Thank you for your question. I understand you’re 26-years-old, and have fairly diffused and advanced hair loss, which means that there is a genetic pattern causing this to happen. You’ve done some research on PRP and ECM and now you’re wondering about the longevity and benefit of this type of procedure.I can assist you with this as I’ve performed hair transplant surgery for over 20 years in New York and Long Island. I also founded the TrichoStem Hair Regeneration Center and the Hair Regeneration system, which is a non-surgical alternative treatment for hair loss and hair thinning that makes use of PRP (platelet-rich plasma) and ECM (extracellular matrix). We’ve garnered extensive clinical data and wonderful results from patients who come from all over the world for the Hair Regeneration treatment. In addition, I’m also a Board-certified cosmetic surgeon, and Fellowship-trained oculofacial plastic surgeon.In hair loss, there is something we call the Rule of Decades: 20% of people in their 20s will have hair loss, and this applies to people in their 40s and 50s, wherein 40% and 50% will have hair loss. In your case, given the early onset of hair loss and its relative aggressiveness, with your scalp very visible, the hair loss progression needs to be addressed first.In our practice, we began to use extracellular matrix and platelet-rich plasma in order to help hair transplants heal better, improve the donor area healing, and improve the grafts’ survival rate. However, we learned that it could reverse hair loss progression by causing thinning hairs to become thicker.With this knowledge, I developed a system to allow for more consistency. We customized the treatment for each individual based on our clinical data and algorithms, and by doing so, we are able to reactivate the hair growth cycle, stop progression, and improve the volume and thickness. In fact, in the right candidate, we’ve even been able to exceed the results of patients who’ve had two hair transplants. Now, keep in mind that other physicians who do this treatment have their own methods, variations, and formulations, and thus I can only speak based on my own experience.Longevity of treatment can vary. However, with more than five years of data obtained from hundreds and hundreds of patients of all age groups that come to us every year, we’ve determined a few of key points: With the Hair Regeneration treatment, (1) the earlier we are able to treat someone, the better the results, (2) the more existing hair you have, the more significant the benefit, and (3) the further along you are in terms of hair loss progression, you can still reap some benefit, but not as much as someone with more existing hair.Initially, we were hesitant about treating people in their 20s, however our experience with the treatment showed that that we were getting extremely good results in patients in their 20s and 30s, when they are just starting to experience hair loss progression. This, again, does depend of the degree of severity and progression of hair loss. The bottom line is, the more hair you have, the better you will do. In our practice, after treatment, we meet with our patients every three months for at least eighteen months. In some cases, we will do a second injection somewhere during the 12th to 18th month range, so that we can get even more benefit. This is not because the treatment wears off, but rather so that we can activate additional growth with the second treatment. After this, we follow patients yearly. I would estimate that it could take maybe five years and possibly as early as three years before you may need another injection. Sustainability is important. Many younger men prefer not to take drugs such as finasteride because of the long-term sexual side effects. Someone like yourself would also not be a good surgical candidate, as you would probably not obtain a good volume of hair. With Hair Regeneration, an injection that you have, for argument’s sake, every three years or so, is much more sustainable than having surgery. Certainly, this procedure is much more long-term than short-term.That said, I suggest you meet with qualified and experienced doctors who perform this type of procedure and learn more about it. I hope that was helpful and I wish you the best of luck!This personalized video answer to your question is posted on RealSelf and on YouTube. To provide you with a personal and expert response, we use the image(s) you submitted on RealSelf in the video, but with respect to your privacy, we only show the body feature in question so you are not personally identifiable. If you prefer not to have your video question visible on YouTube, please contact us.
