Most referred to as androgenic alopecia, hair loss is a common condition that affects up to 85% of men and 40% of women. Whilst it can be severely debilitating and impact patient self-confidence, it has been proven that PRP is one of the most effective, non-invasive treatments to address the condition.
What is PRP?
PRP, also known as platelet-rich plasma, has been used in sports science for many years treating athletes including Tiger Woods suffering from sports injuries. In recent years, researchers have found that PRP is also highly effective when used in aesthetics to treat skin conditions, including aging and hair loss.
So how does PRP work? Put simply PRP uses vital components found within human blood to trigger healing, boost cell activity, and regenerate tissue to stimulate collagen production.
Naturally, human blood contains red and white blood cells, platelets, plasma, and growth factors. It is the platelets, plasma, and growth factors that are used within PRP treatments as they are the body’s initial responders when an injury occurs. Together they can stop the bleeding, form new healthy tissue in the area and stimulate collagen.
Now, the first stage in PRP treatment is to separate these nutrients by extracting blood from a patient’s arm. This blood can then be placed into a special centrifuge that spins at a specific frequency to separate the blood from its constituent parts.
Plasma, platelets, and growth proteins are then injected into the treatment area. In hair loss, patients typically require 40-50 shots of PRP per session. To best results, it is recommended that the patient undergoes around three treatments spaced eight weeks apart to give the hair follicles a chance to begin producing new hair.
For continuous results, patients may require maintenance treatments every six to twelve months.
Hair loss and PRP
Androgenic alopecia, also known as male-pattern and female-pattern baldness, is the most common cause of hair loss that can be treated with PRP.
Of course, there are several causes of hair loss, including medical conditions which should be ruled out beforehand.
PRP therapy is most effective when hair loss is still in its early stages, and it has also been proven to help those suffering from alopecia areata, an autoimmune condition that results in circular bald areas on the scalp.
Now, if a patient is presenting with lupus-related hair loss, PRP may not be considered a suitable treatment option. This is because the condition leads to scarring on the scalp, which often leaves hair follicles inactive.
Now, as hair follicles can take a little time to produce hair naturally results are often not instantaneous and it could take several weeks for patients to start seeing signs of new hair growth.
Possible risks
The utilisation of the body’s own growth factors and plasma in PRP means it is one of the safest treatments, with little to no risk of infection or complication. Of course, it should always be carried out by a trained professional.
Following treatment, patients may experience slight swelling, redness, tenderness, and bruising around the treatment area. This is completely natural and should clear within a few days.
