Understanding Hair Loss Treatments
This handout provides essential information about PRP for Hair Loss—an innovative treatment that stimulates hair growth, strengthens hair follicles, and helps restore thicker, healthier hair.
Download this guide to use as a quick reference or share it with others who may benefit from this safe and effective solution!
Hair Loss Treatment
Post-Procedure Care Guide
Ensure the success of your hair restoration journey with proper post-procedure care. This handout provides step-by-step instructions to help you care for your scalp and hair after your treatment, promoting optimal results and a smooth recovery.
What’s included:
How to cleanse and care for your scalp
Activities and products to avoid
Managing temporary redness or sensitivity
Tips to support healthy hair growth
Follow these simple guidelines to maximise the benefits of your treatment and achieve the best possible outcome!
Frequently Asked Questions
Androgenetic Alopecia
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PRP is increasingly used as a non-surgical treatment for androgenetic alopecia, commonly known as male and female pattern baldness. In this condition, hair follicles shrink over time due to the effects of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), leading to thinning hair and eventual hair loss. PRP treatment involves drawing a small amount of the patient’s blood, processing it to concentrate the platelets, and then re-injecting the platelet-rich plasma into the scalp at the site of hair thinning or hair loss. The growth factors and cytokines present in PRP help stimulate hair follicles, promote circulation, and encourage the regrowth of thicker, healthier hair.
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PRP promotes hair regrowth and thickening through its high concentration of growth factors, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and fibroblast growth factor (FGF). These growth factors stimulate the anagen (growth) phase of hair follicles, encourage angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels), and reduce inflammation. By increasing blood flow to the scalp, PRP ensures that hair follicles receive more nutrients and oxygen, which enhances follicle health and encourages the regrowth of stronger, thicker hair. Additionally, PRP can help revive dormant follicles and prolong the anagen phase, resulting in hair thickening and slower hair loss.
Alopecia Areata
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Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles, leading to hair loss in small, round patches. It typically affects the scalp, but can also occur on other areas of the body. The condition often presents suddenly, and hair loss may happen rapidly. While the exact cause of alopecia areata is unknown, it is believed to involve genetic and environmental factors that trigger the immune system to target hair follicles, causing them to shrink and enter the resting phase (telogen).
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PRP treatment has shown promise in treating alopecia areata by reducing inflammation and stimulating the hair follicles to enter the anagen phase. The growth factors in PRP help to modulate the immune response and potentially promote hair follicle regeneration. By improving the blood supply to the affected areas and reducing immune cell attack, PRP can stimulate new hair growth in the patches of hair loss. However, the results may vary, and PRP is often most effective when combined with other treatments, such as corticosteroids or topical immunotherapy. The limitations include the variable response in patients, with some experiencing minimal improvement, and PRP may not be effective for severe or long-standing cases.
Telogen Effluvium
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Telogen effluvium is a form of hair loss that occurs when a large number of hair follicles prematurely enter the telogen (resting) phase of the hair growth cycle. This results in diffuse hair shedding across the scalp. Common causes of telogen effluvium include stress, hormonal changes (such as pregnancy or thyroid imbalances), nutritional deficiencies, and medications. Unlike androgenetic alopecia, telogen effluvium often resolves once the underlying cause is addressed.
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PRP can help manage telogen effluvium by rejuvenating the affected hair follicles and stimulating them to return to the anagen (growth) phase. The growth factors in PRP promote follicle activity, reduce inflammation, and enhance blood flow to the scalp, which encourages healthier hair growth. PRP can also help improve the overall health of weakened hair follicles and restore their normal function, leading to the regrowth of hair. In cases of telogen effluvium caused by stress or nutrient deficiencies, PRP may be an effective adjunctive treatment to accelerate hair recovery.
Mechanism of Action
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The growth factors in PRP, such as platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), play key roles in stimulating hair follicle activity. When PRP is injected into the scalp, these growth factors:
Activate dormant hair follicles and encourage them to enter the anagen (growth) phase.
Promote angiogenesis, which improves blood flow to the scalp and provides hair follicles with more oxygen and nutrients.
Stimulate collagen production, which strengthens the scalp and follicle structures.
Reduce inflammation around the hair follicles, which can hinder hair growth.
Overall, the growth factors work synergistically to rejuvenate and stimulate hair follicles, promoting the growth of stronger and thicker hair.
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PRP supports the hair growth cycle by stimulating the transition of hair follicles from the telogen (resting) phase to the anagen (growth phase). Growth factors released by PRP encourage keratinocyte proliferation and fibroblast activation, which are essential for hair follicle regeneration. Additionally, PRP helps prolong the anagen phase, making the hair follicles more productive and leading to thicker, stronger hair. The treatment also strengthens hair follicles, reducing the likelihood of hair shedding and increasing the overall density of hair over time.