Can PRP be used to enhance hair transplant results?
For many people, their hair serves as a large part of their identity and has done for most of their life. So, when they start to lose it, it can have a devastating effect. Hair transplants are still one of the most well-known, frequently sought solutions for hair loss. And if this is the route you’ve gone down, you may now be wondering if there’s anything that you can do to enhance the results and support the new hair follicles as they take root.
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy offers remarkable results, both as a standalone treatment and in conjunction with hair transplant surgery. If you’re considering the treatment, this is everything that you need to know about what to expect from the treatment, the unique science behind PRP injections and how they work to restore hair growth.
What is PRP, and how does it work?
PRP, also known as Platelet Rich Plasma, is a natural, non-surgical treatment that utilises the regenerative power of your own blood. Blood contains platelets and other cells that naturally work to heal damaged or aged tissues. Platelets play a vital role in healing by releasing growth factors, which stimulate the growth and repair of specific tissues.
PRP seeks to reverse the early stages of hair loss created by thinning hair, bald spots and receding hairlines.
What happens during treatment?
During a PRP procedure, your practitioner will take blood from your arm using the same method as a blood test. The blood is then placed in a centrifuge and ‘spun’ to extract and separate its components and isolate the platelet-rich plasma. This rich concentration of growth factors is then injected directly into the scalp at the level of the hair follicles, increasing blood flow and stimulating the growth of new follicles.
Using PRP in combination with hair transplant surgery
Most surgeons recommend that their patients put a treatment protocol in place to maintain their hair transplant surgery results. Minoxidil, finasteride, and PRP are three great tools that they might recommend.
After a hair transplant, the newly implanted hair grafts require good nourishment in terms of blood supply and diet, and PRP is an excellent method to enrich the blood supply of the treated area.
When PRP is used after hair transplant surgery, it can help increase the graft’s yield rate, heal both donor and recipient areas, stimulate hair growth and increase the thickness of the hair shaft.
When will you see the results?
We usually recommend two to three treatments, four weeks apart, plus a yearly maintenance treatment for optimum results. After your first treatment, the concentration of growth factors is relatively high, but this drops in the 3-4 weeks following treatment. To keep the growth factors consistently high until an optimum level is reached, three sessions are usually recommended.
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Disclaimer: Please be aware that results and benefits may vary from patient to patient taking into consideration factors such as age, lifestyle and medical history.
