Millions of adults in the United States eventually develop some degree of hair loss. There are a number of reasons for hair loss, and while many are unbothered by their hair fallout, others seek out different ways to maintain their normal hair thickness and volume. One popular method is through platelet-rich plasma injections, which uses your platelet’s regenerative abilities to stimulate hair growth.
So how many tubes of blood are drawn for PRP therapy for hair growth? It varies with every individual patient, but it ultimately depends on how large the treatment area is and how severe your hair shedding is, though expect that each session won’t use more than 60 mL or 2 oz. To get a more accurate answer, find an esthetic provider that offers PRP treatments and discuss your hair loss condition with them.
Amount of Blood Required for One PRP Hair Treatment
The amount of blood needed for one session of PRP hair therapy can depend on several factors. This amount will be extracted and then processed in a centrifuge. This will separate the PRP from the rest of your blood’s components like the red and white blood cells.
There are 2 types of hair growth treatments that use PRP: microneedling with PRP and PRP injections. To know which one can provide you with better results, talk to an esthetic provider about getting PRP to stimulate hair regrowth. How much blood is needed for each treatment can vary.
Microneedling with PRP
Microneedling with PRP uses the stimulating effects of microneedling and then applying PRP to the microchannels along your scalp afterwards. Though some esthetic centers may provide DIY microneedling with PRP kits, you should have yours done by an experienced provider to achieve the best results.
How Much PRP Is Needed?
Prior to your microneedling session, your provider may extract up to 15 mL of blood, which can produce up to 4 teaspoons or around 4 mL of platelet-rich plasma. After your microneedling treatment, the PRP is spread around your treated scalp area and will seep into your scalp through the new microchannels. This will make its way to your hair follicles to promote hair growth.
How It Works
Your provider will first perform microneedling on your scalp. For hair growth treatments, the needles 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm is sufficient. Using the device, your provider will puncture microchannels into the scalp. These microwounds are barely noticeable to the human eye, but they’re enough to stimulate your body’s healing response. This can have a benefit on your skin, scalp, and hair follicles. After the microneedling procedure, PRP is massaged into the microchannels to make its way to the follicles. The regenerative features of your platelets can stimulate your hair follicles to regrow hair.
Microneedling’s healing process produces collagen, which contains amino acids that can act as growth factors and help produce healthier hair that’s less prone to damage and breakage. On the other hand, PRP triggers cell reproduction and growth, which can stimulate dormant hair follicles and promote natural hair growth by restarting the growth phase of the hair cycle.
PRP Injections
A more direct method of administering PRP onto the hair follicles on your scalp, PRP injections are intradermal injections that are used to stimulate cell growth. These can’t be done at home and will need to be done by an experienced esthetician.
How Much PRP Is Needed?
How much PRP you need for hair growth stimulation can vary depending on a number of factors. PRP treatments for various body parts (such as face, joints, tendons, and muscles) often require a maximum of 60 mL of blood per treatment, which produces around 20 mL of PRP. PRP injections for the scalp need much less than this, so expect that a tube of blood may be more than enough.
How It Works
Your provider will first extract your blood and process it in a centrifuge. The isolated PRP will then be injected into one or more areas around your scalp, depending on the size of the treatment area.
The injected PRP will make its way into the dermal layer of your skin, where it can trigger cell regeneration and growth factors for your hair follicles. Your dormant hair follicles can be stimulated to start producing healthy hair and continue the hair growth cycle.
Is PRP Effective for Hair Loss Treatment?
While there’s still much to be studied about PRP and its effects on your body, plenty of patient reviews and several studies show that it’s a promising solution for hair growth. Two studies done in 2014 and 2015 found that patients with androgenic alopecia saw improvement in their hair count and hair growth after undergoing regular PRP injections for three months.
However, keep in mind that PRP isn’t a cure-all solution for hair loss. If you have an underlying medical condition (like male or female pattern baldness), taking medication, or practicing bad habits that weaken your hair, you may not see a noticeable difference in your hair growth even after getting PRP treatments. If you have platelet poor plasma due to a blood or clotting disorder, your PRP may not be as effective as other patients’. Talk to your doctor to find out if PRP treatments are a good solution to stimulate your hair growth.
Benefits of PRP Treatments
For many patients, PRP can help you through multiple treatments with an experienced provider. Some of the benefits you can get from PRP hair treatments include:
- Healthier Scalp. Through PRP, you can improve the blood flow and stimulate scalp repair around the area. This can help stimulate your miniaturized hair follicles produce stronger hair.
- Better Function. PRP increases the blood flow to the hair follicles, which makes it easier for your body to transport the oxygen and other nutrients it needs to function at its best and keep your hair healthy.
- Dormant Hair Follicle Stimulants. Certain hair loss conditions and medications can speed up the hair cycle and cause your hair to speed up the growth phase and remain in its dormant phase. PRP treatment can stimulate your hair follicles to restart the growth process and produce new hair to replace the missing ones.
Browse FACE Med Store for Your Beauty, Health, and Wellness Needs
PRP injections for your hair doesn’t require a lot of blood and is one of the more promising treatments for hair loss. To get a more accurate estimate of how much blood will be used, talk to an esthetic provider to see if PRP treatments are good solutions for your hair loss problems and how much PRP you’ll need to see robust hair growth.
And for all your beauty, health, and wellness supplies, visit FACE Med Store’s online store. We stock quality products for everyday users and businesses. Find reliable, top-quality items at competitive prices for all your esthetic needs today.
