PRP for Hair Loss
When you were younger, you probably took your full head of hair for granted. You might have seen your dad or uncle lose their hair, but you never thought it would happen to you. Now that you see your own receding hairline or bald patches, though, you probably would do anything to get more hair back.
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy harnesses your body’s natural healing properties to stimulate hair growth. At Nexclin Medicine, with three locations in Georgia, we provide PRP as a safe and natural way to restore your hair.
What causes hair loss?
85% of men experience hair loss by the age of 50. The main reason for male hair loss (male pattern baldness) is androgenic alopecia, an inherited trait that causes a receding hairline and thinning hair on the crown. Androgenic alopecia results from a sensitivity to a molecule related to testosterone, called dihydrotestosterone (DHT).
Hair follicles that are vulnerable to DHT tend to shrink as you get older. As the follicles get smaller, their lifetime gets shorter, and they stop producing the amount of hair you once had.
Most people experience hair loss in a cycle of two ways:
- Hair thins on the crown and around the temples in a “horseshoe” shape
- Hairline starts to recede
While you can’t prevent this hair loss, you can treat it with PRP.
How it works
Athletes like Tiger Woods and Bart Starr have used PRP to heal injuries and get them back out in the game. First used to heal muscle and tendon-related injuries, PRP is now used to treat a variety of cosmetic concerns.
PRP works the same way for cosmetic treatments as it does for injuries. It focuses on using one of the most powerful healing systems out there — your body. PRP works to repair damaged hair follicles and thereby reverse hair loss.
When you come in for your PRP treatment, Naima Cheema, MD starts by drawing a blood sample from your arm. Next, she spins the blood sample in a centrifuge to separate it into three layers:
- Platelet-deficient plasma
- Platelet-rich plasma
- Red and white blood cells
The platelet-rich plasma is placed in a syringe and then administered into the areas of your scalp that have experienced hair loss. Most patients need a series of treatments spaced about a month apart to get the results they want.
While it may take several months to see results, it’s incredibly worth the wait. At the three-month mark, many of our patients notice hair starting to grow in more fully, and with thicker hair shafts. You’ll be surprised at how youthful and confident this can make you feel.
The power of platelets
Platelets are the secret behind what makes PRP so successful. PRP contains five times the amount of platelets as does regular plasma.
Platelets are tiny, disc-shaped blood components that contain a large number of growth factors and proteins that help the body repair damaged tissues. When injected into the bottom of hair follicles, they stimulate the dermal papilla cells critical to your hair’s growth.
Safe, no downtime
When undergoing any treatment, you should ask yourself, “is it safe?” You can feel confident undergoing PRP because it’s incredibly safe. There aren’t any known side effects associated with the procedure, and since it uses your own blood, you won’t experience any adverse reactions.
One of the best parts about PRP is that there’s no downtime. You can return to work and your normal activities immediately following the procedure.
Stop stressing over hair loss, and take action to improve it today. Call our office at 770-558-2873 to schedule a consultation, or book online.