What is PRP Treatment? How Does It Help With Hair Loss?
Men and women alike have been fighting hair loss of generations. Several factors may play a role in a person hair loss diagnosis including genetics, nutrition, hormones and external factors such has hats and sunburns. PRP or 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.
Clinical studies show a good result of hair growth after therapy with PRP injections. The PRP fluid provides growth factors to help regenerate hair follicles by increasing blood supply and thus the thickness of the shaft of hair. It offers a natural way of promoting hair growth with little to no downtime with a good result.
The results from PRP therapy vary from one individual to another. To this date there needs to be more research regarding the use of PRP for therapeutic hair regrowth. However, PRP therapy has been in use since the 1980s not exclusively for hair restoration but also for joint pain, ligament injuries, muscle damage and fascial aesthetics.
What Concerns Does PRP Treatment Address?
- Thinning Hair
- Receding Hairline
- Bald Spots
WHO IS THE IDEAL CANDIDATE FOR PRP HAIR RESTORATION
The ideal candidate PRP injections for hair loss is in the early stages of hair loss.
WHAT IS THE PROCESS OF PRP FOR HAIR LOSS
PRP therapy is a three-step process. Most PRP therapy requires three treatments 4–6 weeks apart. Maintenance treatments are required every 4–6 months.
- Step 1: Your blood is drawn from you arm or hand and put into a centrifuge (a machine that spins rapidly to separate fluids of different densities)
- Step 2: After about 10 minutes in the centrifuge, your blood will have separated into in three layers: platelet-poor plasma, platelet-rich plasma, red blood cells
- Step 3: The platelet-rich plasma and spun a second time to achieve a more pure product. It is then drawn up into several syringes. The hair and scalp is cleaned with a solution and a topical numbing medication is placed to numb the scalp area. The PRP it then injected under the scalp area where there is hair loss or thinning to increase hair growth.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO RECOVER FROM PRP
No recovery needed. We recommend avoiding alcohol , heavy exercise and any aspirin or aspirin containing products the first 24 hours after the procedure. Washing your hair at home after the procedure is advisable. Hat wearing is not typically an issue. We recommend avoiding pools and the ocean for 3 days after the procedure to avoid any infections.
WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS OF PRP
Because PRP therapy involves injecting your own blood into your scalp, you are NOT at risk for getting a communicable disease.
Still, any therapy that involves injections always carries a risk of side effects such as:
- injury to blood vessels or nerves
- infection
- calcification at the injection points
- scar tissue
WHO SHOULD NOT GET PRP FOR HAIR RESTORATION
PRP injections are not recommended for patients with a critical low platelet count, hypofibrinogenemia, hemodynamic instability, or who have hair loss as a result of medication, stress, or medical treatment as these can be reversed. In addition, anyone on antiplatelet therapy or anticoagulants will need to discuss risk and benefits with the physician.
HOW MUCH DOES HAIR RESTORTION WITH PRP COST?
Cost can vary dramatically depending on how many sessions are needed. Typical cost for one PRP session is approximately $600. The addition of microneedling can help augment the results.
WHAT ARE EXOSOMES
Exosomes are found in every cell of our body. They are released by theses cells and function as signaling proteins that help reduce inflammation and promote healing. They are similar to stem cells in that they are derived from an allograft product which is isolated from human bone marrow mesenchymal cells. Exosomes are known to stimulate bioactivity and direct cellular communication. In topical applications, they can help in the repair and reconstruction of tissue.
Think of exosomes like cars in a big city driving around from building to building helping each building communicate with each other. Each building within the city would represent a cell of our body. From the top of a highrise, the cars appear to be very small. Similarly, the cells of our body are small. As you get closer, much like looking through a microscope at our cells we can see that these cars below now appear to be very complex with many parts. The same is said to be true of Exosomes. A million times smaller than the size of a hair they are thought of as messengers providing signals to other cells of the body.
Unlike PRP which contains a significantly lower amount of bioactive compounds, Exosomes are a purified product that is DNA free. Exosomes are 10 x more potent with bioactivity than PRP alone. Exosomes have been shown to have better results than simple PRP. The procedure is similar but the exosomes come from and FDA monitored facility. Our exosomes come from a company called Direct Biologics. They are committed to patient safety. The ExoFlo™ manufacturing process is performed under controlled, specified and validated current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) conditions that are compliant with the highest quality standards.
Direct Biologics employs tissue tracking and traceability and is a requirement of the FDA. Every tissue product is traceable back to the tissue donor and has strict donor acceptance criteria. Exosomes have shown significant positive outcomes for hair restoration and have also shown to have data to support the treatment of sports related injuries, chronic joint pain and the treatment of chronic disease.
HOW MUCH DOES HAIR RESTORTION EXOSOMES COST?
Cost can vary dramatically depending on how much is required. Small areas may require only 2 ml of exosomes (which is diluted to cover an area). Other areas that have more extensive hair loss may require 5 mls of exosomes. The addition of microneedling can significantly improve outcomes. Cost may start at $2500.
IS HAIR RESTORATION WITH PRP or EXOSOMES PAINFUL
There is typically very little pain associated with PRP injections for hair restoration. The hair and scalp is cleansed with an antiseptic and bacteriostatic soap. Then a topically formulation of benzocaine, lidocaine and tetracaine is applied to the scalp. This provides significant pain control. For additional pain control we offer PRONOX.
WHAT IS PRONOX
Even minor procedures can be painful and emotional. At PRAMAH we have experience in managing the elements of anxiety and pain with a ProNox system.
ProNox delivers a 50/50 blend of nitrous oxide and oxygen. The ProNox system can hault the fear-pain cycle and provide patients with a pleasant experience with positive memories of their procedure. It set up by our provide and is a patient administered anesthesia. Because it is self-administers if offers the patient control. After inhaling the blend of gases, it quickly provides pain relief via it’s rapid onset of action. ProNox also offers rapid elimination once the procedure is complete. Many believe this is a great tool for patients who dislike needles.
American Society of Anesthesiologists classifies ProNox as analgesia not sedation secondary to its 50% limit of gas mixture. Therefore, it can be administered by the patient without the need for an anesthesia provider. Patients can obtain relief from the anxiety and discomfort when using ProNox for a variety of procedures including neurotoxins such as Botox, Dermal Fillers, microneedling, laser treatments and hair restoration.
Schedule Your Consultation Today!
Interested in learning more about PRP Hair Restoration? Give us a call at (813) 284-0954 to schedule your consultation with a member of our staff today! Our practice serves Tampa, FL & all nearby areas.
