What is PRP
PRP (platelet-rich plasma) is a conditioned plasma that is derived from a person’s blood. It is a plasma protein separated from whole blood by centrifugation from red blood cells.
PRP therapy for Hair Loss
There are several hair loss treatments and hair transplant options available and the hair transplant costs may vary between procedures. PRP therapy is an expensive procedure. PRP therapy for hair loss is a medical cure in which a person’s blood is drawn and centrifuged to separate platelet-rich plasma and then re-injected into that person’s scalp.
Professionals in the medical field believe that PRP injections cause natural hair growth by the increased blood supply to the hair follicle, thus thickening the hair shaft. Sometimes this therapy is applied along with other hair loss procedures or treatments.
Not much research or evidence is present to prove whether PRP therapy is effective as a hair loss treatment, even though PRP therapy has been used since the 1980s. PRP therapies have been implemented for healing injured tendons, ligaments, and muscles as well as a hair loss treatment.
PRP therapy process
PRP therapy is a three-step process. Many of the PRP therapy requires three treatments a month to a month and a half apart.
Maintenance treatments are required every 4–6 months.
Step 1
A person’s blood is drawn, typically from the person’s arm, and put into the centrifugation process to separate fluid of different densities in the blood.
Step 2
After some time in the centrifuge, the blood will have separated into three layers:
- platelet-poor plasma
- platelet-rich plasma
- red blood cells
Step 3
The PRP is drawn into a syringe and injected into areas of the scalp that need hair growth.
There hasn’t been enough research or evidence proving whether PRP is effective or not. It’s also doubtful for whom, under what circumstances it is the most effective.
Based on a recent study, although PRP has sufficient theoretical scientific evidence to support its use in hair growth, hair growth using PRP is still at inception, and there still exists a lack of clinical evidence.
PRP for hair loss side effects
Since PRP therapy involves injecting one’s blood into the scalp, there is no risk of getting a communicable disease.
However, every therapy that involves injections of any sort always has a risk of side effects such as:
- Injury to blood vessels or nerves
- Calcification at the injection points
- Scarred tissue
There’s also the chance that one could have a negative reaction to the anesthetic used in the therapy. If a person decides to get PRP therapy for hair loss, he or she should let the doctor know about the tolerance or intolerance to anesthetics.
Risks of PRP for hair loss
A person should surely report all medications he is on before the procedure including supplements and herbs.
When a person goes for the initial consultation, it is likely to be recommended against PRP therapy for hair loss if:
- The person is on blood thinners
- The person is a heavy smoker
- The person has a history of alcohol or drug use
There might be rejections for the treatment if a person has been diagnosed with:
- Acute or chronic infections
- Cancer
- Chronic liver disease
- Chronic skin disease
- Hemodynamic instability
- Hyperfibrinogenemia
- Metabolic disorder
- Platelet dysfunction syndromes
- Low platelet count
- Thyroid disease
How much does PRP for hair loss cost?
Many of the PRP therapy requires three treatments a month to a month and a half apart, with maintenance treatments every 4–6 months.
The hair transplant cost ranges from 1K-3K for the initial three treatments, and one injection costs around £300 or more. The cost may vary depending on many factors including:
- Geographic location
- Quality of equipment
- Addition of nutritive components
Many insurance companies consider PRP for hair loss treatment to be a cosmetic procedure and usually do not cover any of the costs of the treatment. This is because of a lack of evidence of the effectiveness of PRP therapy.
PRP therapies and PRP hair transplant costs are high worldwide, ranging from 1K to 4K. Shelling out such an amount of money can be troublesome and expensive. The recovery stage also costs money sometimes, this can be due to some possible complications like infections or swelling. Of all the places having PRP therapies, Turkey is a place where the PRP hair transplant cost starts from a mere £250-£450. If a patient decides to go for PRP therapy along with hair transplant procedures in Turkey, this will be a smart and economical choice on his or her part.
