While it is normal to experience some hair thinning as we age, many men experience hair loss that extends past the norm for their age range. Countless over-the-counter products all claim to offer the miracle cure for hair loss, but the reality is that there are some conditions that require medical intervention in order to see any successful regrowth of the hair.
Platelet rich plasma therapy, often referred to simply as PRP, is one such treatment that has been demonstrated to see good hair growth promotion in patients, in as little as a few months.
Is PRP therapy the right choice to help you to see hair regrowth? Read on to learn more about this innovative treatment and the technology behind it.
What is PRP therapy? The foundation of PRP therapy is within the belief that the body has the innate ability to heal itself. Platelet rich plasma therapy harnesses those abilities to encourage tissue healing and growth where needed. Plasma is the liquid part of our blood, and it is made largely of proteins and water. Platelets are the blood cells that encourage healing clotting and other growth healing functions. They both play an active role in the body’s natural ability to heal itself.
PRP therapy involves taking a small amount of the patient’s own blood and spinning it in a centrifuge to concentrate the regenerating growth factors that are present in the body. This concentrated platelet-rich plasma is injected directly into the targeted area. In this case, and according to professionally written PRP for hair growth procedure details, that targeted area is on the scalp where the hair is thinning.
The PRP injection of nutrient-rich plasma is thought to trigger the body’s ability to heal itself and promote the growth of new hair.
Who is the right candidate for PRP therapy? PRP therapy is not the right choice for all types of hair loss. It will not prove to be effective for those who are completely bald already, so it’s best for those patients who have only just recently begun to see hair loss.
PRP is best for androgenetic alopecia, which is a type of hereditary hair thinning that can impact both men and women alike.
What side-effects and recovery time could patients face? Because the platelet-rich plasma is sourced from the patient’s own blood, the risks of side-effects are quite minimal. This is a non-invasive procedure that has no real safety concerns associated with it. At most, patients may feel some sensitivity after the procedure but it should pass relatively quickly.
The procedure is done in-clinic and there’s no real downtime needed. Patients are quite often able to resume their regular routine after treatment.
How effective is PRP therapy? Studies have demonstrated that PRP has shown a significant reduction in hair loss, across the breadth of a complete treatment plan. Patients often see a boost in the average number of hair follicles on their scalp. Not all hair can be regrown, but typically results are sufficient enough that patients are happy with their treatment results.
PRP therapy is used quite often in sports medicine, to treat injuries to the joints, muscles and the Achilles tendon. The injected platelets prompt the body to enter into an active growth phase, which in the case of hair loss can prompt hair follicles to start growing again.
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