What is PRP Hair Restoration

Hair restoration and hair transplantation are two sciences that help you by replacing or reversing hair loss using various modalities. These techniques may be surgical, non-surgical, or minimally-invasive. Should you ask your dermatologist, “what is PRP hair restoration,” she will reveal that this method stimulates the body to produce hair similar to natural processes.

Conventional solutions like creams, lotions, and shampoos also promote hair growth by setting off a chain of reactions in the scalp. However, these options come with a range of side effects that you may need to be aware of. PRP hair treatments simply insert a special serum into the scalp at depths of 1mm to nourish the scalp and hair follicles. In this way, PRP therapy falls into the category of minimally-invasive options. Yet another technique that may become available in the near future is stem cell therapy for hair restoration.

Dermatologists Begin by Understanding Your Unique Hair Loss Issue

When you discuss what is PRP hair restoration with your trichologist, she may want to ascertain if your condition is serious enough to need treatment. As a rule, losing around 100 strands of hair each day is a normal occurrence and part of the regular hair growth cycle. Any more than that and you do need solutions like PRP therapy for hair loss.

In addition to evaluating if you need treatment, your dermatologist may also want to explore the reasons for your hair loss. These causes can include alopecia areata, side effects of certain medications, hormone imbalances, or any other. Do keep in mind that beginning treatment in the earliest stages of alopecia areata or other causes gives you a better chance of reversing the issue.

If needed, your doctor may want to treat some of the causes before beginning with the hair loss treatments. For instance, he may try hormone replacement therapy if the hair loss is caused by imbalances. Or, advise that you wait for the effects of any medication you’re taking to wear off before you begin with PRP treatments.

Does PRP Hair Restoration Work? Research Has Proved It

As you understand what is PRP hair restoration, you’ll learn that the treatments do work. And, studies conducted at the National Center for Biotechnology Information have proved this for a fact. Here’s how the study progressed and the results researchers uncovered.

1. Doctors studied a group of 11 patients in the age group ranging from 20 to 40 years. To evaluate their hair loss, they conducted three tests:
   • Hair pull test where the number of hairs released was an average of 10 strands
   • Taking pictures of the scalp from different angles
   • Counting the follicles in a particular section of the scalp where the number was an average of 71 hair strands
2. After creating the PRP serum using the blood of individual subjects, doctors inserted 2cc to 3cc of the serum all over the scalp. They used fine needles and injected the plasma at depths of 1mm to 1.5mm.
3. Each patient received treatment at 2-week intervals for a total of 4 sessions.
4. At the end of the 6 weeks, doctors conducted the same tests again.
   • The hair pull test yielded an average of 3 strands in 9 subjects.
   • Fresh images showed a better coverage and improvement in the volume of the hair, patients also talked about higher satisfaction levels.
   • The average number of follicles in the same test area was now close to 94 strands.

When you ask your dermatologist, what is PRP hair restoration, she may talk to you about these successful case studies that prove that the treatment actually works.

How Does PRP Work for Hair Regrowth

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy is based on the principle that your body has all the elements it needs to repair all kinds of medical and cosmetic injuries and problems. Your blood contains growth factors, mesenchymal stem cells, cytokines, and various other components. These compounds can repair damaged tissues by creating a framework that the new tissue builds on. In addition, the plasma in your blood has cells that signal to the body that the area needs healing. Accordingly, the body floods the injured area with healing agents.

Doctors extract these healing elements along with the plasma from your blood. They separate the red blood cells and white blood cells and prepare the PRP serum that is rich in only repairing components. This serum works like a magic elixir that can resolve a whole range of medical and cosmetic issues.

What is PRP Hair Restoration? Repairing the Causes of Hair Loss

One of the principle causes of hair loss is that the scalp does not receive enough oxygen and nutrients. Or, because the hair strands are not strong enough to complete the hair growth cycle. When understanding what is PRP hair restoration, you’ll understand how doctors insert the serum into the scalp. These injections set off a cascade of healing to nourish the follicles. PRP can also develop new blood vessels in the scalp to bring in nutrients and oxygen. That’s how you see a better hair growth.

Users of PRP therapy have also commented that post-treatment, their hair seems thicker with a richer texture and coloring. All these are signs of a well-nourished scalp.

Does Stem Cell Hair Restoration Work

The stem cell hair restoration technique works similar to PRP hair restoration. Here’s how:

1. Doctors harvest human follicle stem cells (HFSCs) from the scalp of patients. They extract a section of the scalp and separate any extra adipose tissue that may adhere to it.
2. Lab technicians spin the sample in a centrifugal device to extract the specific mesenchymal stem cells that create hair follicles.
3. Maintaining carefully controlled conditions in the lab so that the cells mature is crucial to the success of this hair loss option. Once the stem cells are mature, doctors prepare them for injection.
4. Next, expert trichologists infuse the stem cells into the scalp just like in PRP hair restoration procedures. Here the cells start to create new hair follicles.
5. Over the next few weeks, you may notice a thicker and better hair growth.

Initial studies on stem cell hair restoration are promising. However, the National Center for Biotechnology Information reiterates that extensive research is needed before the technique can become a part of the mainstream solutions for hair loss. Further, the most significant challenge in using this method is the importance of maintaining specific lab conditions so that the HFSCs cells mature as needed.

In conclusion, PRP hair restoration is one of the most effective answers for hair loss. In the near future, researchers are developing newer methods and patients can opt for the ones that are best suited for them.

Would you like more information about how PRP hair restoration compares with stem cell therapy or other hair loss options? Would you like to know how PRP therapy can help you get back a thick head of hair? Contact us and we’ll provide you all the details you need. You can also try calling this number: (888) 981-9516 to talk to our consultants.

Have you tried getting PRP therapy for any of your medical or cosmetic issues? Did you find them to be more effective as against the other treatments you tried? Do share your experiences using the comment box below.

References:

Hair Evaluation Methods: Merits and Demerits

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

Stem cells from human hair follicles: first mechanical isolation for immediate autologous clinical use in androgenetic alopecia and hair loss