In a three-step medical procedure known as a PRP Treatment (Platelet-rich Plasma), a patient's blood is extracted, processed, and then injected into the scalp.
According to skin specialists in Dubai, PRP injections increase blood flow to the hair follicle and thicken the hair shaft, stimulating and maintaining natural hair growth. On occasion, this technique is combined with medications or other hair loss therapies.
The study has not sufficiently demonstrated the effectiveness of PRP treatment for hair loss. In this article we are going to answer some of the common questions in the mind of patients looking to opt for PRP treatment like process, side effects, effectiveness, and more. However, before we get behind the scene of the PRP Treatment, let's first understand the possible reasons for hair loss.
What Causes Hair Loss?
Hereditary factors, particular health conditions, and problems with the hair shaft may be the root reasons of hair loss. Hair from the back and sides can be transplanted to the top of the head if the hair there has been lost permanently. PRP therapy works by using your blood platelets to stimulate hair follicles. Individuals with places where active hair follicles can still be seen are candidates for this treatment.
How Does PRP Treatment Help with Hair Loss?
In a PRP Treatment (or platelet-rich plasma therapy), your scalp is injected with platelet-rich blood plasma to stimulate new hair follicles' growth. PRP injections aim to enhance the flow of blood to the hair follicle and thicken the hair shaft to promote and sustain natural hair growth.
What is the Process of PRP Treatment?
There are three steps to PRP therapy. Three treatments, spaced 4-6 weeks apart, are typical for PRP therapy.
Every 4-6 months, maintenance treatments are necessary.
Step 1
Blood is extracted from you and placed in a centrifuge, usually from your arm (a machine that spins rapidly to separate fluids of different densities).
Step 2
Your blood will have divided into three layers after 10 minutes in the centrifuge:
- Platlet-deficient plasma
- Plasminogen-rich plasma
- Red blood cells
Step 3
A syringe is used to draw up the platelet-rich plasma, which is subsequently injected into the scalp's balding spots.
There isn't enough data to demonstrate the efficacy of PRP. Additionally, it's not known who it works best for or under what circumstances.
The use of PRP treatment for hair regeneration has just recently begun, despite having substantial theoretical scientific evidence, according to expert skin specialists in Dubai. Clinical support is still insufficient.
How Long Does the Process of PRP Treatment Last?
Conditions that cause hair loss are not treated with PRP. To maintain hair growth outcomes, a person would therefore require numerous PRP treatments over time. The same is true for drugs like topical minoxidil (Regaine) and oral finasteride, which doctors frequently prescribe to treat androgenetic alopecia (Propecia).
Depending on a person's condition and the initial treatment outcomes, the doctor will recommend a different frequency for PRP treatment. Once the loss of hair is within a certain limit, the doctor could advise getting maintenance injections every three to six months.
What are the side effects of PRP Treatment?
You are not at risk of contracting a communicable disease because PRP treatment involves injecting your own blood into your scalp.
However, there is always a chance of adverse effects with any therapy involving injections, such as:
- infection
- injection sites becoming calcified
- damage to the nerves or blood vessels
- marker tissue
Additionally, there's a danger that you can respond poorly to the anesthesia used in the therapy. Inform your doctor in advance about your anesthetic tolerance if you plan to try PRP treatment for hair loss.
Is PRP Treatment Better than Hair Transplant?
PRP therapy and hair transplants are also options for treating thinning hair. PRP therapy includes extracting blood from the body, separating the platelet-rich component, and injecting that blood into the scalp, whereas hair transplant is a restoration procedure where hair follicles are extracted from other sections of the scalp with more hair and planted in places with insufficient development.
Conclusion
PRP treatment is intended for the early stages of hair loss, but hair transplants are typically advised for those with severe cases of thinning or baldness. As the PRP treatment would guarantee that the grafted hair delivers the patient results, some doctors also favor combining the treatments.
It's crucial to realize that both processes require time to produce results. We strongly advise speaking with a skin professional in Dubai to choose the best treatment or set of treatments for you.
