PRP for hair loss & baldness: does it work?

What is PRP therapy? 

PRP stands for Platelet rich plasma, which means abundant platelets concentrated in small volume of plasma. This has rich concentration of growth factors that are effective in tissue regeneration, healing and new vessel formation. PRP therapy is commonly being used in treatment of hair fall & baldness.

How is PRP done?

PRP is an OPD procedure that takes about 45 to 60 minutes for completion. A small amount of blood (equivalent to routine blood tests) is withdrawn from the patient. This blood is subjected to double spin centrifugation technique to obtain plasma rich in platelets. The procedure of processing and isolating PRP is very important. It should be efficient enough to obtain a platelet concentration of at least 300 to 400% greater than the whole blood. That is considered therapeutic PRP. Any concentration less than this will not be effective and more than this hardly provides any extra benefit. The plasma so obtained is then injected at the affected area within 10-15 minutes of processing. Then the patient is called for next session after 2-4 weeks. Apart from this, there are some other techniques to use PRP. It can also be applied over scalp after microneedling puncturing of the area. PRP is also used as an adjuvant in hair transplant.

In which conditions is PRP effective?

There is an accumulating evidence of beneficial results with use of PRP in various dermatological conditions as hair loss, wound healing in ulcers, scars, thermal burn and facial rejuvenation. Most common use is treatment of hair loss or alopecia. The people with thinning hair, patchy hair loss, men and women with male pattern baldness improve with PRP therapy.,It can be used along with other medications as minoxidil and finastride, and also as an adjuvant to hair transplant. PRP yields good results in patients with hair loss, but it is not effective in completely bald surface, as this treatment does not help grow new hair but rather helps strengthening of existing weak and thin hair.

How does PRP work?

Platelet rich plasma has high concentration of platelets that on activation yields high amount of growth factors as PGDF (platelet derived growth factor), TGF (transforming growth factor), VEGF( vascular endothelial growth factor), EGF( epithelial growth factor) etc. These growth factors stimulate proliferation and differentiation of stem cells to hair follicles, prolong survival of existing hair follicles and strengthen hair follicles. Treatment with PRP stimulates hair growth and strengthen the thinned out hair follicles and prevent hair loss.

How much time & money is required?

The procedure requires about 4 to 8 sittings at an interval of 15 weeks to 2 months. The desired results are usually seen over a period 9 to 12 months.  The cost of the treatment varies from clinic to clinic depending upon simple or sophisticated equipments used, doctor experience and skills. It ranges from ₹3000 to ₹15,000 per session.

How safe is this procedure?

This is as a safe procedure. Only discomfort is the pain of multiple needle pricking while drawing of blood and injecting on affected area. A numbing cream can be applied on scalp to alleviate discomfort of pricking needle. The main risk of PRP is that of poor preparation of PRP, outdated equipment and poor skill of doctor resulting in a poor or less than optimal outcome. Patients with certain blood disorders or on certain medications are not candidates for PRP treatments. For patients on anti platelet drugs as Aspirin or non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs, these drugs are discontinued 2 weeks before the procedure.

What is the effectiveness of PRP?

Many clinical studies have shown beneficial results of PRP in male pattern hair loss. It can increase hair thickness, decrease hair loss and even help hair regrowth from dormant follicles. But it is neither the first line treatment nor the permanent solution of hair loss. As it is a newer treatment that is yet to be thoroughly researched, so it is currently being used as an adjuvant or a second line approach for the patients not responding to minoxidil and finasteride.

Male pattern hair loss is an ongoing genetic condition. PRP may provide a temporary benefit but maintenance therapy is required to prevent recurrence. According to some dermatologists, six months is the longest duration one can expect the results of PRP to persist and 1-2 treatment sessions may be required per year. Though, the exact data on success rate and duration of effect is still under research.

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Dr Monika Misra

Consultant cosmetologist at Dermacosm clinic

Dr Monika Misra is a consultant cosmetologist at Dermacosm clinic. She possesses more than 5 years of experience in dermatosurgical procedures, chemical peels, microneedling, and radiofrequency.

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