How PRP is being used to treat hair loss?
For people who have been struggling with hair loss, a new treatment called PRP is giving hope. The PRP treatment is attractive to many, and both men and women have reported great results with it. One of the many upsides is that the procedure does not require anesthesia, and all of the ingredients are natural. In fact, this treatment actually uses the patient's own blood to regenerate their hair! The process is similar to the Vampire Facial, a procedure that made the news after popping up in Academy Awards gift baskets a few years back. This facial used the client's own blood to regenerate a youthful appearance.
The PRP treatment is fairly straightforward. After being evaluated and explaining their hair loss concerns to the doctor, the patient goes into the office and has their blood drawn just like they are getting a routine check-up. Then the high-tech part occurs, when the blood is placed into a centrifuge, removing the Plasma Rich Platelets (PRP) and separating them from the rest of the blood. Through this high-tech machine, the patient's platelets are concentrated. Meanwhile, the system is also removing pesky granulocytes—which slow down the healing process—from the blood. Once the PRP is perfectly prepped and ready to go, the physician numbs the patient's head so that they will not feel anything when the blood derivative is injected back into their scalp. A nurse will usually wash their hair and then they'll be ready to go on with their day. Since the physician doesn't give the patient any sedatives during the procedure, most PRP patients will just drive themselves home afterwards. As far as procedures go, this one requires very little after-care.
In the weeks that follow the procedure, patients can expect stimulated, thickened hair follicles, as the PRP regenerates the area and pumps up the healing process. The growth factors in the PRP help the hair's growth along, but results are not instantaneous. Since different parts of the patient's hair are in different phases of growth, it may take about three months to see the full results. Many patients claim that they are very pleased with how their hair has grown out, and some even go back to the doctor for multiple treatments. Although PRP is not FDA-approved yet, the treatment has become extremely popular for treating alopecia and male pattern baldness.
