PRP for Scarring Alopecia

January 2021

Susie Suh, Natasha Atanaskova Mesinkovska

platelet-rich plasma scarring alopecia androgenetic alopecia alopecia areata hair follicle destruction scar tissue PRP

TLDR More research is needed to confirm PRP's effectiveness for scarring alopecia.

The document discussed the potential of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) as a treatment for scarring alopecia, a condition characterized by irreversible hair follicle destruction and replacement with scar tissue. While PRP had shown efficacy and safety in treating non-scarring alopecia, such as androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata, evidence for its benefits in scarring alopecia was limited. The chapter aimed to explore the effectiveness of PRP in treating scarring alopecia by summarizing existing literature and the authors' findings. Despite the promising nature of PRP, the document highlighted the need for more research to establish its clinical benefits for scarring alopecia.

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Research cited in this study

22 / 22 results

research Evaluation of Platelet-Rich Plasma as a Treatment for Androgenetic Alopecia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

33 citations , July 2020 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

PRP treatment improves hair density and thickness for alopecia, but needs more research.

research The Effect of Platelet-Rich Plasma on Female Androgenetic Alopecia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

18 citations , July 2020 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

PRP injections improve hair density and thickness in women with hair loss.

Use of Platelet-Rich Plasma in Lichen Planopilaris and Its Variants: A Retrospective Case Series Demonstrating Treatment Tolerability Without Koebnerization

research Use of Platelet-Rich Plasma in Lichen Planopilaris and Its Variants: A Retrospective Case Series Demonstrating Treatment Tolerability Without Koebnerization

12 citations , June 2020 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

Platelet-rich plasma is tolerable for lichen planopilaris and doesn't worsen the condition, but its effectiveness is unclear.

research The Utility of Platelet-Rich Plasma for the Treatment of Alopecia

6 citations , June 2020 in “Journal of Drugs in Dermatology”

PRP can help regrow hair in people with alopecia.

research Platelet-Rich Plasma for Treatment-Resistant Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Case Report

15 citations , August 2019 in “Dermatologic Therapy”

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) may help treat hair loss in patients with frontal fibrosing alopecia who don't respond to other treatments.

research Follicular Unit Extraction Hair Transplantation in Combination with Platelet Rich Plasma for the Treatment of Scarring Alopecia: A Case Series

4 citations , January 2019 in “Archives of clinical and medical case reports”

Combining FUE hair transplantation with PRP improves hair density and patient satisfaction in scarring alopecia.

research A Systematic Review of the Outcome of Hair Transplantation in Primary Scarring Alopecia

27 citations , September 2018 in “Skin appendage disorders”

Hair transplantation may work for some types of scarring alopecia, but results vary and more research is needed.

research Use of Platelet-Rich Plasma in Cicatricial Alopecia

28 citations , August 2018 in “Dermatologic Surgery”

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) may help improve hair density in primary cicatricial alopecias (PCAs) patients, but more trials are needed to confirm its benefits.

research Platelet-Rich Plasma for the Treatment of Lichen Planopilaris

14 citations , May 2018 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology”

Platelet-rich plasma might be a new way to treat lichen planopilaris.

research A Review of Platelet-Rich Plasma: History, Biology, Mechanism of Action, and Classification

348 citations , July 2017 in “Skin appendage disorders”

Platelet-rich plasma shows promise for skin and hair treatments but needs more research and standardization.

research Injections of Platelet-Rich Plasma for Androgenic Alopecia: A Systematic Review

25 citations , July 2017 in “Journal of Stomatology, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery”

PRP injections help regrow hair, reduce hair loss, and increase hair thickness, but effects decrease without ongoing treatment.

research PPAR-γ Agonists and Their Role in Primary Cicatricial Alopecia

38 citations , January 2017 in “PPAR Research”

PPAR-γ helps control skin oil glands and inflammation, and its disruption can cause hair loss diseases.

research A Mechanistic Model of Platelet-Rich Plasma Treatment for Androgenetic Alopecia

60 citations , September 2016 in “Dermatologic Surgery”

PRP treatment may stimulate hair growth by promoting blood vessel formation, increasing growth factors, and preventing cell death.

