Benefits
PRP therapy helps to reduce hair loss in men and women by using a patient’s blood plasma platelets to accelerate the growth of hair.
How does it work?
PRP is a three-step medical treatment to combat hair loss from alopecia. First, a patient’s blood is drawn and processed to develop plasma. This plasma has a concentrated level of platelets and white blood cells, which are rich in growth factors and support new cell growth. Next, this formula is injected into the scalp. The injected platelets promote hair growth by using the patient’s natural healing system and strengthen hair follicles to transition into an active growth phase. Lastly, it encourages the creation of new blood vessels, which helps to nourish the hair follicles, thereby extending the duration of this growth phase.
Once a treatment plan is decided, a vial of blood is drawn and spun down to recover the platelet-rich plasma. The clean scalp will have a total of 12 subdermal injections (approximately 6 ml) placed throughout the affected area. With the assistance of chilled air, or occasionally a local anesthetic, the procedure is easily tolerated. Aftercare consists of keeping the area thoroughly clean and using ice packs for local pain and swelling. Minimal bleeding is occasionally noted.
There is no significant downtime related to the procedure. There may be some mild pain post-treatment, which is easily managed with ice packs initially and/or Tylenol.
3-4 sessions are typically performed on a consecutive monthly basis. Additional treatment sessions then follow at 4-6 month intervals. Post-treatment therapy may also be augmented with 3-5 (20 minute) treatments of low level light therapy (LED) per week, which can be administered in the office or at home.