Here’s Why You Might Want To Consider PRP For Hair Re-Growth

When you first start to see a lot more hair on your towel or on your hairbrush, you tend to not pay much attention, because you feel that losing a certain amount of hair is normal. The problem arises when you start to see clumps of hair out of your head, or you see your hairline starting to recede or even bald patches. For most people, the moment they see such severe loss of hair, their first thought is a hair transplant, but the fact is that a transplant is not meant for all people, and truth be told, not all people losing hair are actually eligible for a transplant. Now, before you go rushing for a transplant, there are other avenues that you could explore and PRP for hair loss happens to be just one of them.

·        What is PRP?

PRP or Platelet-rich plasma is a medical procedure that is minimally invasive and has been used for a really long time. The procedure was initially used in sports medicine because it was an effective way to treat injuries and accelerate healing. It was from there that the idea to use the same procedure to accelerate hair growth emerged and today, this has become one of the most popular and effective methods to treat hair loss, especially when it is in the beginning stages. PRP hair treatment has shown promising results, especially when used for hair loss that has been caused due to androgenetic alopecia; but the same procedure can also help with receding hairlines and overall thinning in both male and female patients.

·        How does PRP work?

Platelets are one of the components of human blood, along with red and white blood cells and these are often referred to as the ‘first responders. This name has been given to platelets because when there is a cut, wound, or bruise, it is these very blood factors that come rushing to the wound to first, stop the bleeding and then start the healing process. It was this capability of platelets that pushed researchers towards utilizing the same factor in the usage of directed and accelerated healing. What initially started out as a way to heal athletes has now become an extremely popular way to treat hair loss as well.

PRP actually tends to contain a range of proteins and other growth factors, which help speed up the process of tissue repair and in theory, hair loss is also caused by a form of tissue damage. PRP hair treatment works by helping heal the tissue damage done to the hair follicles.

·        What is the process of PRP?

In most cases, the steps taken for a PRP procedure are the same:

1.     A small amount of blood will be drawn from a vein in the arm of the person on whom the PRP will be performed.

2.     The blood sample will then be poured out into a test tube and the tube will be placed inside a centrifuge.

3.     When the centrifuge spins around at full speed, the various components of the blood are separated.

4.     The platelets will be removed from the blood, using a syringe, and stored safely till the time for injecting the same comes.

5.     The areas where the injections need to be administered will be marked out in advance and then the injections will then be administered.

The entire process tends to take anywhere between 45 to 60 minutes and in rare occasions, a little more than that, but do bear in mind that you might need more than one session. For most people, anywhere between 3 to 5 sessions should start showing the kind of results you might be looking for. The PRP hair treatment is often known as a lunchtime procedure because there is literally no downtime – once the injections have been administered, you can head back to work, as long as it is not physically strenuous.

·        Does PRP really work?

Over the past several years, there have been many studies have been conducted to prove the efficacy of PRP, specifically in terms of treating hair loss. Many of these studies showed that when done properly, the procedure could not only reduce hair loss but also increase the diameter of each hair and improve the density of hair as well. Essentially, PRP for hair loss has been deemed as an effective method to combat hair loss and is becoming increasingly popular with hair restoration experts, mainly because it is a minimally invasive procedure and causes little to no discomfort to the patient.

However, it is important to know that PRP is not a permanent solution to hair loss and it cannot cure it completely, but it can certainly delay the process and protect whatever hair you already have. Over time and with regular sessions, you should be able to see more hair growing in nature too. You might be asked to include medications such as minoxidil or finasteride along with your sessions.

·        Are there any side effects or risks?

Well, as is the case with any medical procedure, there are certain side effects and risks associated with PRP too, but they are absolutely minimal. In very rare cases, there could be an injury to the blood vessels while blood is being drawn or the injections are being administered, infections, and scarred tissues. Certain clinics use anesthesia and there could be some form of allergic reaction to the same. 

It would also be a good idea to reveal any and all medical conditions that you might have or medical procedures that you might have undergone in advance.

Rather than rushing for a transplant or any high-end procedures, give PRP a try for your hair loss, but do make sure that you get yourself examined by an expert first.