There was a time when people shied away from cosmetic treatments due to insufficient knowledge about them. But today, things are different. Information about all the treatments is readily available on the internet. On top of it, cosmetic treatments have become extremely affordable and safe today. These cosmetic treatments are very popular amongst the masses.
One such really popular, affordable, and safe solution is PRP hair treatment. It is extremely effective against hair loss.
What is PRP?
PRP stands for Platelet Rich Plasma. PRP treatment is used to accelerate the healing process in various parts of the body. As you would rightly guess, the main component of this treatment is platelets. Your platelets!
To the unversed, platelets are one of the core components of blood and play a very important role in our human body. They are the first responders to our body’s wounds. They travel through the bloodstream to the wounded area, stop the bleeding and promote healing.
Now let us come back to PRP. Its theory is pretty straightforward. When concentrated platelets are extracted from your blood and injected into the damaged areas(your scalp in this case), it would promote fast healing in that region.
To extract concentrated platelets from your blood, medical professionals first draw blood from your body and add it to a centrifuge machine. The centrifuge spins at rapid speed and separates the components of your blood. They then extract only the platelets and administer them to the patient.
Initially, this treatment was extremely popular and was widely used on sportspersons for fast healing. But over time, it has cemented a place in the cosmetic industry too. Dermatologists suggest this as the primary treatment for patients with male pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia).
What happens during the treatment?
On the day of your appointment, the blood is drawn from your arm (mostly). Then as you wait, the concentrated platelets are extracted from your blood to prepare the PRP injection. Then the dermatologist administers the injection to the marked areas on your scalp. Usually, the platelets are injected by leaving a gap of half-inch between each injection site. Based on the desired results, several sessions might be required.
Usually, the pain associated with PRP injections is not much, but repeated injections near the same area on the scalp can cause some irritation and discomfort. If needed, the patient can ask the dermatologist for a local anaesthetic to numb the pain. Mostly, it would be in the form of a cream applied to the treated area before administering the injection.
How effective is PRP treatment?
You must understand that PRP is not a miracle cure for hair loss. Multiple PRP sessions are required over a period of time to reverse the hair loss. The same is the case for any other treatment for hair loss.
The number of sessions that you need depends on two factors.
- The rate of hair loss in the untreated region
- The effectiveness of the first session.
Based on these two factors, your dermatologist will suggest the frequency and overall duration of the injection.
Who is best suited for this treatment?
Here are the ideal candidates for PRP hair treatment –
- The treatment is best suited for those suffering from male/female pattern baldness. This is a hereditary condition that has affected a large portion of people.
- It can be effective for people who have suffered hair loss due to high-stress levels. This condition can be easily treated as it is not chronic.
- It is perfect for those who are experiencing hair thinning or at the initial stages of balding but is not completely bald yet. PRP treatment would aid in growing the hair from follicles that are still functioning, and it is also used to strengthen the hair.
- People of all age groups (18 – 72 years) can be great candidates for PRP treatment.
Are there any side effects?
The beauty of PRP treatment is that it uses components that are extracted from your own blood. This means there are way fewer risks than other treatments. However, some rare and minor side effects do happen, which go away on their own after some time. Here are they –
- Scalp tenderness
- Headache
- Temporary bleeding in the treated area
- Mild pain in the injected area
- Itching
- Swelling
- Redness
Conclusion
As you have seen in this post, PRP Is undoubtedly one of the most promising treatments for those suffering from hair loss. There are hardly any side effects, and the downtime is also minimal. A head full of hair is not tough to get anymore when you undergo this procedure from the right dermatologist. The right dermatologist can ensure that you achieve your desired results in a minimum time.