Platelet-Rich Plasma for the Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia: A Patient Survey

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a promising new option for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia, with several clinical studies demonstrating its efficacy on a variety of objective measures including hair density. To determine benefit and satisfaction from a patient perspective, an anonymous, voluntary survey was sent via mail to 41 patients of one treating physician who had received 1 or more PRP treatments starting at least 6 months prior to the start of the study. Thirty-one of 41 (76%) surveys were completed, with an average patient age of 51 years (range 24-87). All patients had previously tried other therapies, most commonly minoxidil (87%), biotin or vitamin supplements (81%), and finasteride (65%). A majority of patients were satisfied (58%), with 61% of satisfied patients reporting either “marked” or “exceptional” improvement. Most satisfied patients noticed improvement in less than 6 months (72%). Forty-five percent of patients reported experiencing at least one side effect, most commonly swollen forehead/face (29%) and sore/painful scalp lasting over 3 days (26%). A multinomial linear regression model of the satisfied patients determined that those who experienced earlier results, reported no side effects, and had subjective hair growth had higher degrees of satisfaction. The study supports a growing body of literature that PRP is a promising new therapy in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia.