The vampire facial, which is another fancy word for PRP facial, has been trending for a while now. It is basically a skin rejuvenation treatment that incorporates the use of your own blood and growth factors to achieve a glowing, youthful complexion. The same technique that’s used for the vampire facial can also be used as a PRP hair loss treatment.

To get you all the details on this hair loss treatment, I caught up with Dr. Dragana Spica, Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic surgeon in Dubai, and this is what she had to say.

What is PRP Hair Loss Treatment?

This treatment is known as platelet-rich plasma aka PRP therapy for hair regeneration. PRP triggers natural hair growth and maintains it by increasing the blood circulation to the hair follicle leading to an increase in the thickness of the hair shaft.

Our blood has two components, plasma, and red blood cells. The plasma is made up of white blood cells and platelets. These are rich in growth factors, and that is why they are also known as liquid gold in the world of aesthetics.

PRP has been used in the medical field for decades now to treat various problems such as injured muscles, ligaments, and tendons. In the last few years, however, PRP hair loss treatment has been gaining popularity when it comes to treating hair thinning, which is good news for anyone who is losing more than the usual amount of hair.

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Who Can Use the Treatment?

PRP hair loss treatment works best for those with early hair loss but it is essentially good for anyone experiencing hair loss and hair thinning. It particularly responds well for those suffering from androgenic alopecia which is a type of hair loss that occurs along the top of the head and is genetically determined.

How PRP Hair Therapy Works

PRP hair loss treatment is essentially a 3-step procedure:

The first step involves your doctor drawing a small amount of blood from your arm. This is a good time to look away or close your eyes if you get squeamish at the sight of blood.
The second step is putting the blood tube into a centrifuge, which is a machine that spins the blood to separate out the plasma from the red blood cells. This takes about 10 minutes to do and the blood will have separated into three layers which are the platelet-poor plasma, the platelet-rich plasma, and the red blood cells.
In the third step, the platelet-rich plasma is drawn up into a syringe and injected directly into the scalp at the hair follicle level in the areas that need increased hair growth.

The entire process is meticulous and takes about half an hour or less to complete. The injections begin across the scalp and are approximately half an inch apart over the area of the thinning hair.

Most PRP hair loss treatments require about three treatment sessions which are 4-6 weeks apart. Maintenance treatments are done every 4-6 months.

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Is PRP Therapy for Hair Loss Painful?

Since the discomfort is minimal, most individuals do not require any numbing during the procedure. However, if you do feel any discomfort, ice packs or cool air can be used to minimize the pain. Bruising is expected but it usually resolves in a week or two. You should avoid the typical hair maintenance such as blow-drying, processing, or coloring for a day or two.

What Results Are Expected After PRP Hair Loss Treatment?

The initial results can be seen within the first two or three months. This involves a decrease in hair shedding, followed by early hair regrowth and an increased length and density in the hair.

Maintenance treatments are important for the continuance stimulation of the growth factors and stem cells which are associated with hair regrowth and the seizing of the hair fallout.

It is however important to note that PRP therapy for hair loss is usually combined with other treatments such as medication and other hair loss procedures in order to facilitate the best overall results.

That said, have you ever suffered from hair loss or hair shedding, and did you try PRP hair loss treatment? Share in the comments.