The evidence keeps accumulating, the results continue to impress, and a consensus among physicians and hair restoration professionals is growing. The use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy – a relatively new biotechnology being used with increasing frequency to help heal injuries, speed recovery after surgery, and fix dermatological problems – is quickly becoming a mainstream treatment for certain types of pattern baldness.
The rise of PRP as a way to treat androgenetic alopecia, the most common form of pattern baldness, is reflected in the comprehensive research presented this past March at the 2019 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) in Washington, DC. As the author of the study, Dr. Jeffrey Rapaport, put it, “With consensus forming around treatment protocols, studies are indicating that PRP is a safe, effective hair loss treatment that has the potential to greatly improve the quality of life of millions of people.”
What is Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy for Hair Loss?
Platelets are the clotting cells of our blood, but they are also much more. They are enriched with growth and healing factors that initiate repairs and provide help to stem cells in damaged muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
PRP contains several growth factors and cytokines that enhance the body’s natural capacity to repair and regenerate itself. PRP therapy essentially takes these natural processes and supercharges them. A physician or technician takes a sample of blood from the patient and then places the sample in a centrifuge where the platelets are separated from the blood’s other elements. As used to treat injuries and trauma, the resulting PRP is then injected into the injured tissue, stimulating the healing that the body is already doing.
In hair loss therapy, the plasma is injected directly into the patient’s hair follicles in a process that usually takes no more than 10-20 minutes. Injections continue once a month for three months with injections once every three to six months thereafter.
PRP has high concentrations of over 20 growth factors, including several factors thought to stimulate hair regrowth. PRP nurtures hair follicles with critical growth factors that take the follicles from their dormant state (in which hair is no longer growing) to an active state (in which the normal hair growth cycle occurs).
At the Miami Hair & Skin Institute, we have seen excellent results when using PRP in conjunction with other hair restoration procedures. However, PRP therapy may not be the most effective course of treatment for every case of hair loss. But PRP therapy is an option you should consider and discuss with your hair restoration physician if you:
- Are in the early stages of hair loss
- Have areas of “weak quality” hair growth on your scalp, where functioning hair follicles can still be observed
- Have small areas of alopecia areata
- Are in good health and are not suffering from certain types of blood disorders, skin issues, liver disorders, or diabetes
As Dr. Rapaport noted in his presentation, an evaluation by a board-certified hair restoration physician or dermatologist is essential to determine whether PRP is a possible treatment for a specific person: “Since PRP therapy has taken off, there have been a lot of non-dermatologists performing this procedure. Only board-certified dermatologists have the medical training to identify if you are a good candidate, because this treatment will not work for everyone who experiences hair loss.”
Learn More About PRP and Hair Loss Treatment in Miami
At the Miami Hair & Skin Institute, our world-renowned hair restoration physicians are committed to delivering only the newest, safest, and most effective methods of hair loss diagnosis and treatment. Platelet-rich plasma is just one of many advanced hair restoration treatments we offer for men and women who wish to restore their hair to its robust, full, and youthful appearance. Learn more about PRP in Miami by contacting our Institute online or calling directly at 877-443-9070.