Is PRP a good option to keep hair from thinning more and to thicken them? Is it actually effective?

Question

Had a transplant 3600 grafts towards the front and mid section but not the crown. Still have a good amount of existing thin hair on my scalp and crown shown in the photo before. Second photo is 2 weeks post op. My goal is to keep those thinning hairs or to thicken them. Is PRP a good option, Is it actually effective? It's pretty expensive for me so I want to make the right decision. How many PRP treatments at first and how many yearly? Finasteride and minoxidil gave bad side effects for me. Thx

Emrah Cinik, MD · Answer

PRP is a treatment for hair loss. PRP reduce hair loss and increased the diameter of hairs and the density of hair growth. We suggest it 4 times per year

Jeff Rapaport, MD · Answer

PRP is helpful at retaining your original  hair after a hair transplant. Furthermore, it will help the transplanted hairs grow more quickly and increase the diameter of the transplanted hairs. In conclusion, a great combination.
Jeff Rapaport MD FAAD 
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Rosy Sandhu, MD · Answer

Thanks for your question. PRP after a surgical hair transplant or even during a transplant procedure is becoming one of the most well studied nonsurgical hair-loss treatment. It which involves extracting the platelets from your own blood which are then injected into areas of your scalp, to restore thinning hair. The research done so far shows that PRP can be an effective treatment for most types of non-scarring hair loss conditions like TE, alopecia androgenetica and alopecia areata. While we do not know the exact mechanism of action, but we believe that the growth factors released from the activated platelets increase the blood supply to the hair follicles and in turn, increases the follicular viability and density by lengthening the time line of the hair growth phase or anagen.
You would start seeing results in 3-4 months and we do recommend to start with a series of 3-4 treatments spaced 4- 6 weeks apart. Then you would need maintenance sessions every 6-8 months as teh results do start to wean off.
In combination, I frequently would also recommend nutrafol supplements for nutritional support and balancing any hormonal imbalances which may also be contributing to hair loss. Also, vit D deficiency can exacerbate hair loss, so make sure that your levels are optimized. I would advise that you make a consultation with a board certified physician for a customized treatment plan. Hope that helps. Best regards Rosy Sandhu, MD

Alexander Golberg, MD, DO · Answer

Thank you for your question. The use of PRP is a great treatment option for hair loss it has a number of study’s showing its efficacy increasing hair count , hair thickness and growth phase of the hair cycle . Plasma contains white blood cells and platelets which are rich in growth factors . Growth factors can help to stimulate the activity of hair follicles and promote new hair growth. I recommend 3-4 treatments during first year , and 1-2 treatments following years for maintenance

Jacquelline Leva, DO · Answer

Prp for hair loss is a viable option and used clinically after hair transplants to maintain the new hair transplant especially if you can't do minoxdil and finasteride. There is many clinical trials that prp increases hair density and growth up to 40%. Patients do anywhere from 4-6 treatments a year and depending how strong your male genetic hair loss is you may need to maintenance every 9 month to a year. There are some fda cleared companies out there who use centrifuges to make the prp with sterilized test tubes so make sure you ask if device is fda cleared

Patrick Yam, MD · Answer

In most studies, PRP has been shown to improve hair density and thickness. Results would depend on concentration and dose of platelets in the PRP, age and overall health, type of PRP system used, and whether you are combining with other treatmetns at home such as microneedling, topical growth factors or medications (e.g. minoxidil, finasteride), low-level laser therapy (LLLT), Vit D, massage, etc. 
Even after a transplant, the scalp should be supported to maintain the donor hairs, so that over time, they survive and grow well. For this reason, treatments like PRP and other supporting treatments are recommended which improve blood flow to the scalp. Without support, the donor hairs will eventually suffer the same fate as the hairs that were in those areas in the first place (miniturization, shortened growing phase and eventually hair loss). 
If topicals like finasteride and minoxidil can't be tolerated, there are other regenerative based products such as growth factor serums which can be used. Also, home treatments like daily massage, low-level laser, microneedling can help. There are other injectables which could be combined with PRP such as ACell, exosomes, etc depending on what is available in your area. 
In summary, PRP and other regenerative treatments can help whether or not you are going to do hair transplant. It's important to support your hair growth at home using other treatments as well. Transplanted hair also needs to be supported for long-term survival.

Leslie Pickens, MD · Answer

Thanks for your question.  Hair transplant is still the gold standard for hair regrowth but for a less expensive and nonsurgical option, PRP is effective which is why so many are choosing it.  Treatments may be done monthly for 4 months then every 6 months as needed. Exosomes greatly enhance the results but add to the price.  Microneedling with PRP is better than PRP alone.

Is PRP a good option to keep hair from thinning more and to thicken them? Is it actually effective?

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