Hair loss is a common problem among men and women. Many treatments of varying effectiveness have already been discovered. platelet-rich plasma (PRP) Therapy is one of the most radical solutions for addressing hair loss, with numerous clinical studies and reports suggesting positive results. It promotes hair restoration by injecting growth factors into the scalp. Many patients continue to have questions about this treatment that has been gaining traction.
So how does the platelet-rich plasma treatment for hair loss work, and how frequently should you get injections? The PRP hair treatment works by injecting your scalp with autologous concentrations of platelets to promote hair growth. The frequency of taking platelet-rich plasma injections depends on various factors, but experts usually advise 3 monthly sessions and follow-up shots every 4 to 6 months.
What is PRP for Hair Loss?
Platelet-rich plasma therapy is a form of regenerative medicine used for rehabilitative treatments, such as tendon ruptures, wound healing, and other problems. It’s also used as a cosmetic procedure, with its ability to address androgenetic alopecia.
How It Works for Hair Regrowth
Platelet-rich plasma contains plasma, which is the liquid part of the blood composed of water and proteins, and platelets, the cell responsible for the body’s regenerative abilities. This solution is harvested from the patient’s own blood supply processed in a centrifuge to separate the concentration of platelets from other blood cells.
The autologous platelet concentration processed now contains numerous growth factors, serving as an effective treatment for speeding up the healing of tissues. When injected into the scalp, it can also treat both male and female pattern hair loss.
Baldness is caused by many factors, but most of them concern the hair follicles–they start shrinking or becoming weak until they stop growing hair. For androgenetic alopecia, the hair follicles become attacked by male hormones, causing the hair to fall and stop growing.
Platelet-rich plasma injections can promote hair regrowth as its introduction into the scalp stimulates the healing process, increases hair follicle stem cells, and promotes cell growth. This solution also triggers collagen production, rejuvenates the hair follicles, and maintains this by widening the blood vessels around them to increase their blood supply.
Effectiveness
The efficacy of platelet-rich plasma injections doesn’t offer 100% certainty in treating hair loss because they don’t address its causes. However, it’s been receiving positive results with the nutrients it provides the hair follicles. Several studies have also shown its clinical efficacy.
A previous study in 2014 shows how PRP injections have increased the participants’ amounts of hair. The study involves 11 individuals with androgenic alopecia receiving PRP injections per 2 to 3 cubic centimeters into their scalp for 3 months at 2-week intervals. The results show an increase in hair follicles from 71 units to 93.
While the sampling may be small to conclude the efficacy of platelet-rich plasma injections. Experts still study further the efficacy of platelet-rich plasma injections to this day.
Preparation Methods
After a series of consultations and preparations, your PRP hair treatment starts with a blood draw from your arm to harvest blood platelets and plasma. Dermatologists or practitioners process this blood sample in a centrifuge to separate the platelet-rich plasma solution from the white blood cells and other blood cells.
After around 10 minutes, what you get is a blood sample separated into three:
- platelet-rich plasma
- platelet-poor plasma
- red blood cells
Your board-certified dermatologist will only extract the platelet-rich plasma for the next procedure’s intradermal injection.
The scalp will then be washed and applied topical anesthetic to reduce pain or any type of discomfort during administration. Your dermatologist will then administer about 5 to 7ml of PRP in your deep subcutaneous tissue. They usually use a 27- or 30-gauge needle to inject 0.3 to 0.55 cc of PRP per area.
Downtime
Platelet-rich plasma therapy for hair growth offers minimal downtime with little to no risks of major side effects. You may resume your daily routine after having this hair loss treatment, though there will be a few restrictions when it concerns your scalp.
Your scalp may experience common side effects, such as skin irritation and scalp pain, but these will usually subside after 3 to 4 weeks. In 3 to 6 months, you should already be fully recovered from the procedure.
When to Expect Results
Platelet-rich plasma injections for the treatment of hair loss don’t show noticeable results right away. Most of your hair follicles need to reach the anagen phase. Collagen production also takes about 4 to 6 months. Because of this, you might notice significant results for your hair loss injections within 3 to 6 months after your initial injections, but you can also notice improvements within as early as 2 weeks.
How Many Sessions You Need
PRP Therapy for hair loss needs multiple treatment sessions for better results in treating androgenetic alopecia. This usually depends on the patient’s health, the severity of hair loss, and other concerns. For extreme cases, patients will need at least 3 monthly sessions to experience significant results in hair growth. After this, they would be prescribed follow-up shots every 4 to 6 months to maintain the optimal results of hair growth.
How to Enhance the Results of Your PRP Hair Treatment
Patients may enhance the results of this effective hair loss treatment by boosting the efficacy of platelets in their blood. Some of them are improving your diet, exercising regularly, and avoiding smoking, drinking, and drugs. You may also consult your dermatologist for a prescription of at-home treatments for hair loss.
1) Improve Diet
If you’re receiving PRP injections for pattern baldness and other types of hair loss, you must also improve your diet. Incorporate food rich in B-vitamins and green leafy vegetables in your diet. Here are the nutrients found in B-12 vitamins:
- Biotin
- Cobalamin
- Folate
- Niacin
- Pantothenic Acid
- Pyridoxine
- Riboflavin
- Thiamine
Green leafy vegetables and food rich in Vitamin B-12 aid your body to boost the production of your red blood cells and the efficacy of platelet-rich plasma extracted from you. It also helps you improve your immune system, which will be an advantage for those undergoing PRP for hair treatment.
2) Exercise Regularly
While exercising is generally a must to achieve a healthier body, incorporating high-intensity cardio exercises in your fitness program will be even more beneficial to your PRP results. Cardio exercises help your production of red blood cells, which is necessary for the results of your PRP. It also helps with your immune system, which also contributes to positive results of your PRP treatment.
3) Avoid Drinking, Smoking, and Drugs
Smoking is said to cause hair loss. If you’re setting your hair loss treatments for success, it’s better to start avoiding it. Aside from affecting your hair growth, it also impedes your injections as smoking lessens the growth factor levels in your body. The toxins found in cigarette smoke, such as carbon monoxide, nicotine, and hydrogen cyanide, may undermine your healing process.
4) Take Prescribed At-Home Treatments
Combination therapy is useful for enhancing the results of your PRP injections for hair growth. Here are some of the usual at-home treatments for hair loss:
- Oral Finasteride – one of the common medicines for treating male pattern baldness
- Minoxidil – one of the substances with the most clinical trials for stimulating hair growth. Some products containing this as its active ingredient also have to revitalize properties by adding anti-androgens and antioxidants. This usually comes in drop form.
- Herbal restorative shampoo – consult your dermatologist about the best restorative shampoo to use for helping with hair growth. These types of shampoo help strengthen your hair shafts and improve hair thickness. Some products only contain natural ingredients. This ensures your hair is left soft, shiny, and healthy, as some restorative shampoos tend to leave the hair brittle and dull.
Ensure consulting your dermatologist and to take only the prescribed medications to avoid adverse effects.
Know More About PRP Hair Treatments at FACE Med Store
Platelet-rich plasma helps patients address hair loss problems. Those interested in knowing more about this treatment should seek a reliable aesthetic clinic for providing them with the services they need.
There are also different treatments for hair growth that might be more suitable for your type of hair loss. FACE Med Store offers a wide range of beauty and medical supplies that our customers need. Know more about PRP hair treatment or the other hair loss solutions we have in our stock list, and contact us today.
