The short answer is yes. This is good news for the 50 million men and 30 million women who suffer from male or female pattern baldness in this country. It’s quite common after age 50, but many people experience hair loss as early as their 20s. Hair loss may be common but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to deal with.
Hair loss can affect confidence, self-esteem and interpersonal relations. That’s why so many people spend so much money on hair loss treatments, from serums to toupees. In fact, the hair loss prevention products market is currently at about $24 million and is expected to reach $31 million by 2028, says Globe Newswire.
With such a dizzying amount of hair loss treatments that promise quick results, it can be daunting to know which one is best for your unique situation. Some are more invasive than others, and some are based on more solid science than others.
One of those promising science-based treatments capturing attention is platelet-rich plasma therapy or PRP for short.
How PRP Helps Halt Hair Loss
PRP is a substance, known to heal bodily tissues, that is extracted from your own blood with a centrifuge-like mechanism and then injected into your scalp to stimulate the growth of hair follicles. This mechanism separates the substance from your blood and boosts the concentration of proteins that promote healing.
PRP is used extensively to treat anything from tendon injuries to osteoarthritis, but many people are surprised to learn it also treats hair loss. Research shows that PRP injections can treat androgenic alopecia, also referred to as hormone-related baldness – a condition that affects both males and females.
In men, hair loss affects the top and front of the head, while in women, thinning happens on the top and crown of the head, with the center hair part growing wider. Evidence reported by Harvard Medical School says that PRP works best when combined with other treatments such as oral finasteride (Propecia) or topical minoxidil (Rogaine).
One study reported by the National Library of Medicine showed that there was clinical improvement in the mean number of hairs for study participants and no side effects, with preliminary evidence suggesting PRP plays a beneficial role in hair regrowth.
Another study done in 2019 compared two groups of people who used different hair treatments for six months. One group used Rogaine while the other used PRP injections. Results show that the PRP group performed much better for hair loss than the Rogaine group.
While research is still being done on PRP’s effectiveness for hair loss, the initial results are promising and are giving hope to those who live with this condition.
Contact Michigan Center for Regenerative Medicine
If you suffer from hair loss and want to try a solution that could bring you more promising results than what you’ve already tried, call us at (248) 216-1008.