Anyone had success with PRP?

[Ramazan]

So I've been on rogaine for like 5 years now, and it is starting to lose it's effectiveness. I'm thinking about trying out PRP, but has anyone tried it with success? Does it work or this it just make Things worse than they are?

[Aphrodite]

PRP is made from your own blood, so the chance of side effects is pretty slim. While getting the injections does not guarantee hair growth, they should not worsen your condition in any way. PRP has shown success in many areas, from the eldbow, wrist, knee, shoulder, hip, and now hair loss. Your own blood is taken and then centrifuged, creating highly concentrated platelets, which in turn release concentrated amounts of growth factors. The PRP is injected under the skin in patients with alopecia. This high concentration of growth factors is what aids in the healing of damaged tissues and the promotion of hair growth. PRP may be used alone or in conjunction with ACell to treat hair loss. One study reported 50% of patients who received PRP injections noticed hair growth. It is shown to promote healing and advance the growth of grafts following hair transplantation. I think it would definitely be a worthwhile treatment to consider.

[thinkingaboutit]

This is the first time I have heard of PRP, sounds interesting.

[Ramazan]

PRP is made from your own blood, so the chance of side effects is pretty slim. While getting the injections does not guarantee hair growth, they should not worsen your condition in any way. PRP has shown success in many areas, from the eldbow, wrist, knee, shoulder, hip, and now hair loss. Your own blood is taken and then centrifuged, creating highly concentrated platelets, which in turn release concentrated amounts of growth factors. The PRP is injected under the skin in patients with alopecia. This high concentration of growth factors is what aids in the healing of damaged tissues and the promotion of hair growth. PRP may be used alone or in conjunction with ACell to treat hair loss. One study reported 50% of patients who received PRP injections noticed hair growth. It is shown to promote healing and advance the growth of grafts following hair transplantation. I think it would definitely be a worthwhile treatment to consider.

Well i just starting to thin a bit nothing noticeable, but i want be proactive about my MPB i'n inthe very early stages. Would it help me regain some of my lost hair and thicken the thin hairs on my scalp? I haven't done any HT.

[35YrsAfter]

Well i just starting to thin a bit nothing noticeable, but i want be proactive about my MPB i'n inthe very early stages. Would it help me regain some of my lost hair and thicken the thin hairs on my scalp? I haven't done any HT.

Dr. Cole prefers to use PRP/ACell during and after minimal depth FUE surgery as opposed to stand alone PRP/ACell treatments. Stand alone treatments are a bang for the buck decision. If your bank account supports it, go for a stand alone treatment.

Prostaglandin D2 inhibits hair growth and is elevated in the bald scalp of men with androgenetic alopecia. PGD2 is a powerful inhibitor of platelet aggregation. On the other hand PRP or platelet rich plasma increases the hair shaft diameter of miniaturizing hair. I personally believe that the miniaturization of hair hair is due at least in part to starvation of platelet growth factors caused by concentrations of PGD2 in those follicles susceptible to MPB.

Below is the best result I have seen from a stand alone PRP treatment. I have posted this photo many times. This particular patient has been taking Avodart for around 8 years. Perhaps that's a winning combination, Avodart + PRP/ACell.


35YrsAfter also posts as CITNews and works at Dr. Cole's office
forhair.com
Cole Hair Transplant
1070 Powers Place
Alpharetta, Georgia 30009
Phone 678-566-1011
email 35YrsAfter at chuck@forhair.com
The contents of my posts are my opinions and not medical advice
Please feel free to call or email me with any questions. Ask for Chuck

[Aphrodite]

One study I read said PRP alone was effective in the treatment of AA (Alopecia Areata). I know this is not the same as AGA, but the fact that it worked, leads me to believe it should also work for AGA. The patients in this study received once monthly injections of PRP over the course of 1 yr, which could be costly.

