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Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) FAQs

Read answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) for hair loss.

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What is PRP?
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is concentrated blood plasma which contains approximately three to five times the number of platelets found in normal circulating blood. In addition to the platelets, it contains growth factors and other bioactive proteins that aid in wound healing and hair growth.

What does the PRP treatment do?
PRP is used to halt or reverse miniaturization, the process that causes common baldness.

How does PRP work?
Your doctor uses PRP to stimulate the growth of follicles, thereby reversing the hair miniaturization (thinning hair) seen in androgenic alopecia (common baldness).

What are the benefits of treatment with PRP?
Platelet rich plasma offers an additional way to stimulate hair growth, especially in people who cannot use other forms of treatment. For example, it may be useful if someone is not a candidate for a hair transplant, or cannot use finasteride. It is also useful in the treatment of crown thinning where a hair transplant may not be appropriate.

Why should we have the treatments done through PLEIJ Salon?
We use the Emcyte Pure PRP system – a double centrifuge technique – that allows the active biologic factors to be administered at the most effective concentration. The treatments are administered by our nurse practitioner and take about a half hour. Our practitioner will make sure that your type of hair loss has the potential to respond to PRP and, if appropriate, they will offer other medical and surgical options as well.

What is the treatment schedule?
If PRP hair loss therapy is appropriate, we can begin your treatment at the time of your consultation. We will administer the next two treatments at 6-week intervals. You will be asked to return 3 months later. At this visit (6 months from your first treatment) your response will be assessed. If you show improvement, follow-up treatments will be given twice yearly depending upon your progress.

When should I expect to see the results?
Patients usually see results in 3 to 6 months. However, the response time may vary.

How long does PRP treatment take?
It’s done during a simple office visit; and the process takes approximately 30-60 minutes depending on the size of the area being treated.

Can I go back to my regular routine after the treatment?
Yes.

Will it work on a balding area?
It works best where there is existing thinning hair. For areas that are already bare ARTAS Robotic Hair Transplant Procedure would be the appropriate therapy.

How well does the treatment work?
Platelet rich plasma treatment is relatively new however, there is substantial evidence that it is a useful and highly effective solution. As we do with all of our patients, we will be monitoring your progress with serial photographs to assess the results.

Will it work for me?
There is an individualized response to this treatment with a spectrum of effectiveness. It does not work in all cases, but it does work in the overwhelming majority of them. Patients are monitored to assess the benefits of therapy.

Is the treatment used in both men and women?
Yes

Is there a consult fee?
Yes, before PRP treatment you will need to have an evaluation by the physician. The consultation fee will be applied to your first treatment.

Can I have a treatment at the time of the consultation?
If you are a candidate, the doctor may be able to perform the PRP procedure at the time of the consult. If the procedure cannot be performed at the time of consultation, you can schedule one very soon after. In either case, the consult fee will be deducted from your first treatment.

Will my head be sore afterwards?
You may have some very temporary soreness and swelling, but many patients experience nothing.

How many injections are done throughout the scalp?
It depends on the area. The doctor will determine this at the time of the treatment.

Are there any cons to having PRP treatment?
There is some inconvenience in that you need to have your blood drawn and there may be some temporary swelling in the treated area. Platelet rich plasma seems to be extremely safe since we are using your own serum, but it is not successful in growing hair in all cases.

Will PRP work in other areas of the body?
We are only using platelet rich plasma to treat hair loss on the scalp at this time.

Does the doctor use ACell with Platelet Rich Plasma?
We have found that ACell causes inflammatory reactions in some patients and feel that it is very important to use ACell on its own to best assess its benefits. PRP uses your own plasma. ACell is a foreign substance that comes from the bladder of a pig.

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