PRP – Platelet-rich plasma therapy

PRP therapy is one of the most successful non-surgical methods to treat hair loss, thinning hair, and pattern baldness.

This therapy is best suited to increase the duration of the growth phase of hair, reduce hair fall, and reverse thinning to an extent that will result in improving scalp coverage by boosting natural hair regrowth.

After the initial session of treatment, you’ll see a reduction in hair fall. The actual result of this therapy will be evident after the third session, as you start seeing hair regrowth.

Now, there are many questions that come up in your mind.

What’s the process of PRP hair treatment? Is this process actually effective? What are the side effects? And many more.

Please do hold your breath!

And continue the reading.

What is the PRP treatment for hair loss?

The Platelet-rich plasma treatment is a simple yet effective procedure, which consists of four steps as listed below.

Collection of blood sample

In the first step of PRP hair loss treatment therapy, the doctor will collect blood from your arm. He/she will take approximately 20 ml.

Separation of platelets

The taken blood will be transferred to PRP tubes that contain a special drug to separate the plasma from the blood. Then, this tube will get placed in a centrifuge (a machine that separates plasma from the blood).

Extraction and activation of PRP from the blood

After spinning the PRP tube for about 15-20 minutes, the blood will get separated into 3 layers.

  • Platelet Rich Plasma
  • Platelet Poor Plasma
  • Red Blood cells

After this process, trichologists will activate the growth cells in the plasma using an activation agent.

Insertion of PRP into the affected area with injections

In the last step of the process, the dermatologist will inject the collected plasma into the affected area of the scalp with the use of microneedles.

Don’t worry! To alleviate the pain before inserting the platelet-rich plasma, your doctor will administer anesthesia into the affected scalp margin.

This is the whole Platelet-rich plasma therapy, let’s get to know more about it below.

How many sessions of PRP hair treatment?

Generally, 4 to 6 sessions may be needed for getting the desired results in hair volume and quality.

The total time required to complete the PRP treatment depends upon the condition of hair loss, it may take 6-9 months.

The thing to note here is treatment can be performed once a month or at the interval every 45 days, depending on the condition of the patient and the judgment of the doctor.

Moreover, each PRP session may take around 90 minutes to complete.

This therapy’s effectiveness may last for around 1 – 3 years and post that the patient may need to repeat a few sessions of PRP hair loss treatment to maintain healthy hair.

Do I need to rest after the PRP hair loss treatment procedure?

As PRP hair loss treatment is not a surgical procedure. You’ll be free to go and perform all activities after the procedure. However, the only precaution to be taken is to avoid shampoo for two days.

Is PRP treatment safe?

This non-surgical hair treatment therapy is in use since the 1980s. Here are some points for you to have a look at.

  • The risk of a bad reaction is minimal – because the treatment is using the patient’s own blood.
  • As there is no transmission of external blood. So, the risk of infection is very very less.
  • There is no risk of damage to the skull or brain, as the doctor is injecting plasma into your skin only.

Is this PRP hair loss treatment effective?

A patient needs to hold patience for some days after the first and second sessions of Platelet-rich plasma therapy. As this treatment is intended to promote the healing and growth of new hair.

The patient can get to know that the affected scalp area starts getting recovered within a few weeks or months and the new hair starts growing again in the bald area of the scalp.

Any Side effects of PRP therapy?

There are no major side effects associated with this treatment. However, one may experience.

  • Multiple pricks may cause momentary pain or pin-pointed bleeding may incur as it’s a minimally invasive treatment. Your doctor can give local anesthesia to alleviate the pain
  • One can feel soreness or redness at the injection site
  • Your head can become heavy but that can easily subside within an hour by using an analgesic.

However, it’s good if pregnant and early lactating women should avoid taking PRP treatment.

How is PRP made & used?

The PRP is made after taking your blood in the PRP tube, then its processed using reagents to yield PRP. As the amount of blood taken from your body is very minor so no need to bother about any side effects.

For PRP usage, please go through the first part of this blog where we’ve explained the whole procedure, in which the usage of PRP is written in detail.

To be happy the whole procedure of PRP treatment takes around 15 minutes to complete.

Who can take PRP Treatment?

  • Persons with weak hair or bald skin on the scalp are eligible and can consult a doctor for PRP hair loss treatment
  • Patients with good health can undergo this non-surgical PRP therapy
  • A person capable of bearing pin-pricking pain can also opt to go for this treatment
  • An individual with Androgenic Alopecia, who has already determined the type of hair thinning can also avail of this PRP treatment.

Final words

In conclusion, Platelet-rich plasma therapy is a non-surgical and safest method of healing hair thinning and reversing balding. And for this therapy, trichologists are specialized healthcare professionals who are experts in hair and scalp health. They can guide you with the PRP hair treatment, from assessing your hair loss condition to preparing and administering the PRP hair loss treatment.