Efficacy of Platelet-Rich Plasma Combination Treatments in Dermatology: A Systematic Review
April 2023
in “
Journal of Investigative Dermatology
”
Studysummary This review discusses PRP combination therapies for androgenetic alopecia, acne scarring, and cutaneous rejuvenation, and reports increased effectiveness with combination treatments but highlights the need for more research with standardized protocols. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
The systematic review analyzed randomized control studies from 2012 to 2022 on the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in combination with other treatments for androgenetic alopecia, acne scarring, and cutaneous rejuvenation. PRP, an autologous preparation of plasma with high concentrations of human platelets, promotes cell differentiation, proliferation, wound healing, and tissue remodeling. Five studies showed increased efficacy when PRP was combined with microneedling or minoxidil for treating androgenetic alopecia. Out of twelve studies on acne scarring, ten found that combining PRP with microneedling or fractional carbon dioxide laser led to significant clinical improvement and fewer side effects. For cutaneous rejuvenation, five out of seven studies found that combining PRP with microneedling, hyaluronic acid, or fractional laser therapies was more effective than using PRP alone. However, the review noted that more research is needed with standardized PRP preparation and experimental procedures, and that small sample sizes and insufficient patient follow-up times were limitations in the existing studies.
