Platellet rich plasma (PRP)

What does the procedure entail?

Platelet-rich plasma is obtained from the patient’s own blood.

• The doctor draws a small amount of blood into tubes — like collection for “traditional” blood diagnostic purposes.
• The tubes are inserted into a centrifuge, where, after centrifugation, layered separation of blood cells occurs. One of the layers has concentrated platelets — i.e., thrombocytes.
• With a special needle, the doctor collects part of the plasma in the layer containing platelets, called platelet-rich.
• A special reagent is added that activates the platelets to produce growth factors.
• The platelet-rich plasma obtained in this way — rich in growth factors — is administered to the scalp using mesotherapy in multiple injections. The procedure does not require anesthesia.

The growth factors contained in platelet-rich plasma (PRP) strongly stimulate tissue regeneration. The follicles stimulated in this way “produce” strong and healthy hair and hair loss is also reduced. An additional stimulating factor is the mechanical puncturing of the skin during the procedure.

The entire procedure, including blood collection and preparation, requires approximately 60-90 minutes.

After the procedure

On the day of the procedure, do not wash your hair or apply any styling agents so as not to irritate the skin. Beginning the day after the treatment, use mild shampoos. Within 1-3 days, the redness and tenderness of the skin, which are natural consequences of the puncturing, disappear. Skin not covered by hair should be protected on sunny days with SPF 50+ sunblock.

Effects

About a month after the first treatment, improvement can be observed — the hair stops breaking and falling out, and new hair grows healthier and stronger. A standard series of 3 treatments (every 3–4 weeks) is performed once a year, which gradually leads to thickening of the hair. The doctor may suggest a different program of treatment. In order to improve the results of treatment or for better maintenance, an effective solution is PRP plasma mesotherapy at 1–2-month intervals.

Indications

The treatment with platelet-rich plasma is effective for people with excessive hair loss, as well as for those with fine or thin hair that requires revitalization and thickening. It is recommended as supportive therapy in treatment primarily for

• alopecia areata
• androgenetic alopecia in men and women
• seasonal hair loss
• hair loss after delivery, after intensive slimming, after hormone therapy, under stress, etc.

Benefits

• Platelet-rich plasma is a natural material and completely biocompatible, so there is no risk of allergies or intolerance.
• As no anesthesia or recovery is required, it does not prevent normal activities.
• Regularly repeated — e.g., 1–2 times a year, in a series — ensures lasting results, preventing hair loss.

Contraindications

The most common contraindications for the procedure are

• pregnancy or breast-feeding
• blood coagulation disorders
• autoimmune diseases
• active inflammation on the scalp
• cancer
• use of blood thinning drugs