How Many PRP Treatments are Needed for Hair Growth

Have you been exploring the newest solutions for hair loss available today including PRP therapy? Are you wondering how many PRP treatments are needed for hair growth?

Statistic Brain reports that in the US alone 35 million men and 21 million women experienced significant hair loss. These numbers are scary enough to fuel a multi-million dollar industry that is focused on providing effective solutions. If one of these patients is you, chances are that you’ve already talked to your trichologist about the viability of PRP as a solution. You’ll also want to know about the total PRP injection cost and how long the effects will remain.

Read ahead to understand everything you need to know.

Careful Screening Determines How Many PRP Treatments are Needed

PRP therapy is a customized approach to your hair loss issues. Your doctor will design the course of treatment according to the severity of your hair loss issues and the regenerative capabilities of your body. Given that the serum used to reverse your hair loss comes from a sample of your blood, your trichologists will run a bunch of tests to assess you as a suitable candidate. Once the evaluation process is complete, they may let you know how many PRP treatments are needed for hair growth.

To begin with, your trichologist will want to understand the main cause of your hair loss. Like, for instance,

• Your family history and incidence of alopecia areata among family members
• History of past illnesses and recent surgeries
• Medications you’re currently taking that might cause hair loss as a side effect
• Regular hair products you use and details of the care you take
• Complete account of the hair loss like how far back you noticed the problem and the number of strands you lose each day
• Possibility of inadequate nutrition and deficiencies

Risks and Side Effects

In PRP treatment, your own blood is used so you should not have any side effects. You may however, experience minimal pain, small bleeding and possible redness where needle has been administered. Rarely, some mild headaches may occur the next day after the procedure. 

Diagnostic Tests Help Evaluate Genetic Hair Loss Causes

Expert doctors may also conduct diagnostic tests to evaluate how many PRP treatments are needed for hair growth. These tests include:

• Biopsy of the scalp
• HairDX genetic test
• Blood tests

The results from these tests can reveal the genetic causes of hair loss. Doctors also conduct a physical examination to check for scalp infections and other conditions. They may want to confirm if you have fewer strands per square centimeter or fewer functioning hair follicles. There is also the possibility that the strands are thinning rapidly in thickness giving the impression of overall hair loss. With these test results in hand, your doctor is able to tell you how many PRP treatments are needed for hair growth.

How Long Does it Take to See Results With PRP for Hair Growth?

Typically, patients need at least 3 to 4 sessions timed at intervals of 4 weeks each. After the initial 4 sessions, your doctor may ask you to come in for follow-up treatments at 6 months and then 12 months. These add-on sessions work to maintain the positive effects of the treatment so that you continue to see a steady improvement in the hair growth.

The number of sessions and how long it will take to see results will depend on several factors such as:

• How your body responds to the treatment. For instance, if you have more of active hair follicles, the treatment may work faster. Further, if you have less of balding patches, you may need fewer sessions.
• Number of dormant follicles or the follicles that can no longer grow hair
• The concentration of platelets, growth factors, and other healing elements in your blood
• The credentials, expertise, and experience of the physicians treating you
• The particular PRP preparation methods and kits used
• The supplementary treatments provided that may work to enhance the effects of the PRP treatment

Supplementary Treatments Can Influence How Many PRP Injections are Needed

Your trichologist may suggest using supplementary treatments to help in the effectiveness of the PRP hair loss treatment. Each such option can ultimately influence how many PRP treatments are needed for hair growth. Accordingly, you may want to work with a PRP practitioner who has the proper certification, enough experience, and positive reviews from patients in the past.

Here are some of the additional options you could try.

• In place of injecting the serum in different spots at depths of 1mm all over the scalp, doctors might choose to use micro needling. This procedure helps spread the serum more evenly and provides more effective results.
• To boost the effects of the PRP serum, doctors might choose to add ECM which is the acronym for Extra Cellular Matrix. Marketed under the brand names BioD-Restore or ACell, ECM when injected along with the serum can boost the stimulating effects and provide more long-lasting results. You may also need fewer follow-up sessions.
• Just before getting PRP treatment and after the session, your doctor may administer Low Level Laser Therapy on the scalp. Studies have proved that by exposing the serum to light at specific wavelengths, it is possible to raise its effectiveness and lower pain levels.

Is PRP Hair Treatment Permanent Solution

While research has proved that PRP hair treatments are an effective solution for hair loss, you will need booster sessions once in 6 months to maintain the good results. Further, if you opt for supplementary treatments like ECM and Low Level Laser Therapy, you can enhance the effects and prolong hair growth. Discuss the entire treatment plan with your doctor and understand how PRP can work on you.

Would you like more information about the factors that can affect the effectiveness of PRP hair treatments? We welcome your queries at (888) 981-9516. Please call and talk to our expert consultants. You can also contact us and we’ll get back to you with all the information you need.

Have you tried PRP hair loss treatments? Did you notice positive results? What were the screening processes your doctor undertook? How about sharing your experiences using the comment box below? Our readers would love to hear from you. 

 

References:

Hair Loss Statistics

Platelet-Rich Plasma in Androgenic Alopecia: Myth or an Effective Tool