What is PRP?

PRP is produced from a person’s own blood. It is a concentration of one type of cell, known as platelets, which circulate through the blood and are critical for blood clotting. Platelets and the liquid plasma portion of the blood contain many factors that are essential for the cell recruitment, multiplication and specialization that are required for healing.
After a blood sample is obtained from a patient, the blood is put into a centrifuge, which is a tool that separates the blood into its many components. Platelet-rich plasma can then be collected and treated before it is delivered to an injured area of bone or soft tissue, such as a tendon or ligament.
PRP is given to patients through an injection, and ultrasound guidance can assist in the precise placement of PRP. After the injection, a patient must avoid exercise for a short period of time before beginning a rehabilitation exercise program.

PRP for scalp

PRP (platelet-rich plasma) is a nonsurgical hair-loss treatment during which platelets extracted from your own blood are injected into areas of your scalp with thinning hair.

What are the pros and cons of PRP for hair loss?
Pros

• PRP therapy is nonsurgical, with no downtime or significant safety risks. The entire procedure takes only about 30 minutes.
• A 2019 review of studies finds that overall, both men and women have positive results in terms of increased hair thickness and regrowth.
• The primary objective of the PRP is to slow down or appear to halt the progression of hair loss. A minority of patients will experience slight regrowth.
• This treatment costs significantly less than hair transplant surgery, because it’s a non-surgical treatment, and is not guaranteed to grow new hair, unlike hair transplant surgery.
• RealSelf members who say it’s “Worth It” found the procedure to be virtually painless and saw significant improvements in hair thickness and fullness.

Cons

• Results are temporary. You’ll need up to six treatments, spaced four to six weeks apart, to start and repeated treatments every few months afterward.
• How much improvement you see with PRP will depend on factors like the amount and spacing of your hair loss and how recently the hair loss started. The sooner PRP can be administered after the discovery of hair loss the better. People with large areas of baldness and long-standing baldness likely won’t get good results in terms of hair regrowth, but the treatment can still be useful in patients like this to stop future hair loss.
• RealSelf members who say this treatment was “Not Worth It” had multiple treatments and waited months for underwhelming (or nonexistent) results. It’s important to remember that there is no cure for hair loss, and so PRP will not work for 100% of patients.

Can PRP help with baldness?

PRP can help accelerate the growth of transplanted hair roots while also thickening existing hair. Recent studies have suggested that applying PRP to the scalp can address androgenic alopecia (male pattern baldness). Complex baldness problems may require getting once-a-month PRP treatments for four to six months.

What are the risks and side effects of PRP for hair loss?

PRP injections are nonsurgical and present no significant safety risks. The most common side effects are mild pain, redness, and pinpoint bleeding during the injections. You might also have some discomfort or minor swelling for a few days.

When will you see PRP for hair loss results?

If PRP works for you, you’ll see results within about four months. However, it’s not guaranteed.
Research on the results of PRP injections in both men and women has been generally positive, although most of the studies have been small. For a 2016 study published in the journal Dermatologic Surgery, researchers tested PRP in 25 people with hair loss. They injected PRP in one half of participants’ heads and an inactive treatment (placebo) in the other half, to see the difference. After three treatments, spaced one month apart, there were improvements in the number and thickness of hairs. Another 2015 study found improvements in hair counts, thickness, and root strength.
Hair restoration as a result of PRP injections will depend a lot on your gender, your age, your genes, your hormones, and other factors, including the amount of hair you had to begin with. “You do have to have some hair,” Dr. Berman says. “If somebody has a huge bald spot, it’s not going to work.”