For individuals who suffer from hair loss, effective treatment options are few and far between. While there are certain medicines and treatments that could help, many are temporary.
However, PRP for hair loss is one of the most effective hairline restoration procedures out there. If you suffer from hair loss, chances are you’ve heard about the procedure.
But you may be asking yourself, “What is PRP”? Well, we’ll explain that and more in the content below. Just keep reading.
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What Is Platelet-Rich Plasma?
Platelet-rich plasma—also known as PRP—comes from the bloodstream, and it’s been the primary treatment for musculoskeletal conditions for many years. In recent years, it’s also treated skin conditions.
PRP is injected into the skin and used as a post-treatment after microneedling, and it’s effective in improving skin appearance and texture. In the past few years, PRP has gained a lot of popularity as an effective treatment in the dermatology world for hair loss.
How Do Platelets Trigger Hair Growth?
Platelets are one of the four major components of the blood. Along with platelets are white blood cells, red blood cells, and plasma. Platelets are most useful for stimulating cell growth and regeneration.
The phrase platelet-rich plasma describes platelets that are five times more concentrated in PRP than in standard blood. This heavy concentration of platelets is helpful because platelets secrete growth factors that help to assist in tissue regrowth and healing wounds.
As far as hair loss is concerned, the belief is that if platelets are injected deep into the scalp, they’ll reach the foundation of the hair follicle. By doing so, it stimulates the population of cells known as derma papilla cells, which help to trigger hair growth.
The Process of Gathering Platelet Rich Plasma
Gathering plasma involves drawing blood and a centrifuge. To get the PRP, blood is drawn from the arm, then spun into a centrifuge. A centrifuge is a device that circulates at a high speed to separate blood particles.
After the plasma is done centrifuging, it rises to the top, and the bottom part of the plasma is the platelet-rich plasma. Oftentimes, a secondary spin is performed in order to increase the platelet concentration of the plasma.
Once the patient’s PRP is gathered, then it’s injected into several areas of the scalp where most of the hair loss lies. Generally, treatment plans consist of three sessions performed one month apart. After the initial treatment, there are maintenance sessions that occur every three to six months.
The Effectiveness of PRP Treatment
The majority of PRP studies for hair loss have been based on its effectiveness treat androgenetic alopecia (AGA). This disease, often known as hormone-related baldness, can hinder men and women. Hair loss is most common on the top and front side of the head in males with AGA.
Thinning happens on the top of the head and crown in women. It usually starts with the middle hair part becoming broader. PRP may function best when coupled with other AGA therapies, such as Rogaine or oral finasteride, which is an anti-androgenic medication, according to the data.
Potential Side Effects of PRP Treatment
Although platelet-rich plasma treatment is effective, there are a few drawbacks. Patients that undergo PRP treatment for hair loss could experience side effects such as the following:
- Swelling
- Tender scalp
- Headache
- Pain at the injection site
- Temporary bleeding around the injection site
- Itching
Although the side effects above might be uncomfortable, they are mild and the symptoms eventually subside. There are no harmful side effects to PRP treatment, so individuals who are considering the procedure don’t have to worry too much.
If you want to learn more about how hair restoration works, follow the highlighted link.
Hair Growth Remedies
If you’re still on the fence about undergoing PRP treatment, then you may want to try to treat your hair loss the natural way. Or, if you want to increase your chances of getting good PRP results, you could also incorporate home remedies.
Here are some things you can do to stimulate more hair growth:
Increase Your Iron
Iron is an effective nutrient that helps the body stimulate hair growth. Natural foods that you can get iron from include turkey, spinach, white beans, oysters, lentils, clams, and pumpkin seeds.
Also, if you don’t eat meat, you have to ensure that you get more iron intake than those that do. The reason being is because the body doesn’t absorb plant-based sources of iron as well as it does meat. So make sure you eat iron-rich foods!
Eat More Protein
Protein is another nutrient that your body needs to trigger hair growth. Many times, hair loss can arise because of a protein deficiency. Good sources of protein include seeds, eggs, beans, nuts, fish, and lean meats.
Your daily protein intake should be based on how physically active you are, and the amount of muscle mass that you have.
Massage Your Scalp
Massaging your scalp helps to stimulate blood flow to the scalp. As a result, it triggers hair growth. Individuals who massage their scalps for at least 4 minutes a day tend to have thicker hair within a matter of months.
To perform scalp massages, you can use pads on your fingers to massage your scalp in circular motions. There are also devices that you can buy in stores and online that will also massage your scalp.
Understanding PRP for Hair Loss
Hopefully the content above helped you to understand more about PRP for hair loss. Platelet-rich plasma injections are a pretty effective treatment method that is known to produce results. So, do you think you’ll get PRP treatment for your hair loss?
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