Letter: Platelet-Rich Plasma for Treating Male Pattern Baldness

In 2012, a study was conducted on a 38-year-old Korean man suffering from male pattern baldness who had previously stopped treatment with oral finasteride and topical minoxidil due to side effects. The study involved injecting half of his scalp with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and the other half with saline as a control. PRP is a natural source of growth factors such as platelet-derived growth factors, transforming growth factors, fibroblast growth factors, and vascular endothelial growth factors, which have been documented to aid in wound repair, cell differentiation and proliferation, and angiogenesis. The patient received four treatments with PRP at 1-week intervals. Six months after the PRP treatment, increases in hair growth rate and hair density were observed, although no changes in hair thickness were noted. The patient experienced only temporary pain and swelling at the injection sites, which disappeared within a day. The study concluded that PRP could be considered an alternative treatment for male pattern baldness, but further large-scale, randomized, blind, controlled studies are needed to assess its effectiveness and safety.