I am rapidly going bald. My once thick, long hair is coming out in clumps. I have several extremely large bald spots.

Thank you for your excellent question. It does sound too good to be true in some ways – simply using a patient’s blood platelets to stimulate the hair follicles to start growing hair once again. The theory is that the growth factors and other substances in the platelet-rich plasma (PRP) actually turn back the clock on aging follicles, promoting new hair growth where hair had not been growing previously.
Fortunately, there is scientific evidence to support the fact that PRP is effective in naturally restoring hair growth in men diagnosed with male pattern baldness. A 2014 study published in the Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery found that a “significant reduction in hair loss” was seen in patients that underwent anywhere from one to four PRP injections. A 2015 study published in Stem Cells Translational Medicine also found that total hair growth counts increased substantially after PRP injections.
These are just two of the numerous studies that support the efficacy of PRP injections in promoting hair growth and restoration. However, to ensure your procedure is both safe and successful, select a plastic surgeon that is experienced in this particular procedure. Best regards.  

The first thing to do is have a definitive diagnosis for hair loss. PRP can be have an impact in many instances, although the result can be temporary. Yes it is injected directly into the scalp and we often micro-needle the scalp, with the procedure done in less than an hour. There is no maintenance required after PRP although non-surgical medication and laser may be beneficial. The cost varies depending on the amount done and the frequency, which can be determined through an evaluation. Some clinics offer a series of 6 treatments, or a one time PRP with A-cell treatment. 

Rapid hair loss that comes out in clumps is atypical for androgenic alopecia (aka female or male-pattern hair loss). Instead, patients with androgenetic alopecia have slow and progressive thinning of the hair rather than overt shedding. I recommend seeing a hair specialist for a detailed scalp exam, laboratory work, and possible scalp biopsy. Although androgenetic alopecia is the most common cause of hair loss in men and women, there are multiple other causes for hair loss.  Once the cause of your hair loss is determined, treatment can be initiated.  With regard to PRP, it is basically blood plasma that is drawn from the patient and has been enriched with platelets; it is a concentrated source of one’s own platelets. PRP contains several different growth factors that can assist in wound healing and tissue regeneration. When platelet granules become activated, they release numerous growth factors that can aid in wound healing. PRP therapy has been used in the past for dermatology, orthopedics, dentistry, cardiac and plastic surgery to enhance tissue healing. More recently, PRP has been postulated as a new therapy for androgenetic alopecia and to aid in wound healing after hair transplant. For hair loss, PRP is injected in the tissue where hair growth is desired and may require a series of treatments, depending on patient response. Before considering PRP, however, I recommend meeting with a hair specialist to determine the actual cause of your hair loss. Good luck!

It is unusual for hair to fall out in clumps- this does not like typical male pattern hair loss.  I suggest you get a full evaluation including blood work and perhaps a biopsy to find the cause of your sudden hair loss and correct it before you start trying treatments.

So, I think PRP would be helpful.  You probably need 2 sessions at least 1 month apart.  We inject and microneedle the PRP into the scalp.  Others do one or the other.  We think microneedling along with injecting is better.  We also use the Vivace to microneedle the plasma for better effect.  It takes about an hour.  Afterwards, we just ask you stay out of the sun for a day or two.  We encourage using rogaine as well. Price is about $1500-1900 a session.  At our practice we give two sessions for the price of one.