Using PRP Therapy as an Advanced Hair Restoration Technique

No one wants to see their hair falling into the sink when they comb it, but hair loss affects many men and women alike. Sometimes it can even diminish your confidence by making you worry about how you look. You may even try over-the-counter or prescription medications in an effort to reverse the symptoms. 

To help patients restore their hair, we specialize in using platelet-rich plasma treatments, along with an overall health assessment, to effectively reverse hair loss and help you feel beautiful again. Let’s take a look at a couple of causes of hair loss, explore how PRP hair restoration works, and review some details about treatment.

What Causes Hair Loss?

There are a number of different things that can cause hair loss in men and women, but the two we see most frequently are hormone imbalances and nutritional deficiencies. 

Thyroid

Hormone imbalances can affect both men and women. Keep in mind that although hormones like estrogen and testosterone can play a role in hair loss, they aren’t the only culprits. In fact, when it comes to hair loss in young people, thyroid hormone imbalances are often to blame. 

The two thyroid hormones, T3 and T4, are responsible for all types of growth throughout the body, including your hair. So if those levels get out of balance, you might start noticing issues with your hair growth. These problems have been found in both hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) and hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid). 

Sex Hormones

In women, estrogen can help to stimulate hair growth. It’s not uncommon for women to experience hair loss during menopause or even after pregnancy when estrogen levels hit all-time lows.

For men, the hormone DHT might be to blame. This is another male hormone, similar to testosterone, that sometimes isn’t broken down correctly by the body. In those situations, the excess hormone can cause your follicles to shrink, which makes it difficult for long, healthy hairs to grow. 

Nutritional Deficiencies

Vitamins and minerals like zinc, selenium, iron, biotin, B5, and more are responsible for all kinds of important processes in your body. Without normal levels of these nutrients, your body might not have enough to spare on hair growth. It helps to think of your nutrition as fertilizer for your scalp. When you give your body the help it needs, it will have adequate resources to grow a healthy garden of hair on your scalp.

How Do You Treat It?

Many people opt for medications like Propecia or Rogaine to stimulate hair growth. These medications work for some, but others might find it difficult to remember to apply a cream twice a day or they might experience unpleasant side effects from a prescription. At Ethos, we like to work with your body to solve the problem.

The first thing I do with my patients is assess potential hormone imbalances and nutritional needs. If I find any trouble in those two areas, I’ll add some treatments to help address those underlying causes of hair loss.

After the initial assessment, I use PRP hair restoration. Platelet-rich plasma treatments are a simple way to stimulate your body’s healing process and kickstart the regrowth process. I take a vial of blood from the patient’s arm, separate the plasma, then inject it into the problem area of the scalp. 

The plasma helps to stimulate dormant stem cells in the skin as well as the surrounding hair follicles. This boost of encouragement helps your body create more hairs in each follicle, which produces a fuller, healthier regrowth of hair. It helps cover balding areas, fill out thin spots, and gives you the lush, natural look you’ve been missing.

Benefits

PRP hair restoration addresses hair loss by working with your body’s natural healing processes. Instead of covering up the issue or treating symptoms, you encourage your body to restart the hair growth process on its own, which often creates lasting results.

Many people turn to PRP treatments after experiencing side effects from hair growth medications. Others come because they don’t like having to apply a cream or foam twice a day. PRP treatments are conveniently performed in your doctor’s office so you don’t have to remember to continually treat your scalp.

Care and Keeping

After a PRP treatment, you’ll need to stay away from the shower for 24 hours. Don’t wash your hair until at least one day after your treatment, and do your best to leave your scalp alone for 48 hours. This means limiting things like brushing, styling, and grooming until a couple of days after treatment.

Once you pass the 48-hour mark, you can resume your normal routine.

Side Effects

No treatment is completely without side effects, but those from PRP hair restoration should be minimal. Some scalp pain or irritation at injection sites is normal, but no major discomfort is expected.

Success Rates

On average, this technique helps 70-90% of patients who try it. It seems to yield the best results with younger patients who catch the problem early. Some things like smoking can decrease your chances of success. PRP might also be less effective if your hair loss is due to a medical condition or specific medication.

How Often Do I Need Treatments?

Treatments are scheduled 4-6 weeks apart. This gives your body time to respond to the platelets and start growing some new hair. Typically, patients see results after two or three sessions. Once you’ve achieved your desired results, you may need to use maintenance treatments every six months or so.

Am I Candidate for PRP Hair Restoration?

Most patients are candidates for PRP hair restoration because it’s a non-invasive technique. When you consult with your doctor, bring a list of your medication and any information about pre-existing health conditions that might be helpful. These materials can help doctors determine what might be causing you hair loss and recommend if PRP is the right path for you.

Don’t Let Hair Loss Steal Your Confidence

If medications and supplements aren’t working for you, consider PRP hair restoration. It works naturally with your body to stimulate follicles and hair growth. Schedule a call with us today to see how we can help you look great!