr. Vigor® clinics in California are 100% physician-owned. The Vigor Shot™ procedure is provided only after evaluation by a licensed clinician, and only when clinically appropriate. Autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) preparations are not FDA-approved for sexual-medicine uses; devices used to prepare PRP are FDA-cleared for preparation at the point of care, which is not approval of PRP injections for any condition. PRP for erectile dysfunction is considered investigational by professional societies in sexual medicine. Benefit is not guaranteed, and individual results vary. Not all men are candidates. A medical consultation and prescription are required before any medication is provided. Treatment plans are set by the patient's own licensed clinician, who alone determines diagnosis, prescribing, and course of treatment — protocols inform that judgment and never replace it. When evaluation suggests that counseling with a licensed sex therapist or counselor would help, instead of or alongside medical treatment, we say so and can provide a referral. Dr. Vigor is a concierge clinic group and does not bill insurance. HSA/FSA accepted for eligible services. Services available at Dr. Vigor clinic locations in California.

BookCall