research Platelet-Rich Plasma as a Novel Treatment for Lichen Planopillaris

29 citations , March 2016 in “Dermatologic therapy”

Platelet-rich plasma may successfully treat lichen planopillaris, as shown by one patient's symptom regression.

research Successful Hair Transplant Outcome in Cicatricial Lichen Planus of the Scalp by Combining Scalp and Beard Hair Along with Platelet Rich Plasma

26 citations , January 2016 in “Journal of cutaneous and aesthetic surgery”

Hair transplant combining scalp and beard hair with PRP was successful for scarring alopecia.

research Quality of Life and Psychosocial Impact of Scarring and Non-Scarring Alopecia in Women

28 citations , January 2015 in “Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft”

Women with scarring alopecia have a lower quality of life and more anxiety and depression than those with non-scarring alopecia.

research Primary Cicatricial Alopecia: Diagnosis and Treatment

48 citations , May 2013 in “Canadian Medical Association Journal”

Primary cicatricial alopecia, a rare disorder causing permanent hair loss, is hard to diagnose and treat, with treatments like anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids offering varied results and no guaranteed cure. Psychological support for patients is important, and future research should aim to identify causes of the condition.

research The Pathogenesis of Primary Cicatricial Alopecias

150 citations , October 2010 in “The American Journal of Pathology”

The document concludes that more research is needed to better understand and treat primary cicatricial alopecias, and suggests a possible reclassification based on molecular pathways.

research Wnt-Dependent De Novo Hair Follicle Regeneration in Adult Mouse Skin After Wounding

829 citations , May 2007 in “Nature”

Hair follicles can regrow in wounded adult mouse skin using a process like embryo development.

research The Role of Platelet Plasma Growth Factors in Male Pattern Baldness Surgery

251 citations , October 2006 in “Plastic and reconstructive surgery/PSEF CD journals”

Using platelet plasma growth factors in baldness surgery can increase the number of hair follicles.

research The Hair Cycle

375 citations , February 2006 in “Journal of Cell Science”

The document concludes that the hair cycle is a complex process involving growth, regression, and rest phases, regulated by various molecular signals.

research The Formation of Vellus Hair Follicles from Human Adult Epidermis

73 citations , July 1956 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology”

Adult human skin can grow new fine hair follicles after a deep exfoliation treatment.

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Scalp biopsies are crucial for diagnosing hair loss conditions like Diffuse Unpatterned Alopecia (DUPA) and retrograde hair loss, as treatments like finasteride and dutasteride may not be effective if other conditions are present. Combining PPAR-GAMMA agonists with retinoids could improve treatments for conditions like Lichen Planopilaris.

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Lichen Planopilaris (LPP), a form of permanent hair loss, which can be mistaken for seborrheic dermatitis and is characterized by scalp itching, burning, redness, and dandruff. Treatment options discussed include steroidal creams, finasteride, minoxidil, and RU58841.

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The conversation covers aggressive hair regrowth treatments like Dutasteride, Minoxidil (oral and topical), RU58841, microneedling, and ketoconazole shampoo. It also mentions PRP, laser therapy, GHK-Cu injections, and hormone therapy for maximum regrowth.

community Dutasteride 1 year regression. Depressing. (With pictures for proof)

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A user shared their experience of hair loss progression after one year on dutasteride, expressing disappointment with no improvement and considering other treatments like RU58841. Other users offered mixed responses, some seeing no change, others suggesting the hair loss might have been worse without treatment, and discussing the role of testosterone and DHT in hair loss.

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research Alopecia Areata: A Multifactorial Autoimmune Condition

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Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease causing patchy hair loss, often with other autoimmune disorders, but its exact causes are unknown.

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Alopecia areata can sometimes appear as a straight line of hair loss instead of round patches.

research Treating Resistant Cases of Alopecia Universalis

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Combining platelet-rich plasma therapy with prostaglandin-F eye drops can significantly regrow hair in alopecia universalis.

research Overview of Alopecia Areata

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Alopecia areata is a genetic and immune-related hair loss condition that is often associated with other autoimmune diseases and does not typically cause permanent damage to hair follicles.