Baldness Prevention: an unhairy situation: what to do when your hair is falling out
Treating hair loss with PRP
Treatment for male and female pattern hair loss.
I’m sure by now you have heard of the "vampire facial," a skin treatment that essentially uses your own blood to help facilitate a glowing, youthful complexion. Well guess what? There's a similar treatment for hair loss, and it requires your blood, too.
It's called platelet-rich plasma, a.k.a. PRP.
How does is work?
Blood is made of two main components, red blood cells, and plasma. Plasma contains white blood cells and platelets, which are rich in growth factors.
Growth factors can help stimulate the activity of the hair follicles and promote new hair growth.
PRP is a great treatment option for hair loss because it has a number of scientifically based articles showing its efficacy in increasing hair count, hair thickness, and the growth phase of the hair cycle. This treatment has become very popular within the last few years.
The process.
The procedure begins with a standard blood draw from the patient's arm. The tube of blood is put into a machine called a centrifuge, which spins the blood tube to separate out the red blood cells from the plasma. The plasma, rich in platelets, is then injected directly into the scalp at the level of the hair follicles.
Injections begin across the scalp, approximately at every half inch over the area of thinning hair — but typically, the entire procedure takes less than a half hour.
Risks involved.
For the most part, there's no real risk associated with PRP injections. Most patients get injections without any numbing, as there is minimal discomfort. However, cool air or ice packs may be used to minimize pain.
Who it works for.
Anyone experiencing hair loss is essentially a good candidate for PRP treatments, but those with early hair loss tend to respond best. PRP is best used for patients with androgenic alopecia, which is a genetically determined type of hair thinning that typically occurs along the top of the head. In women, this might look like a widening part with normal hair thickness at the back of the head.
The results.
For best results, we need consistency. Treatments are typically performed once a month for the first three to four months, and then every three to six months thereafter, depending on the individual patient's response and results. Sometimes, results can be seen after the first treatment!