Regenerative medicine is currently a booming field with many on-going clinical trials aiming to support its use in regenerating hair and skin. These treatment methods appeal to those who are averse to drugs and surgical options. One of the most recently well studied regenerative treatments for alopecia is platelet-rich plasma or PRP.
Because the treatment is prepared from the patient’s own source of platelets (i.e. a blood sample) immunogenic reactions are significantly reduced. Blood is removed from the patient, and platelets, along with specific molecules associated with them, are separated from the rest of the sample and concentrated to prepare the treatment.
Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia with Platelet-Rich Plasma
After injection of PRP into the affected scalp areas, specific growth factors in the preparation are proposed to stimulate hair initiation and extension phases while promoting vascularization. The injection is relatively painless and the effects of a single treatment can last for up to several weeks.
