Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) for Hair Loss
Results from: Platelet-rich plasma for androgenetic alopecia: A review of the literature and proposed treatment protocol by Stevens and Khetarpal.
Hair loss is no joke, with half of men affected by age 50 and 40% of women by age 70 (1). It goes without saying that hair loss can be distressing. What’s good however, is that there are validated treatments. In fact, your OWN BLOOD carries the potential to stimulate growth which is the topic of this week’s blog.
PRP, or platelet rich plasma, is the plasma separated out from whole blood that is concentrated with platelets. When activated, platelets give off growth factors to heal wounds, remodel, and create extra blood vessels. Through science, we are able to harness this natural process and use it in our favor to repair and benefit our body; in this case to stimulate hair growth.
There are many different causes to hair loss like genetics, environmental, hormones, and stress and there are different classifications of hair loss. It’s important to understand why you have hair loss because this will dictate how best to treat it. PRP is most successful with early stages of androgenic alopecia.
Most common forms of hair loss include:
Androgenic Alopecia is the most common form of hair loss. In men, we get the classical male pattern hair loss. In women, the hair typically thins all over.
Telogen Effluvium is the hair loss associated with COVID 19 and pregnancy. Hair thins rapidly, comes out in clumps, and typically resolves on its own over time.
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease, in which your own body attacks the hair follicle. The longer the disease process takes place, the harder it is to treat.
CCCA is hair loss in the crown region, and occurs mostly in african american women.
Scarring alopecia is destruction of the hair follicles which may be permanent; treating early is best!
Hair loss associated with Infection
There are a variety of prescription treatments available like finasteride which blocks male hormones, oral minoxidil which was originally formulated for high blood pressure, spironolactone, another hypertensive medication, and topical steroids. Other treatments include: low level lasers which you can purchase online, nutraceuticals like Neutrafol, micro needling, and PRP. Using a combination of treatments alongside PRP gives best results.
PRP for hair is the use of your own blood parts to repair hair cells. The platelets are concentrated down and injected into the scalp. PRP may be used alone or in combination with hair restoration surgery or the treatments listed above. PRP has a positive effect with no major side effects and is primarily indicated for androgenic alopecia (the most common hair loss) and alopecia areata, and secondarily indicated for all other sources of hair loss.
Most PRP studies show a positive effect. In a review study looking at PRP for androgenic alopecia, 84% of the studies reported an improvement while 17% showed no improvement (2). In another review and treatment protocol article, PRP is recommended for androgenic alopecia to support conventional treatment. The recommended treatment protocol is: monthly for three months, then every three months over the next year (3).
In Summary:
Best candidates for PRP are early stages of androgenic alopecia and alopecia areata
Best results occur with combination therapy
Recommended protocol: three treatments over three months followed by every three months for the year
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24591533/