PRP is now widely accepted as a stand-alone or in-combination treatment for hair loss in men and women. PRP is mostly used to treat classic male pattern baldness and female pattern hair loss, but further studies may find it helpful in other hair loss conditions. PRP is the part of our blood that has the highest concentration of platelets. Classically, platelets are thought of for their ability to help stop bleeding and clot blood, but what many people do not know is that platelets also release many different types of growth factors into the blood. When we inject PRP directly into the scalp (where we have hair loss), these growth factors can act favorably in the hair follicle. There, they act as stem cells and can stimulate the growth of a new blood supply and therefore bring nutrients to the hair follicle, strengthening it, and leading to restoration of hair growth. The procedure involves a blood draw (one tube), which is done in our office at the time of the appointment. The tube of blood is then placed in a device called a centrifuge, which spins blood at a fast rate. The red blood cells sink the bottom of the tube leaving the plasma at the top. The portion of the plasma richest in platelets is then drawn up into a syringe for injection into the scalp. The actual injections take merely minutes to complete. Treatments are performed once a month for three months and then every six months after that indefinitely. If you choose to stop getting PRP injections, eventually your hair will revert back to the thickness it was prior to starting the treatments. This is true for ANY hair loss treatment as there is no cure for hair loss, just treatment, which requires maintenance. Your dermatologist may also advise you to take a specific hair growth vitamin or use a topical treatment in addition to PRP. Men may be advised to take oral finasteride (Propecia), as the more you do for your hair, the better your result will be.
