TLDR Microneedling with either platelet-rich plasma or 5% minoxidil can increase hair growth in people with androgenetic alopecia, but minoxidil might be slightly better.
In a study conducted 6 years ago, 50 patients with androgenetic alopecia were divided into two groups: one treated with microneedling and platelet-rich plasma (PRP), the other with microneedling and 5% minoxidil. Both treatments resulted in moderate to great increase in hair growth, with the average number of hair follicular units increasing from 62 to 94 in the PRP group and 92 in the minoxidil group after 18 months. The study concluded that both treatments are safe and effective for androgenetic alopecia. However, the small sample size and short follow-up period limited the ability to draw conclusions about long-term effectiveness. A referenced study on 100 patients showed that microneedling with minoxidil was statistically superior in promoting hair growth in men with androgenetic alopecia, suggesting the need for further studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods.
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