Men and women alike can suffer from hair loss, which can be devastating to a person’s self-esteem and quality of life. Thankfully there is a proven treatment that is gaining popularity among those who wish to take control of their hair loss. PRP (platelet-rich plasma) hair restoration, available at Orchidia Medical Group in Naples, FL, has been showing excellent results stimulating safe and natural hair growth.
A Natural Hair Growth Treatment That Works
PRP therapy is a hair-loss therapy that uses a person’s own platelets, injected into the scalp, to stimulate and nourish the hair follicle. By increasing blood supply directly to the scalp, cell growth and regeneration is promoted. PRP not only generates new hairs, but can also thicken and strengthen existing hair follicles.
The Connection Between Platelets and Hair Restoration
Blood is made up of four components: platelets, red blood cells, white blood cells, and plasma. It is the platelets, specifically, which promote cell growth. As the term “platelet-rich plasma” implies, this is the part of the blood that is isolated and injected into the hair follicle. This concentrated injection of clear platelet serum in turn produces growth factors that are not only beneficial to hair growth, but also contribute to collagen production and tissue regeneration.
A Treatment That Works Without Side Effects
The great thing about PRP therapy is that there is no risk of negative side effects. This is because the treatment is using the patient’s own genetic material, making it highly unlikely that any kind of adverse reaction could occur. Other than a slight feeling of pressure on the scalp while the injection is taking place, there is no discomfort and no downside to the treatment.
What Happens During PRP Therapy
PRP treatment is a three-step process. First, a small amount of the patient’s blood is drawn and put into a centrifuge (this is a device that separates the blood into its base components). The goal here is to separate the blood into three distinct parts: red blood cells, platelet-poor plasma, and platelet-rich plasma. The last of these three components is what we are trying to isolate.
The platelet-rich plasma is pulled up into a syringe and carefully injected into targeted areas of the scalp. A numbing cream might be used if you have a sensitive scalp, although the treatment is generally painless. How many injections are required depends on the extent of the hair loss and how much hair restoration the patient hopes to achieve.
How Long Does a PRP Session Take?
Not long at all. Collecting and separating the platelet sample only takes about 10-15 minutes, and the injections themselves take even less time than that. PRP treatment can easily be done on a lunch break, and you can return to normal activities immediately.
Post-Treatment Care
It is recommended that patients avoid washing their hair for 24 hours following treatment, but other than this, no special directives need to be followed. The scalp might feel slightly sensitive for a day following treatment, but this is completely normal and a sign that the platelets are working their magic.
How Long Does It Take To See Results?
You will not see results immediately, so it is important to have realistic expectations about how soon hair growth will occur. PRP therapy generally requires at least three treatments 4–6 weeks apart, with maintenance treatments scheduled every 4-6 months. You might not begin to notice new hair growth until several weeks after your third session, but this is completely normal.
Comparing PRP Therapy with Other Hair Growth Options
While there are several medications on the market that promise some degree of hair restoration, they require taking a prescription medication every day over a long period of time, often with disappointing results. Topical preparations are also available, but they don’t show the kind of long-term impact that you get from PRP injections.
What About Hair Transplants?
While hair transplantation can be an effective way of restoring the hairline, this is an invasive and costly procedure that requires a long recovery time. It can also create scarring and other unpleasant side effects. This is why hair transplants are usually only recommended as a last resort.
Research Shows Promising Results for PRP Therapy
Given a lack of other viable hair restoration treatments, there has been considerable research conducted on PRP therapy that shows promising results. A 2014 study tracked a group of men with typical male-pattern baldness who showed little improvement following medication. This same group of men showed a 30% increase in hair growth after four PRP sessions.
A similar study conducted in 2018 also showed a 30-40% increase in hair density following a standard round of PRP treatments. At the one-year mark, this new hair continued to grow and fill in.
Having Realistic Expectations
While the research shows that PRP is an effective means of restoring hair, it is important for individuals undergoing this treatment to have patience. It usually takes at least three months to see significant results, and it is recommended to continue maintenance treatments over the long term to ensure continued healthy hair growth.
Why Is PRP More Effective Than Other Treatments?
PRP actually targets the root cause of hair loss, which is often caused by a scalp that is starved of nutrients, or by damage to the hair follicles that can result from the aging process or from hormone imbalances.
The injections of platelet-rich plasma not only trigger natural hair growth, but they also help maintain continued long-term growth by increasing the blood supply to the hair follicle. A healthier scalp that is supplied with platelet-rich serum in turn increases the thickness of the hair shaft.
Combining PRP with Other Hair Growth Treatments
While PRP is the gold standard, there is no reason why patients cannot combine this therapy with other hair loss treatments or medications. However, if you choose to do so, it is important to first discuss with your doctor and with a trained hair loss expert. We can come up with a holistic treatment plan that combines several hair restoration strategies.
Deciding if PRP Treatment Is Right for You
If you are among the large population of individuals experiencing some degree of hair loss, then PRP treatment can be an excellent option for safely restoring an attractive hairline. The sooner you address your hair loss the more likely you will be to experience maximum results from this incredible treatment.
Who Is Not a Good Candidate for PRP Therapy?
While PRP is a very safe and effective treatment for most people, it is not suitable for everyone. This is why we always schedule a preliminary consultation to review a patient’s medical history. Someone with an underlying health condition that is causing their hair loss (for example, thyroid disease) will not likely find PRP treatment to be effective.
Patients who are taking blood thinners are also not good candidates for this therapy, because their medication can make it difficult to isolate high-quality platelets.
How Much Does PRP Treatment Cost
Many people choose PRP therapy not only because it is safe, non-invasive, and effective, but also because it is much more cost-effective than resorting to surgical hair restoration. Hair transplant surgery can cost upwards of $8,000, while PRP treatment can be performed at a fraction of this cost.
Finding the Right Practitioner for PRP Therapy
Not all hair restoration services are created equal – make sure you are dealing with a reputable clinic that specializes in PRP therapy. Review their website and relevant credentials. During your consultation, you may want to ask to see before and after pictures, if the clinic doesn’t already have these posted on their website.
While the procedure itself is very safe, you want to confirm that you are dealing with trained medical professionals to ensure optimal results. Ideally, you will want to work with a clinic that has been performing PRP treatments for several years with proven results.
Are You Ready To Look and Feel Better Than Ever?
If hair loss has been affecting your self-esteem and your quality of life, don’t wait any longer to seek treatment. Let us help you to restore both your hair and your confidence! Contact us today at Orchidia Medical Group in Naples, FL so that we can schedule a consultation.
