About 15-20 ml of blood is taken from the person to be treated and this is then spun in a machine called a ‘centrifuge’ to separate the red and white parts of the blood. The white part contains the platelets and this is then harvested using a long needle and concentrated to generate the PRP. Every 10 ml of whole blood produces roughly 1 ml of PRP. The platelet concentration goes up 2-3 times as compared to whole blood and this is very important in ensuring good results. How the concentration is done plays a big part in how viable the platelets are and how much growth factor they release. Once prepared PRP is transferred into smaller syringes and then injected at a depth of 2-4 mm in the scalp at half inch intervals. The entire area of hair thinning is covered thus in a grid like pattern. The procedure is done under cream based anaesthesia and using very fine needles. There is minimal to no discomfort.

 

PRP is a ‘lunch time’ procedure. As long as their is no heavy sweating or exertion involved a person can go straight back to work afterwards.

 

It usually takes 4-6 sessions to see substantial results from PRP treatments. These sessions are spaced a month apart. Most patients will notice a decrease in hair fall with the first 1-2 sessions and early hair regrowth by the 3rd of 4th session. It is essential to continue medical treatment along with and after PRP for best results.

 

Does it work for everyone? Just like any other medical procedure it is essential to choose the right candidate for PRP treatment. If someone has complete balding of the scalp PRP would have no or minimal results. In general PRP works well for men and women who have early or moderate thinning of the scalp hair which has become noticeable in the last few years. PRP also works better with the appropriate medical treatment for the cause of the hair loss.

 

Why is there so much conflicting information on the success rates of PRP? There are many factors that go into making PRP with the right concentration of platelets that have been preserved in structure and function. Things like temperature controlled centrifuge machines, controlled acceleration and deceleration, injection technique, concentration method, manual versus kit usage - all of these make a difference in the quality and quantity of platelet yield - and hence final results. At TrichoGrow MD we use a temperature controlled centrifuge, machine based injection technique for precise depth of injection, and high quality PRP kits to ensure consistently good results in our patients.