PRP for Hair Loss
Androgenic Alopecia (hair loss related to hormones) frustrating condition for many folks, both men and women alike. It is chronic and progressive.
There are some promising new non-surgical treatments out there for hair loss including Platelet-rich Plasma (PRP) injections.
PRP is a blood product that is harvested from the patient’s own blood. The process is simple. Blood is withdrawn from the patient at the start of the procedure. Then, the blood is processed by special equipment which separates the components of the blood; one of these components is platelet-rich plasma (PRP). PRP is enriched with various growth factors.1 Then, the PRP is injected back into the desired location such as the scalp.
Does it work?
A study of 50 patients by Kachhawa, et al, showed that hair loss was reduced after PRP injections and there was even evidence of new hair growth. They used digital image analysis to show an overall improvement in hair density and quality. Lunago-like hair became thicker like normal hair.1 Multiple studies have shown increased density.2
Overall, PRP offers some great benefits and is a non-surgical option for folks seeking hair restoration. It works for both men and women.3
Figure 1: 36 year old male before and after PRP injection. (1)
Figure 2: 28 year old male before and after PRP injection. (1)
References:
1Kachhawa D, et al. A Split Head Study of Efficacy of Placebo versus Platelet-rich Plasma Injections in the Treatment of Androgenic Alopecia. J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2017 Apr-Jun;10(2):86-89
2Giordano S, et al. Platelet-rich plasma for androgenic alopecia: Does it work? Evidence from meta analysis. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2017 Sep; 16(3): 374-381.
3Tawfic AA, et al. The effect of autologous activated platelet-rich plasma injection on female pattern hair loss: A randomized placebo-controlled study. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2017 May 14.