During PRP treatments, blood is drawn from the patient. This blood is placed in a centrifuge, where it is cleansed, and the platelet-rich plasma is separated and concentrated. This high concentration of platelets – 5 times higher than the concentration that naturally exists in human blood – enables the scalp to regenerate and hair growth to increase.
Many studies have found that growth factors located in blood platelets prevent natural degenerative processes, while also reviving hair follicles. As such, the use of PRP can be instrumental in creating new blood vessels that drive improved blood flow to the tissue.
PRP has also long been used in orthopedic applications, including PRP for shoulders, PRP for knees. PRP is also used to heal severe wounds, as well as in dental treatments, ‘vampire facials,’ and other use cases.
Below, we will overview a few of the studies on PRP applications that have been published over the years. We will also review some of the studies that compare PRP and iPRF – both of which are offered at our clinic, sometimes as complementary treatments.
A 2016 study formulated by Alves et al., in Spain:
25 patients participated in this double-blind study, which included experimental and control groups. Half of the patients’ received PRP head injections. The other half were injected with a placebo. Treatments were administered once a month, for a total of three treatments. The study found that the PRP injections led to a statistically significant increase in the average amount of anagen hairs, a decrease in telogen hairs, and a rise in hair volume/density, three and six months after the initial treatment. Click here to read the full research paper.
A 2015 study formulated by Singhal et al., in India:
This study focused on the “hair pull test.” Men and women participated in the study, visiting the same physician three times. During each visit, the physician would grasp 50-60 hairs between their thumb, index finger, and middle finger, close to the scalp. The hair was given a strong tug from the scalp, and the hairs that fell out as a result were counted.
To estimate overall hair growth, volume, quality, and fullness, photographs were taken from various angles at each visit – from the front, top, sides, and back. The study’s results were extremely encouraging: hair growth was seen in six participants within seven days, and in four participants after 15 days. At the end of a three-month period, all of the participants demonstrated good hair growth.
Three participants complained of minor headaches after the initial process; these were treated with 500 mg of acetaminophen. None of the participants developed an infection or inflammation. The results of the hair pull test show an average 65 percent decrease in hair pulled out, by the third visit. Click here to read the full research paper.
A 2014 study formulated by Cervelli et al., in Italy:
This study examined men aged 22-60 suffering from typical male pattern baldness. Those who had used topical hair loss treatments, such as Minoxidil, or systemic treatments, such as Propecia, in the 12 months prior to the start of the study, were unable to participate.
Additionally, a microscope was used to count the PRP obtained from each participant. This random study made use of a TrichoScan machine with a “blind” tester (the person running the test before and after treatment did not know who received PRP and who received a placebo). The placebo was administered to half of the head.
The various hair growth parameters that were measured three months after the first treatment were compared to the baseline (established prior to the study), as well as to the control group. An average 27.7 cm2 increase in hair volume/density was determined. This, while the control group exhibited an average decrease of 3.0 cm2 in hair volume/density. Click here to read the full research paper.
A 2017 study formulated by Ferrando et al., in Spain:
Unlike other studies, this study focused on patients who previously and unsuccessfully underwent conservative treatments. The study examined the effects of PRP treatments on 78 men and women suffering from level 2-4 baldness. All of the participants had been treated with Minoxidil or Propecia for over a year, with no signs of improvement.
Three PRP sessions were administered a month apart, followed by three more sessions, which were administered two months’ apart. The study found that 71.4 percent of the men and 73.4 percent of the women experienced improvements in their hair’s condition, following the treatments. Click here to read the full research paper.
A 2015 study formulated by Gentile et al., in Italy:
This random study was performed using a blind assessor and a placebo treatment on half of the head. Comparisons of hair regeneration caused by PRP versus a placebo were made using computerized trichograms. This, to study the clinical safety and efficacy of ontological PRP injections in treating typical hair loss.
PRP concentrations prepared from a small volume of blood were injected into half of the participants’ scalps. The other half was treated with a placebo. Each participant underwent three treatments, spaced 30 days apart. The assessment focused on hair regrowth, hair degeneration (as measured by a dermoscope), an itching or burning sensation, and cell vitality (as measured by the assessor). The participants were observed over the course of two years.
Of the 23 original participants, three were excluded. Following the three treatment sessions, the participants showed clinical improvements in their average number of hairs, with an average increase of 33.6 hairs in the target area, and an average increase in overall hair volume/density equal to 45.9 hairs per cm2, compared to the recorded baseline values. No side effects were reported, during the treatment process.
The microscopic evaluation demonstrated an increase in the epidermal thickness and the number of hair follicles two weeks after the last PRP treatment, compared to those in the baseline values. Additionally there was an increase in Ki67+ keratinocytes in the epidermis and hair follicle cells, as well as a slight increase in small blood vessels around the hair follicles in the patient’s skin, compared to those seen in the baseline values.
No regression androgenetic balding was seen in any of the participants, in the first 12 months following the last treatment. Only then, did four of the participants report experiencing advanced hair loss; the regression intensified 1 month after the last treatment, and the four participants received another round of treatments.
The findings clearly indicate that PRP injections positively affect hair loss in men, without causing any significant side effects. The conclusion: PRP can be safely and effectively used to combat hair loss. Click here to read the full research paper.
A 2011 study formulated by Takikawa et al., in Japan:
26 people suffering from thin hair volunteered to participate in this study. 13 of them (the experimental group) each received five local treatments of 3 ml of PRP, while the other 13 (the control group) received saline injections. Treatments were spaced out by 2-3 weeks, and took place over the course of 12 weeks.
The injections sites included frontal or parietal sides of the scalp, where hair was particularly thin. The experimental and control areas were photographed. Consenting participants underwent biopsies, for histological purposes. Significant differences were seen in the section of hair examined, but not in the number of hairs present.
Microscopic findings showed a thicker epithelium, revitalized collagen fibers and fibroblasts, and an increase in blood vessels around the follicles. Click here to read the full research paper.
A 2014 study formulated by Schiavone et al., in Italy:
A certain degree of improvement was observed across the study’s participants by one evaluator, and in 62 of the participants by the other. These evaluators indicated an average change (in clinical terms) of 3.2 and 3.9; 40.6 percent and 54.7 percent of participants experienced clinically significant improvements, respectively. Click here to read the full research paper.
The above studies prove that the treatment is effective and scientifically-sound. That said, these studies had small participant pools, upon which the treatments only slightly helped, if at all. If someone has promised you PRP treatments that are 100 percent guaranteed to succeed, it’s time to be skeptical! In medicine, there’s no such thing as 100 percent!
At PRPclinic, we are more than happy to provide you research-based treatments, and will do everything in our power to provide you with the best possible hair regeneration result. Want to learn more? Call us at: 058-4664664