PRP for hair loss: Does it work?

Our hair forms a crucial part of our identity, so it’s no wonder that when it loses its volume or starts to shed, it can knock our confidence and self-esteem. Hair loss is actually very normal and part of everyday life. Most people can expect to lose between 80 and 100 strands each day. It’s part of the hair growth cycle, where older hair is replaced with new hair every few years. It is only when the hair growth cycle is disrupted that excessive hair loss can occur.

By the age of 60, around 80% of women will have experienced some form of hair thinning or shedding. Women have various key times in their lives when hair loss is most likely to happen, including around childbirth and during perimenopause and menopause. Hormonal changes in our bodies and physiological and psychological changes can affect the hair follicle, resulting in hair thinning, shedding, and loss.

And the effect of the pandemic has undoubtedly not helped. Studies have found that nearly a quarter of patients with long Covid experienced hair loss, with women more at risk. The exact reason for this is unclear, but many experts believe it is not caused by the virus itself but by the psychological trauma of fighting the disease.

Thankfully, there are many treatments that can help. In particular, Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy has proven to be very effective, which uses your own blood to help facilitate a thick, healthy, glossy head of hair.

What is Platelet Rich Plasma, and how does it work?

Our blood is made up of two components, red blood cells and plasma. The plasma contains white blood cells and platelets rich in growth factors. Growth factors, in a way, play the role of messengers, signalling hair follicles to function. For many years, they have been used in medicine to treat many health issues, including arthritis and wound healing. The good news for anyone with thinning hair is that growth factors can help stimulate the activity of the hair follicles and promote new hair growth.

Platelet Rich Plasma uses a sample of your blood spun in a centrifuge to separate the part of the blood rich in platelets/growth factors. This is then injected into your scalp to stimulate the hair follicles and encourage new hair growth. A course of treatments is usually recommended for best results.

PRP is a very effective option for hair loss, and it has much scientific evidence that demonstrates its efficacy in increasing hair count, hair thickness and lengthening the growth phase of the hair cycle.

Who is a suitable candidate?

PRP can be very effective for anyone experiencing hair loss, but those with early hair loss tend to respond best. PRP is best used in patients with androgenic alopecia, which is a genetically determined type of hair thinning that typically occurs at the top of the head. In women, this may appear as a widening of the natural parting.

What results can I expect?

For best results, we typically advise three to four treatments spaced one month apart and six-monthly maintenance treatments thereafter, depending on your response and results. You can expect to see results within two to three months of beginning treatment – a decrease in hair shedding is usually seen first, followed by early regrowth and increased length of hair.

PRP should form part of a multifaceted treatment plan that includes other treatments to help support its results. For example, this may be Viviscal Professional supplements to nourish hair follicles with crucial nutrients or HydraFacial Keravive to support scalp health.

To find out more about PRP, or to book a consultation with an expert practitioner, click here.