[PinotQ]

I have had PRP/ACell twice. The first time I did not notice any results. Then they came out with a finer acell powder that mixed with the PRP better and did not clump so I tried it again. This time I used Dr. Cooley. He told me I would not see any results for 4 months and told me exactly what to expect. At almost exactly the 4 month mark I began to see improvement. There was visible improvement in the crown. The improvement did not appear to be new hair as much as it was thickening and lengthening of very fine hairs that were barely visible before the procedure. I also noticed what I can only describe as fuller more healthy hair throughout my scalp. If I did the procedure again, I would definitely use Dr. Cooley as the environment and experience were much more professional. I do not plan on using the procedure again b/c of the cost benefit. The results seemed to fade at about the 8th month mark. My cost for the procedure was somewhere near the $1,200 to $1,500 mark but I believe it has since gone up to around $2,000 to $2,500. When you tack on flight, hotel, etc., it is expensive. If I could do it locally every 2 months or so at $250 to $400, I think I would go for it. Don't expect it to take a bald scalp and perform miracles. But if you want to maintain with a boost and spend $5,000 to $6,000 a year, you might consider it.

[whatsgoingon]

isn't 6.000 the supposed cost of HSC also? Or am I mixing something up?

[35YrsAfter]

I have had PRP/ACell twice. The first time I did not notice any results. Then they came out with a finer acell powder that mixed with the PRP better and did not clump so I tried it again. This time I used Dr. Cooley. He told me I would not see any results for 4 months and told me exactly what to expect. At almost exactly the 4 month mark I began to see improvement. There was visible improvement in the crown. The improvement did not appear to be new hair as much as it was thickening and lengthening of very fine hairs that were barely visible before the procedure. I also noticed what I can only describe as fuller more healthy hair throughout my scalp. If I did the procedure again, I would definitely use Dr. Cooley as the environment and experience were much more professional. I do not plan on using the procedure again b/c of the cost benefit. The results seemed to fade at about the 8th month mark. My cost for the procedure was somewhere near the $1,200 to $1,500 mark but I believe it has since gone up to around $2,000 to $2,500. When you tack on flight, hotel, etc., it is expensive. If I could do it locally every 2 months or so at $250 to $400, I think I would go for it. Don't expect it to take a bald scalp and perform miracles. But if you want to maintain with a boost and spend $5,000 to $6,000 a year, you might consider it.

The disposables associated with PRP treatment are pretty expensive. The cost (doctor's cost) of the centrifuge cartridge alone for a top end device could nearly pay for a set of tires for a compact car.

When you're dealing with blood, it's not a good idea to cut corners. There should be a way down the road to reduce the cost of the disposable items associated with these treatments though. PRP treatments are effective, but just too expensive for most. Especially if you get on a regular maintenance program.

35YrsAfter also posts as CITNews and works at Dr. Cole's office
forhair.com
Cole Hair Transplant
1070 Powers Place
Alpharetta, Georgia 30009
Phone 678-566-1011
email 35YrsAfter at chuck@forhair.com
The contents of my posts are my opinions and not medical advice
Please feel free to call or email me with any questions. Ask for Chuck

[ryan555]

I've been getting prp treatments for four years now, with no other treatments. Prior to the prp my hair looked pretty good but under a microscope there was definitely a bit of miniaturization visible under the microscope. Four years later the top of my head looks just like my permanent zone under a microscope. My hair also feels stronger and fuller and I have virtually no shedding. I don't think it's a miracle treatment and certainly not a "cure," but overall I am a believer.

[35YrsAfter]

I've been getting prp treatments for four years now, with no other treatments. Prior to the prp my hair looked pretty good but under a microscope there was definitely a bit of miniaturization visible under the microscope. Four years later the top of my head looks just like my permanent zone under a microscope. My hair also feels stronger and fuller and I have virtually no shedding. I don't think it's a miracle treatment and certainly not a "cure," but overall I am a believer.

This is why I think hair loss researchers need to step back from their microscopes and have a long hard look at the big picture. I believe that PGD2 saturated miniaturizing follicles are being somehow starved of blood platelet growth factors. You give the follicles platelet rich plasma and the miniaturizing hairs increase in diameter.

If researchers can find a way to prevent PGD2 from saturating susceptible follicles, it would be interesting to see if hair in the "loss zone" improves.

Many different approaches toward finding a solution.

