Losing your hair is the stuff of nightmares for men and women everywhere. With 50 million US men and 30 million US women battling pattern balding, it’s the unfortunate reality for a lot of Americans.
And after the age of 50, more than half of American men will experience hair loss.
Maybe you’ve heard that there’s no hope. When it’s gone, it’s gone. But that’s not the case. Now, there’s a solution that’s bringing hope to those experiencing hair loss. Platelet-rich plasma, long used as a means of repairing dysfunctional joints and lately used in medical cosmetics for facial rejuvenation, is that hope.
What Is It?
About a decade ago, doctors started using PRP to expedite the healing process in damaged joints. The PRP is derived from the patient’s own blood. When spun in a centrifuge, PRP is separated from other blood elements.
This substance is then injected into the injured joint to promote the growth of healthy cells, speed healing and induce collagen production.
The high concentrations of platelets suspended in the plasma were soon found to help restore lost hair. When injected into patients during the hair’s growing cycle, growth is improved for a prolonged period.
What Does the Therapy Look Like?
Following a detailed consultation in which your family history of hair loss will be explored, your technician will set a schedule for treatment.
Injections into areas where hair has been lost routinely occur each month for a period of 3 months. Following this initial phase of PRP treatment for hair loss, injections will be administered every 3 or 4 months for a therapeutic period of 2 years.
Of course, your schedule will depend on an examination of your genetics, as well as the extent and pattern of hair loss. Also taken into consideration will be your age and hormone levels.
Is It Better Than Transplants and Drugs?
Currently, the FDA has only approved two drugs to treat hair loss – Minoxidil and Finasteride. Results for both are inconsistent and both medications come with side effects.
Minoxidil can cause your scalp to be dry and itchy, while Finasteride may provoke sexual dysfunction in men.
And then, there are hair transplants but this method of addressing hair loss requires incisions and rather a lot of time, to accomplish effectively. Even then, results may not be what you had envisioned. Hair transplants are also expensive and leave scarring.
It has, however, been found that hair transplant patients treated with PRP prior to implantation have better results and thicker, fuller hair following treatment.
Hair Loss Getting You Down? Come See Us!
We know that hair loss is an unpleasant reality for millions of Americans. But PRP has been shown to improve hair growth by 30%, even after the initial 3 treatments.
At [primary_practice], we’re proud to offer PRP therapy for hair loss. Schedule a consultation with us and find out if PRP treatment is right for you.
Come discover primary care, married to anti-aging medicine and medical aesthetics – the Gold Circle of Care!
