PRP Hair Treatment
Watching clumps of hair falling off your head can be a distressing experience for everyone. With a plethora of hair-growing oils, medicines, and treatments available in the market, it is understandable to feel anxiety and hesitation towards the efficacy of these solutions. One such solution to hair loss is PRP or platelet-rich plasma therapy.
Despite being one of the most recommended and popular treatments for hair loss, PRP also receives the same doubts. People have mixed expectations about how it will grow their hair, its side effects, and the possible hair shedding – some might even fear that the procedure will worsen their hair loss or be completely ineffective. So, to resolve your worries and woes about the procedure, we are going to delve into the workings of PRP and what one should realistically expect after getting their PRP hair treatment done.
What happens in PRP Hair Loss Treatment?
Platelet-rich plasma treatment is a form of regenerative medicine that involves injecting growth factors to speed up the natural healing process in targeted areas. It consists of plasma, the platelets, the protein in the blood cells acting as its medium, and the blood cells responsible for wound healing and regeneration.
As a hair regrowth treatment, patients rely on PRP to treat different types of hair loss, like androgenic alopecia or male or female pattern hair loss. This treatment involves boosting your hair follicles with concentrations of platelets, so how it grows your hair may not be as simple. This is why people must be aware of what to expect when it comes to PRP, its potential side effects, stages of hair growth, and how hair finally grows.
Side Effects of PRP
PRP hair treatment uses your own blood sample to harvest plasma with a concentration of platelets from your blood cells, so the risk of allergic reactions is slim. Patients can rest assured that major side effects are pretty rare and only happen at the hands of an inexperienced practitioner.
However, here are some side effects people can face:
- Pain, swelling, and bleeding at the injection site.
- Allergic reaction from anesthesia, the needle from the syringe, etc.
- Infection during the healing process
- Dizziness and nausea
- Scar tissue
- Injury to blood vessels.
These side effects are usually mild and will resolve on their own within 3-4 weeks. However, if symptoms persist, one should immediately contact their health-care provider.
One may experience some side effects as the procedure produces an acute inflammation to speed up the natural healing process of the follicles. While doctors try their best to make the treatment less painful by using tiny-gauged needles, the injections still cause tiny open wounds on the scalp that can get inflamed and become susceptible to certain risks.
Hair Shedding
Many people get frightened upon experiencing hair shedding after their PRP hair growth treatment. But this is a completely natural part of the hair regrowth journey. Hair shedding after PRP is usually normal. This is because the concentration of growth factors boosts the healing process of the hair follicles, reactivating their hair growth.
Hair loss happens due to various triggers which ultimately attack or weaken the hair follicles. This causes the hair follicles to be stuck in the resting phase (telogen phase) until the hair falls out without new hair growing. In some cases, the hair follicles also shrink until they can no longer grow hair.
By injecting growth factors and triggering hair follicles to enter the growth phase (anagen phase), new thicker, and hair healthier hair pushes out the thin and unhealthy hair which leads to hair shedding.
There are some rare instances where PRP treatment does exacerbate hair loss, which happens because of an underlying type of hereditary hair loss. Choosing a reliable service provider who can screen your candidacy thoroughly can help prevent this adverse reaction.
Hair Growth After PRP
People may experience hair shedding and become anxious by this stage of the treatment. But many of them become reassured when they visit their doctor and see that their hair mass index (HMI) has actually grown more hair than before their treatment.
The PRP treatment for hair loss stimulates hair growth because the concentrations of growth factors boost cell growth and collagen production. It also improves blood flow by opening up the blood vessels surrounding hair follicles, allowing more oxygen and nutrients to seep in.
When can one expect results?
Patients with hair loss should have realistic expectations with PRP therapy when it comes to hair restoration as the results don’t show up overnight. The platelet-derived growth factors need time to integrate into the scalp and do their work. The treatment’s full results might take around 3-6 months from the initial injections, but patients can notice improvements in hair health after 2 weeks post-treatment. These improvements also include changes in hair thickness, growth of new hair, and better hair texture.
How long do the results last?
Platelet-rich plasma therapy offers promising effects when it comes to hair regrowth. Its results may be long-lasting, but they’re not permanent. This treatment only provides a boost of nutrients and doesn’t address the root cause of your hair loss. The results of PRP last for about 12-18 months. However, some patients have reported the effects lasting up to 2 years.
How many sessions does one need?
PRP treatment as a hair loss solution requires multiple injections and maintenance shots to retain its effects. Patients undergoing the treatment will receive 3 initial injections, given at a 5 to 6-month interval. After this, they’ll only require maintenance shots twice a year.
Conclusion
The stress of losing your hair can be pretty debilitating. Finding more hair in your brush than your head can not only cause more stress but it can also shoot down your confidence and self-esteem. However, with every treatment comes the risk of adverse reactions or blowing your hard-earned money over ineffective gimmicks. This is why choosing the right service provides becomes imperative.
Here, at Alive Wellness Clinics, we believe in providing holistic care and customized solutions to tackle your hair-related problems. Our experienced dermatologists and qualified experts offer an in-depth analysis to ensure that you get the treatment that’s right for you. So, book your appointment today and transform your hair for the better!