Beautiful and healthy hair adds confidence and charisma to your personality. So, it is no wonder that hair loss is a concern for many. There are several effective treatment options to restore lost hair growth. Some of these include medications and oils, while others are surgical options like a hair transplant.
In these wide ranges of treatments, is another popular hair therapy procedure called the PRP hair treatment. A mode of treatment that has been in use since the 1980s, this medical therapy is gaining more attention in recent times. This article discusses in detail about PRP hair treatments and their efficacy.
What Exactly Is PRP Treatment?
PRP literally means Platelet-Rich Plasma therapy. In this particular kind of treatment, plasma-rich platelets from the blood are injected into the scalp to promote hair growth. It is to be noted that though PRP treatment is popular for hair therapy, the same is used for other conditions like injured knee and shoulder tendons.
First, let us understand what is meant by plasma and platelets.
Plasma
Plasma is often characterized as the liquid component of the blood that runs through the human body. It is in the blood plasma that major blood cells such as platelets, red blood corpuscles, and white blood corpuscles are present.
Platelets
Platelets are the immune-response system in the blood. Typically when you cut your finger somewhere, the blood that appears on the surface clots immediately. If this doesn’t happen, you will lose too much blood with a single cut.
It is the platelet cells that promote clotting and thus, healing of wounds. So, it is an important component of our blood. This healing property of platelets is utilized in platelet-rich plasma treatments.
The Procedure
The PRP treatment for hair procedures can be broken down into three steps. Usually, you require at least three rounds of a complete session to see results. There is a time gap of around four to six weeks between each session of the treatment. Also, the patient has to revisit the doctor for maintenance every five to six months, after the therapy.
In the first step of PRP hair therapy, a specific blood quantity is drawn from the body of the patient. Following this, the blood is processed inside a machine called a centrifuge. This machine is used to separate the blood components. This is the second step.
Finally, the platelet-rich plasma which is obtained after separation is injected into the scalp where hair growth is required. This is the third step.
Does PRP Hair Treatment Really Work?
Platelet-rich plasma is an important nutritious component obtained from the blood. When this is injected into the required size, it promotes the production of collagen and stems cells in the area. This is how hair regrowth is attempted using this therapy.
As mentioned earlier, PRP treatments require at least three sessions to start showing results. Additionally, it requires regular follow-ups to maintain the results. In particular, the treatment has limited proof to suggest it to be a promising approach for hair regrowth.
There have been a few studies which were conducted to observe the efficacy of the therapy. These studies all support the PRP hair treatment to have positive results. However, since these research studies were conducted on a small group of people, the observations cannot be generalized.
The efficacy of PRP hair therapy also depends on how healthy the plasma cells of a patient are, in general. If you don’t have a naturally rich concentration of these blood components, it is likely that the treatment might not show much change in hair regrowth.
Safety And Precautions
There are some risk factors to know about before you decide to go forward with PRP hair treatment for your hair loss concern. Things to take care of are factors like what kind of medications you are on if you have a history of alcohol, drugs, or smoking, and if you have been diagnosed with any acute or chronic health disorders.
It is likely that your physician will rule against platelet-rich plasma therapy if you suffer from a chronic health condition or if you are on medications like blood thinners. The same goes for people who smoke heavily and/or consume alcohol or drugs in heavy proportions.
Possible Side Effects Of PRP Hair Therapy
It is also to be noted that PRP hair therapy might have certain side effects post-treatment. For instance, there is a possibility of blood vessel or nerve injury as the plasma is injected into the bloodstream of the scalp.
Similarly, calcification or infections at the site are to be expected, since it is an injection-type therapy. Another likely side effect might be induced by anesthesia if you have a low tolerance to anesthetics. Scarring is also to be expected as the treatment requires several sessions to show results.
Cost Of PRP Hair Treatment
The expenses of platelet-rich plasma therapy are quite high. However, there are factors like the patient’s geographical location and the type of equipment used which affect the cost.
We would suggest you talk to a skin specialist and or a dermatologist in your area to get a better idea of the treatment.
Conclusion
All in all, PRP or platelet-rich plasma therapy is just one among the several options to explore when it comes to hair regrowth. It is best recommended to consult an expert physician and seek their opinion to determine what kind of hair therapy suits best for you.
Though statistics can’t provide a lot of data on the effectiveness of PRP hair treatment, many patients prefer it to be a safe, painless, and successful procedure compared to other options. So, it is still a viable option if none of the other techniques work for you. We sincerely hope that helped!
