Your Questions
Your Questions
Q: Dr. Eppley, I would like to get some information about the PRP hair injections for hair loss. I have been diagnosed with Telogen Effluvium. I believe it may be CTE now as its going on a year. Will this treatment help stop the shedding as well as help with growth?
A: PRP (platelet rich plasma) has had good success with a variety of medically induced hair loss problems, not just for androgenic male hair loss only. (PRP Hair) Since telogen effluvium is a reactive process and not genetically induced it should theoretically respond to a variety of stimulatory agents. PRP contains platelets which are concentrated sources of high levels of growth factors. Such growth factors are known to stimulate a variety of cells including the follicle cells in the hair bulb. For hair loss PRP is mixed with other hair growth agents such as niacin to maximize its effects. It is administered through a number of small droplet injections throughout the scalp using a very small 30 gauge needle. While there is no guarantee for response in any patient, the autologous nature of PRP has no downside to its use. PRP hair treatments can also be combined with other hair regrowth methods such as minoxidil for a synergistic effect.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana
Q: Dr. Eppley, I am a 42 year-old male whose hair is thinning. I am on Propecia and Rogaine and it seems to have slowed it down but is not causing any regrowth. I have read about PRP blood treatments for hair loss and wondered what your thoughts were on how effective it might be. I know you have a lot of experience with PRP so your insight would be very valuable.
A: PRP, an acronym for platelet-rich plasma, is a concentrate of platelets derived from a patient’s own blood. Because platelets are packed with growth factors, small peptides that help modulate wound healing when injured, they have been used and shown to be effective in many medical applications. Their success in wound healing and many reconstructive surgery applications and their lack of any known adverse effects has naturally led for PRP to be extended into numerous cosmetic applications. It has been used as an adjunct in facelifts, injectable filler and fat grafting. It is presumed that the platelet concentrate has a tissue stimulating effect for regenerating lost or aging tissues such as fat and skin elasticity. The medical evidence for such effects is weak at best but the idea is so logical that its current use can best be described as a ‘what can it hurt’ approach. PRP use in hair loss treatments or in combination with Neograft follicular unit hair transplantation is another PRP application that has not been scientifically evaluated but numerous practitioners report favorable results with its use. The question of exactly how effective PRP is on stimulating the follicles of hair whether they are in their natural location or after transplantation is not yet known. I am optimistic about the effects of PRP on hair regeneration but no one yet knows how many injection sessions or how often or how many treatments need to be done for maximal benefit. Its use with other hair loss/regeneration treatments therefore is up the patient and their hair restoration physician.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana