It’s called Platelet-Rich Plasma a.k.a. PRP and here’s how it works:
Platelets are a component of blood, along with red and white blood cells. When a person sustains a cut or wound, the platelets are some of the body’s “first responders” that arrive to stop the bleeding and promote healing.
To produce PRP, a medical professional will take a blood sample and put it into a machine called a centrifuge. This machine spins at a rapid rate, which separates the components of the blood. The medical professional then extracts the platelets for injection.
PRP contains a range of growth factors and proteins that speed tissue repair. As some types of hair loss result from damage to hair follicles, researchers initially hypothesized that PRP could help regrow hair by reversing the process that occurs in androgenetic alopecia (hair loss).
Since then, PRP has become a popular method of restoring hair growth. Doctors have also used PRP to treat injuries to the tendons, muscles, and ligaments, such as those that people sustain during sporting activities.
Procedure
The following steps are an example of a common approach to PRP injections for hair loss:
A medical professional draws blood from a vein in the arm.
They place the blood sample in a centrifuge.
The centrifuge spins the blood, separating its components.
A medical professional extracts the platelets using a syringe.
A doctor injects the platelets into targeted areas of the scalp.
The entire process may take about 1 hour, and several sessions may be necessary. After receiving PRP treatment, a person can usually return to their regular activities without any limitations.
How long will it last?
PRP is not a cure for conditions that cause hair loss. For this reason, a person would need to receive multiple PRP treatments over time to maintain hair growth results. The same is true of medications that doctors commonly use to treat androgenetic alopecia, such as topical minoxidil (Regaine) and oral finasteride (Propecia).
The doctor’s recommendations for how often a person should have PRP will vary depending on a person’s condition and the results of their initial treatment. The doctor may suggest having maintenance injections every 3-6 months every once hair loss is under control.
Side effects
As the PRP solution consists of a person’s own blood components, there are few risks of a reaction to the solution itself.
However, people undergoing PRP treatments for hair loss may experience the following side effects:
mild pain at the injection site
scalp tenderness
swelling
a headache
itching
temporary bleeding at the injection site
Summary
Researchers have found evidence that PRP can lead to renewed hair growth. However, due to the limitations of these studies — such as small sample sizes — and the variation in technique and protocol among doctors, further research is necessary to confirm whether PRP is effective.
Doctors and researchers also need to identify the best candidates for PRP and develop universal treatment protocols.
At present, anyone with mild-to-moderate hair loss who is interested in PRP should ask a doctor whether they are likely to benefit from the treatment.