35YrsAfter also posts as CITNews and works at Dr. Cole's office
forhair.com
Cole Hair Transplant
1070 Powers Place
Alpharetta, Georgia 30009
Phone 678-566-1011
email 35YrsAfter at chuck@forhair.com
The contents of my posts are my opinions and not medical advice
Please feel free to call or email me with any questions. Ask for Chuck

[shreyas24]

Definitely it helps you, no doubt on it. And won't get any side effect from it because it's a non surgical method.

[FuzzyWuzzy]

Guys,

long time lurker. Tried both Fin and Minoxodil, and unfortunately didn't respond well to either. Since I cant use either of the two most powerful (and approved) preventative treatments I am hoping to go with PRP + Acell and see how I respond. I'm going with two treatments roughly 8 months apart. I'd like to do two regardless of weather or not the first treatment has any noticeable effects as some have suggested that continued treatments tend to have greater effect.

I'm currently in NYC and would appreciate any doctor recommendations. I can (and have) done the requisite searches online but some of the top rated docs are also accused of some pretty poor practices. I am also asking both my dermatologist and some of the hair specialists here in NYC if they can recommend anyone.

Happy to come back to this thread and post replies on how my own success (or lack there of) works.

Thanks in advance for your responses.

[35YrsAfter]

Guys,

long time lurker. Tried both Fin and Minoxodil, and unfortunately didn't respond well to either. Since I cant use either of the two most powerful (and approved) preventative treatments I am hoping to go with PRP + Acell and see how I respond. I'm going with two treatments roughly 8 months apart. I'd like to do two regardless of weather or not the first treatment has any noticeable effects as some have suggested that continued treatments tend to have greater effect.

I'm currently in NYC and would appreciate any doctor recommendations. I can (and have) done the requisite searches online but some of the top rated docs are also accused of some pretty poor practices. I am also asking both my dermatologist and some of the hair specialists here in NYC if they can recommend anyone.

Happy to come back to this thread and post replies on how my own success (or lack there of) works.

Thanks in advance for your responses.

At Dr. Cole's, we recommend PRP/ACell with hair transplant surgery. These treatments promote healing and nearly always improve hair shaft diameter at least a little. Dr. Cole keeps an extensive record of his patient's hair mass index. We nearly always see an improvement in hair shaft diameter. The question is, are stand-alone ACell/PRP treatments worth the expense. In many cases, I don't believe they are for the average income man or woman. The most frustrating thing about the state of current treatments for MPB is the fact that all of the topical and oral treatments only help a little bit. ACell/PRP treatments vary from doctor to doctor. Dr. Greco in Florida says he is having success with women in particular. I don't believe he uses ACell though. He says he found something more effective. In one of his videos, he states that with regular treatments (women), improvement will gradually "ratchet" forward. At Dr. Cole's, we use the Angel brand PRP device. We have one patient in particular who got an excellent result from PRP/ACell. He contacted me several months back and let me know he was undergoing a massive shed. Fortunately, the last I heard the shedding stopped and his hair thickened up to where it was. All this to say, If you have the money, it's worth a try and if you have a lot of time and money, it wouldn't hurt to give Greco's regular PRP treatment plan a shot. Hopefully better treatments are on their way soon. A lot of guys in the forum are getting frustrated, mainly because there are so many studies that have been presented in an over optimistic way, making it sound like the cure has been found and will be available within a year or two.

35YrsAfter also posts as CITNews and works at Dr. Cole's office - forhair.com - Cole Hair Transplant, 1045 Powers Place, Alpharetta, Georgia 30009 - Phone 678-566-1011 - email 35YrsAfter at chuck@forhair.com
The contents of my posts are my opinions and not medical advice
Please feel free to call or email me with any questions. Ask for Chuck

[walrus]

This is why I think hair loss researchers need to step back from their microscopes and have a long hard look at the big picture. I believe that PGD2 saturated miniaturizing follicles are being somehow starved of blood platelet growth factors. You give the follicles platelet rich plasma and the miniaturizing hairs increase in diameter.

Anyone reading this should realise that the above statement is only the opinion of 35YrsAfter. That is, there is no evidence to link the PGD2 mediated pathway of hair growth inhibition with platelets or PRP. Be aware of financially motivated posters hijacking scientific theories for personal gain.