PRP

PRP (platelet-rich plasma) therapy for hair loss is a three-step medical treatment in which a person’s blood is drawn, processed, and then injected into the scalp. The processed blood is believed to contain higher concentrations of platelets and other growth factors which aid hair growth. The platelets, a type of corpuscles in human blood, when activated can also release many such growth factors. These growth factors are believed to promote new blood vessel formation around the hair follicles and increase the duration of the growth phase of hair cycle. The result is thicker and stronger hair.

Steps of PRP for hair loss

            Step – 1

            Around 30 ml of the clients blood is drawn using anticoagulated     syringes. Most commonly the blood is obtained from the arm, but it can      also be done from other sites.

            Step – 2

            The collected blood is processed. This includes a process known as centrifugation which separates the blood into its components.        Centrifugation may have to be done twice or more at different speeds to achieve adequate separation. The components which are obtained are

(a)                Platelet poor plasma

(b)               Platelet rich plasma (PRP) &

(c)                Red blood corpuscles (RBCs)

            Step – 3

            The platelet rich plasma (PRP) is carefully separated out and drawn to        syringes and injected in to the scalp after activating the platelets with an activator solution.

This method can be combined with microneedling of the scalp. This combination aims at the following benefits

(a)          Better and even distribution of the injected PRP &

(b)         Release of natural growth factors in the scalp as a result of   microinjuries produced during microneedling.

Typically four to six sittings of PRP are done at a minimum interval of 3 weeks to achieve adequate results in androgenic alopecia.