Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)

Over the past few years, cell therapy- in the form of growth factors, cell multiplication, and stem cells- have been the hottest area of potential innovation in many areas of medicine.  Hair transplantation is no exception, and potential is now reality.

Platelet rich plasma (PRP) therapy, using the patient's own blood which is centrifuged to separate out this special component, is the next frontier in hair transplantation.  Rich in growth factors and platelets (one of the human body's most potent mediators of healing), PRP is applied to the scalp in several ways to help in the treatment of hair loss. Since 2009, the surgeons at the Foundation for Hair Restoration have been using PRP as a routine part of the transplant procedure. Patients have been very happy with the results, as it seems to speed up healing of the grafted regions as well as the donor area, and may help with hair regrowth percentage. Also, as a stand-alone treatment, PRP has shown in studies to help, in some individuals with male and female pattern hair loss, reverse the hair loss process, making finer vellus hairs thicker and lighter hairs that have lost their pigment darker.

As part of the Foundation doctors' commitment to bringing the best treatments to patients, PRP therapy is (optionally) provided, for a small additional fee, as a routine part of all transplant procedures.  In addition, because of its healing properties, PRP is offered as well with other aesthetic surgery procedures, such as facelifts and browlifts, where bruising and healing time can both be reduced.

To learn more about PRP, as well as other innovations the Foundation doctors are bringing to their work, please contact us

THE NEWEST DEVELOPMENT IN HAIR TRANSPLANTATION: Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)

As leaders in the field of hair transplantation, we are proud to be among the very first doctors in the specialty to provide patients the latest development, platelet rich plasma (PRP). This form of cell therapy is poised to soon become the standard of care, assuming it proves to be as effective as heralded. Over the last several years, cell therapy has been used as a treatment in fields such as cardiology, plastic surgery, and orthopedics, and now hair transplantation is taking its rightful place.

Developed by a research scientist colleague, PRP is obtained from a small amount of the patient's blood by spinning it in a centrifuge at such high speeds that it isolates the platelets (the body's mediator of healing) and growth factor proteins. The PRP and growth factors can then be utilized in several ways to potentially enhance the results of the hair transplant procedure:

• Added to the scalp where hairs are transplanted, decreasing bleeding and bruising, accelerating healing, and reducing shock hair loss, meaning patients look better sooner after the procedure
• Speeding up and increasing the percentage of transplanted hair growth
• Better healing of the donor site incision

Before

After

Pictured to the left are results of a PRP stand-alone procedure. This patient underwent one session of PRP therapy in our office and the photos were taken 8 months apart. Note these results do not occur in every patient.

PRP is being used in many plastic surgery procedures such as facelifts to reduce bruising, accelerate healing, and improve results of scar healing. Studies have shown that use of PRP in facelifts, for example, decreases the incidence of complications such as blood collections.

As part of our commitment to state of the art care, PRP is now provided as a routine part of the hair transplant procedure for any patient who desires or is appropriate for it. Furthermore, as the addition to the scalp of PRP can thicken thinning hairs and help reawaken dormant hairs, PRP is also offered as a stand-alone procedure as a treatment for male and female pattern hair loss, where it is especially effective in slowing down shedding or active hair loss. Your doctor and/or patient consultant can answer any questions you have about this therapy.