Platelet-rich plasma therapy has been a big hit in the hair growth treatment area. It has shown significant success with patients who required treatment for hair loss and baldness. If you didn't get the desired results by trying the traditional home remedies and treatments to stop hair fall, PRP scalp treatment can be a ray of hope.
You might have heard how popular PRP therapy is in treating torn tendons, tendinitis, muscle injuries, arthritis-related pain, and joint injuries. Since there are so many applications of PRP, it is natural to think about how effective it is in increasing the hair growth rate on your scalp.
Unable to decide whether to go for PRP or not? Don't worry we are here to help. This article will give you all the details of PRP Treatment and discuss its success in increasing hair growth rate.
Causes of Hair Fall
Before we get into the details of PRP scalp treatment, let us first understand hair fall and its various causes.
In simple terms, hair fall is loss of hair which might result in hair thinning. In many cases, if hair fall is left untreated it leads to partial or complete baldness.
It is a common problem faced by adults, especially the ones who fall between the ages of 28 - 45. The cause may vary from stress, and poor lifestyle, to hormonal changes or genetics. Let us look at some of these causes in detail.
Here are some of the most common causes of hair fall:
- Deficiency of nutrients
If you are not giving proper nutrition to your body, it increases the chances of hair fall. Try consuming an adequate amount of iron, copper, zinc, proteins, and Vitamins B and D to prevent excessive hair loss.
- Hormonal changes and imbalances
Hormonal changes in the body can lead to hair loss. In females, these hormonal changes are triggered by birth control pills, menopause, and post-birth changes. The male hormone androgen can be one of the reasons for hair loss. Apart from these, age is a significant factor that causes hormonal changes in the body.
- Issues related to the thyroid gland
People suffering from thyroid conditions like hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism can also experience severe hair loss issues. Thinning of the eyebrow hair is one of the early symptoms of conditions related to the thyroid.
- Symptoms of Medical Illness
Apart from the thyroid, other medical conditions can also trigger hair loss in your body. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome(PCOS), lupus erythematosus, syphilis, and alopecia areata are a few examples of this.
- Stress and Lifestyle
Continuous stress and lack of exercise are significant contributing factors to hair loss. An unhealthy lifestyle is one of the most common causes of hair loss in adults.
What is PRP?
PRP stands for Platelet-Rich Plasma. Here the healing properties of the platelets are used to stimulate hair growth in patients suffering from hair fall.
PRP has two primary elements: plasma and platelets. You must know that platelets play a crucial role in healing the body. They have growth factors that stimulate hair follicles and tissue regeneration to promote cell reproduction. This enables hair growth.
To create PRP, the doctor will collect a specific amount of blood and centrifuge it to separate plasma. This separated plasma is rich in platelets. The platelet concentrated plasma or PRP is then carefully injected into the scalp to increase hair growth rate.
These PRP scalp injections increase the concentration of growth factors in the scalp or a targeted area to promote hair growth.
How do PRP Injections work?
PRP contains a vast fraction of growth factor proteins in it.
Here is a list of the fundamental proteins present in PRP:
- Platelet-derived growth factors (PDGF): It is a glycoprotein developed by the degranulation of the platelets. PDGF activates the cell membrane receptors present in the target cells. This helps to activate the signal proteins that initiate mitogenesis, angiogenesis, and macrophage activation in target cells.
- Transforming growth factor–β (TGF-β): Transforming growth factor–β is secreted by macrophages and platelets. TGF targets marrow stem cells, fibroblasts, and pre-osteoblasts. Hence they are effective in long-term bone modeling, healing, and regeneration.
- Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF): Vascular endothelial growth factor is known as vascular permeability factor. It is a signal protein start stimulates angiogenesis and vasculogenesis.
- Epidermal growth factor (EGF): Epidermal growth factor enables proliferation and cell growth.
- Fibrin, Fibronectin, and Vitronectin: These are adhesive proteins that enable the cells to interact with the extracellular matrix.
In many cases, PRP treatment is used to heal injuries in tendons, ligaments, muscles, and joints. But, due to its richness in tissue-repairing components, PRP for hair growth is getting popular.
You must know that PRP is also believed to boost stem cells and collagen levels.
During the PRP treatment process, your doctor will inject the PRP into your scalp down to the hair follicles.
This is a meticulous process where the injecting is done at a distance of every half inch, around the bald spots. Please note that this process takes around 30 minutes to one hour to be completed.
Some tips and tricks to get the best results
To maximize the results of PRP scalp treatment, there are a few things that must be kept in mind:
- You must eat a healthy breakfast and consume enough water daily to prevent problems like dizziness and fatigue that could result during the PRP scalp treatment. This usually happens because the procedure involves drawing blood from your body, so you must eat beforehand and stay hydrated to prevent feeling lightheaded.
- The injections need a clean and sterile environment to work effectively. Therefore shampoo and condition your hair before the treatment.
- You can regularly use conditioner and shampoo on your scalp post-PRP treatment. However, if you experience pain or irritation in your scalp, try to avoid these products for a few days.
- After completion, you might experience slight discomfort in the initial hours. But after those few hours, you will feel normal. PRP injections usually do not cause problems in your day-to-day activities.
Keep these few things in mind, and you will be able to get the most out of your PRP treatment. Also, if you feel any lasting discomfort after the treatment, talk to your doctor immediately.
The Success rate of PRP for hair growth
A team of researchers carried out a study to find the success rate of PRP for hair growth. Based on the results of the study, they published a journal named Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
It was noted from the journal that PRP for hair growth is effective to reduce hair loss problems. Adding to that, the study also revealed that after PRP, the density and the diameter of your hair improve significantly.
The Aesthetic Plastic Surgery journal provides enough evidence to support the fact that PRP treatment can be used to cure baldness and other hair loss problems.
However, the journal also states that Platelet-Rich Plasma treatment cannot directly counter or cure the root cause behind your hair loss. Therefore it is wise always to consult a dermatologist to know the cause of hair fall. They can also help assess if there will be a side-effect of the treatment on your body.
One important thing to note about PRP is being consistent with the treatment will get you results. Be regular on each sitting assigned by your doctor. Remember, each of these dates is a specific gap for a reason. They are adjusted based on how your body responds to the treatment.
Stay true to the routine, and you will see promising results within two to four months of treatment.
Since we are talking about the success percentage of PRP for hair loss, you will be glad to know that with proper medications and treatments, around 70% of patients have seen effective PRP for hair loss before and after results.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article has helped you understand PRP treatment better and cleared any doubts regarding the success of PRP for hair loss.
But remember to be consistent is the key and follow the prescribed medication properly throughout the treatment. Also, this process might take some time to show noticeable results. So, keep patience.
Be well informed about the pre and post-treatment care and precautions, like consuming good food and water, shampooing and conditioning your hair before every sitting, and more.
UnCover believes hair is an important part of a confident personality and there is no reason why you should be deprived of it. At UnCover, the professional team of doctors make sure to provide the best and most effective treatment of PRP for hair loss. Book an appointment with UnCover and start your hair growth journey today!
