Most practices have started adding platelet rich plasma therapy to address patient complaints like male pattern baldness and telogen effluvium, building on PRP’s regenerative capabilities when applied to traumatic injuries. And despite not having much data in the specific application of hair loss and regrowth, the initial results from early PRP treatments seem promising enough that many clinics are looking to invest in the procedure.
But as successful as PRP hair treatments may be, are there any side effects that patients and providers should be prepared for? Fortunately, the autologous nature of PRP therapy means there’s very little chance that it could manifest in any severe side effects for the patient. However, the usual side effects associated with injection treatments are still present, and the patient should be briefed accordingly.
Why Side Effects With PRP Therapy Are Rare
PRP therapy uses a sample of the patient’s blood to process and turns into platelet rich plasma, a formula that can trigger the body’s natural cell repair and regrowth response. This response is usually only seen during instances of serious injury or trauma, so the body doesn’t experience it often. But by extracting the platelets themselves, putting them into a platelet concentrate, and injecting them into an area, a clinic is able to trigger the body’s repair response, allowing for natural cell regeneration to occur.
Because this treatment uses the patient’s own cells, there’s very little chance that the usual side effects will occur with PRP treatment. PRP serums are naturally autologous and biocompatible with the patient, so there’s little risk of the body rejecting the treatment outright. This can also give PRP hair treatments a higher rate of success with making the desired changes in the patient – though because of other reasons, the exact efficacy of these changes may also be different.
Side Effects To Expect With PRP Therapy
However, an autologous PRP treatment doesn’t mean that side effects will never occur. Given that PRP treatments involve injections, the usual side effects associated with injection treatments may also occur with the patient. There are also other side effects that patients should be on the lookout for.
Bleeding and pain at the injection site
If the patient has fairly sensitive skin, they may experience pain and temporary bleeding at the injection site. This isn’t a side effect of the PRP treatment per se, but the injection procedure required to get the patient’s blood sample and to inject the PRP serum back into them. Immediate first aid should address this problem well enough, but the patient should monitor themselves in the following days to make sure there isn’t anything wrong.
The more serious complication of this kind would be if the PRP injection accidentally went into a major artery or intra-arterial drug injection. In this case, immediate medical attention is required to make sure that the patient doesn’t develop serious complications from the procedure. If possible, hold the patient for an hour or two after their treatment to check for any similar symptoms. Fortunately, this side effect is very unlikely to happen if the injector is experienced.
Allergies to other products used
One likely side effect that patients may experience because of PRP treatments is an allergic reaction to the anesthesia used (if one was used) during the procedure. Cases like these don’t necessarily develop into serious complications for the patient, but they can severely inconvenience them and make an anesthetic application more difficult. Getting a complete medical health record of the patient before PRP treatment is the best way to avoid this from happening, though in some cases allergic reactions to the procedure can’t be avoided and should be dealt with immediately with first-aid or medical supplements in the days following the procedure.
Allergies in general should always be a factor that clinics should consider when conducting PRP therapy. While the therapy itself is highly unlikely to trigger an allergic response, the other components that may be used during the procedure may trigger allergic reactions. It’s best to conduct a thorough check of the patient’s medical history before the procedure and continue monitoring them after to deal with such issues as they arise.
Infection at the injection site
While not a large cut, injection treatments are still invasive methods of entry to the body, which means that there’s a risk of the patient developing infections at the site of the needle treatment. While this is highly unlikely if medical-grade tools and supplies were used in the procedure and the surroundings were sterilized, there are other infection vectors as well – like the patient’s surroundings at home – that can possibly infect the wound. Given these circumstances, the best thing for clinics to do is to make sure to hold the patient for observation after the treatment to brief them on this possibility.
If an infection does occur at the injection site, it’s crucial that the patient gets themselves examined by a medical professional immediately. Left unattended, infections of this kind can easily develop into more serious conditions that require extensive medical treatment to address. Keeping in contact with the patient and monitoring their progress after the procedure should be the standard operating procedure for all practices, and specialists (if available) should be on call to address any potential medical issues that may arise after their treatment.
What Clinics Can Do To Help Their Patients With Any Possible Side Effects
Given that side effects may occur with PRP treatments, what should dermatologists and other staff members of the clinic do when their patients experience it? Here are some guidelines that they can follow:
- Determine whether this is an isolated case. Because the side effects associated with PRP treatment usually have very little to do with the PRP therapy itself, there’s a possibility that there could be some other things wrong with the procedure that may potentially affect the other PRP treatments of other patients. Pay particular attention to the tools and equipment used in the procedure – there could be a chance that they’ve been contaminated.
- Consistently follow up. While it’s unlikely that the patient may have a serious side effect arise because of the treatment, it’s still important for a provider to take their case seriously. Not only is this an essential part of client management, but it’s also the key to getting additional information from the patient about the nature of their complication. Providing consistent support can help them through the side effects, and possibly even improve their overall results.
- Make changes if required. In some cases, a patient will not respond favorably to PRP treatment. For these cases, it’s essential for the practice to recommend alternatives or products that can still provide them favorable results, or change the treatment options of their PRP therapy. Providing the patient with options to get the results that they want can help them be more receptive to future treatments.
PEP Growth Factor Products: An Easier Alternative To PRP Hair Restoration
For a practice that either doesn’t want to risk the side effects of platelet rich plasma therapy or simply wants to improve hair density without relying on hair transplantation, alternatives like PEP Growth Factor products can be an excellent choice for both clinics and patients alike.
By using a proprietary blend of fibroblast growth factor, copper peptides, and other essential compounds for cell repair, PEP Growth Factor products can help promote hair regeneration and give patients the appearance of thicker hair without needing any sort of injection or other invasive measures.
PEP Factor products support the blood vessel system found underneath the scalp, which allows more nutrients to flow into the hair follicle and improve hair thickness as it grows. Consistent use of this product may drastically improve thinning hair, male pattern hair loss, and female pattern hair loss with visible results in a few weeks. While not as permanent as hair transplant surgery or as long-term as PRP hair loss treatment, it’s still an excellent way to address hair thinning with an everyday approach rather than relying on sporadic clinical treatments.
However, it can also be used to support PRP treatments since both treatments don’t interfere with how each other acts. PEP therapy can tackle cell regeneration from the inside, while PEP Growth Factor products work on improving scalp health. These treatments combined can make rapid improvements with most hair conditions including androgenic alopecia and androgenetic alopecia since none of their core ingredients are limited by gender.
The only thing that clinics and patients need to keep in mind is to find a suitable supplier for both treatments that have the requisite license to distribute them. Using subpar PEP Factor products or faulty PRP treatment can lead to an increased risk of side effects occurring, and may negatively impact the entire treatment as a result.
Buy High-Quality Medical Tools And Supplies From FACE Medical Supply Today
New hair growth is possible with a PRP hair restoration treatment, but like any treatment, the possibility of side effects on the treatment area is never zero. Fortunately, because PRP hair therapy is an autologous hair loss treatment, there’s little chance that the patient will experience any serious side effects to their hair shaft or scalp. However, it’s still important that patients should be briefed about the possible (common or otherwise) side effects that can come with a PRP injection so they know what to do in case something goes wrong.
With extensive experience in providing top-quality medical tools and supplies at affordable prices, FACE Med Store supports clinics across the country with our excellent customer service and reliable access to inventory. From the tubes used in PRP treatment to other products for hair regrowth, we’re committed to providing practices with the essentials they need to keep their clinics running smoothly.
For more information about us and the products that we provide, contact us today.
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