Posted: Friday, February 16th, 2018
Similar to the vampire facials that use our own plasma to achieve a glowing complexion, platelet rich plasma (PRP) treatments help to signal our skin to grow through our blood too. Specifically, our platelets are rich in growth factors and growth factors can help stimulate the activity of hair follicles and promote hair growth.
PRP has been shown to increase hair count, thickness, and the growth phase of the hair cycle in clinical papers, making it a new hair loss treatment option worth investigating. Not to mention, its popularity has been growing in recent years – so how does it work?
With PRP, the process begins with a blood draw from the patient undergoing hair regrowth treatment. The dawn tube of blood is put into a centrifuge, which spins the blood tube to separate red blood cells from the plasma. The platelet-rich plasma then gets injected right into the scalp at the hair follicle level. The procedure takes about a half an hour, with a grid-like precision, as the injections are made across the scalp approximately every half inch over the area of thinning.
Major benefits to PRP are that there is no health risk to the patient, minimal discomfort and minimal downtime. Anyone suffering from hair loss is a candidate for PRP treatments. However, those with early hair loss may respond better to treatments as well as those with androgenic alopecia, which typically affects hair growth at the top of the head.
Consistent PRP treatments are needed to achieve best results. Typically, treatments should be given once a month for the first 3-4 months and then every once every 3-6 months thereafter. Results are visible after 2-3 months. And, depending on your specific needs, your doctor or dermatologist might prescribe medication and topical treatments alongside your PRP treatments as a comprehensive program.
Although it’s still in its infancy, PRP has great potential as a hair loss treatment for women with androgenic alopecia and continue to closely monitor its results.
