A comprehensive approch to PRP Treatment

PRP Platelet Rich Plasma: A Therapy for Hair Growth uses platelets derived from blood. These plasma-derived platelets are rich in proteins that collectively stimulate, fix and help in wound healing and help in possible hair growth.

What is PRP?
Blood is composed primarily of Red Blood Cells, White Blood Cells, Platelets and Plasma. These plasma rich Platelets are small disk shaped cells within the blood. These platelets have the ability to accelerate the healing of wounds and are potentially viable in promoting the growth of hair follicles. These platelets are rich in several growth factors like:

• Platelet-Derived Growth Factor
• Transforming Growth Factor
• Fibroblast Growth Factor
• Insulin Like Growth Factor 1&2
• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor
• Epidermal growth factor
• Interleukin 8
• Keratinocyte Growth Factor
• Connective Tissue Growth Factor
• Bioactive Proteins

How is PRP Performed?
PRP Platelet Rich Plasma: A Therapy for Hair Growth is a three-step process. Most PRP therapy requires three sessions 4–6 weeks apart. Maintenance treatment sessions are then required every 4–6 months.

Step 1: Blood is drawn and put into a centrifuge (a machine used to to separate fluids of different densities).

Step 2: The separation process of platelets from blood is done after about 10 minutes in the centrifuge, blood will have separated into in three layers, namely:

1. Platelet-poor plasma
2. Platelet-rich plasma
3. Red blood cells
   

Step 3: The plasma is drawn up into a syringe and then injected into areas of the scalp that need enhanced hair growth.

PRP is used for?
PRP injections are used in treatment of torn tendons, tendinitis, muscle injuries, arthritis-related pain, or joint injuries. Dermatologists and hair transposition experts use PRP injections to treat a type of hair loss androgenic alopecia - known for male or female pattern baldness.

1. PRP for Treating Hair Loss
Hair follicle’s structure is complex. Its growth is regulated through various stages. Hormones like PDGF, EGF, TGF, FGF and etc play a vital role in the life cycle of hair follicle by optimizing the active phase and inducing Catagen and Telogen phase.

2. PRP in Hair Transplantation
The usage of PRP in transplantation process is merited at different levels: Strengthening a poor donor and non transplanted area, increasing the transplanted graft yield rate, reducing graft transaction rate and healing of wounds from the donor and recipient area. Normally in most of the cases, calcium chloride and thrombin are activated with PRP before bathing the treated area. Thus, the growth factors increase the yield of newly transplanted hair.

Are there any side effects?
PRP therapy involves injecting your own blood into your scalp hence there are no such side effects.
However, any therapy that involves injections always possess common side effects such as:

• injury to blood vessels or nerves
• infection
• calcification at the injection points
• scar tissue

There is also a chance that you could have a counter response to the anesthetic used in the therapy. If you decide to go for PRP therapy, let your medical professional know in advance about your tolerance to anesthetics