Thinning hair and balding are very common problems in human society. An estimated 80% of men and 40% of women will suffer from thinning hair at some point in their lifetime; some men begin to go bald in their late teens. Hair loss can cause serious self-esteem and quality of life issues. Some polls of affected individuals indicate that if offered the choice of a full head of hair versus a huge fortune, most would choose the hair. Luckily, today, there is an option for hair loss treatment that doesn’t cost a fortune: platelet-rich plasma (PRP).
Platelet-Rich Plasma
PRP has been used for decades by surgeons and dentists to speed healing of acute wounds, and physical therapists commonly used it to trigger healing of chronic injuries like tendonitis. More recently, it was found that PRP could also rejuvenate tissues affected by aging processes and chronic conditions like hair loss. PRP contains a potent cocktail of growth factors and cytokines that after injection into the affected area go to work to stimulate healing and rejuvenation of the surrounding tissues.
PRP for Hair Loss
Although there are many causes of hair loss, in the vast majority of cases the condition is caused by an inherited disorder called androgenic alopecia, more commonly referred to as male pattern baldness (even though women get it too). In this condition, the hair follicles on the scalp respond to male hormones by spending less time growing and more time resting, eventually, the hair follicles simply stop producing hair altogether. Injections of PRP seem to mitigate this effect and stimulate the viable hair follicles to to start producing hair again, and studies have shown it is a very effective hair loss treatment.
The Procedure
The treatment itself is very straightforward. A normal blood sample is taken from a vein in the patient’s arm. Then, in the doctor’s office while the patient waits, PRP is prepared using a centrifugation procedure that only takes around 5 minutes. Using a tiny needle, the PRP is injected into multiple sites in the patient’s scalp. From start to finish, a treatment takes less than an 30 min. There is no recovery time necessary and patients can immediately return to their normal activities.
Because PRP works by stimulating natural healing and rejuvenation of the body’s own tissues, results are not immediately apparent. Usually patients receive three treatments at monthly intervals, and visible results become apparent after the third treatment and continue to improve for months after that.
If you or a loved one suffers from hair loss, visit the office of Steven Dayan, MD to discuss PRP as a hair loss treatment. Don’t wait; the best results are seen when PRP treatments are started as soon as possible after the hair loss process begins. We are conveniently located in Chicago. Contact us today to schedule your consultation!
