A Comprehensive Review of Platelet-Rich Plasma for the Treatment of Dermatologic Disorders

November 2022 in “ Journal of Dermatological Treatment ”

Jessica N. Pixley, Madison K Cook, Rohan Bir Singh, Jorge Larrondo, Amy J. McMichael

platelet-rich plasma PRP androgenetic alopecia alopecia areata cicatricial alopecia vitiligo melasma

From the encyclopedia

Platelet-Rich Plasma →

growth factors taken from your blood and injected into your scalp to stimulate hair

Alopecia Areata →

autoimmune disorder causing patchy hair loss

Studysummary This review discusses the use of platelet-rich plasma for various dermatologic conditions but reports inconsistent evidence and a lack of standardized protocols; patients often report high satisfaction despite mixed clinical outcomes. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP), an autologous preparation rich in platelets and other components, has been studied as a treatment for various dermatologic conditions, including hair loss disorders like androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata. The document reports that several meta-analyses and randomized clinical trials have shown an increase in hair density with PRP treatment. PRP has also shown promise in treating cicatricial alopecia, vitiligo, and melasma, but results have been mixed. Despite its potential, PRP treatment is not FDA-approved and is considered experimental. It is also expensive, with a single injection costing up to $750 and a treatment course ranging between $500 and $2500, and is not covered by insurance. The document concludes that more research is needed to establish the efficacy and optimal use of PRP in dermatologic treatments.

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25 / 25 results

research Platelet-Rich Plasma Monotherapies for Androgenetic Alopecia: A Network Meta-Analysis and Meta-Regression Study

1 citations , August 2022 in “Journal of Drugs in Dermatology”

This study found that the efficacy of platelet-rich plasma in treating androgenetic alopecia is higher with increased frequency of sessions, chemically-activated PRP, double centrifugation, and whole-head application, among younger and female patients.

research Relative Efficacy of Minoxidil and the 5-Alpha Reductase Inhibitors in Androgenetic Alopecia Treatment of Male Patients

13 citations , February 2022 in “JAMA Dermatology”

This meta-analysis reported that 0.5 mg/d of dutasteride significantly increased total hair count at 24 weeks compared to finasteride and minoxidil in men with androgenetic alopecia.

research There Is a Positive Dose-Dependent Association Between Low-Dose Oral Minoxidil and Its Efficacy for Androgenetic Alopecia: Findings From a Systematic Review With Meta-Regression Analyses

2 citations , January 2022 in “Skin appendage disorders”

This study found that for people with androgenetic alopecia, increasing the dosage of low-dose oral minoxidil is associated with improvements in hair diameter and density, but also raises the risk of hypertrichosis and cardiovascular adverse events.

research The Effects of Lower vs Higher Cell Number of Platelet-Rich Plasma on Hair Density and Diameter in Androgenetic Alopecia: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo, Parallel-Group Half-Scalp IRB-Approved Study

6 citations , May 2021 in “Aesthetic Surgery Journal”

This study found that intradermal injections of platelet-rich plasma were equally safe and effective for treating androgenetic alopecia, with higher platelet numbers possibly enhancing hair density and follicle diameter.

Platelet-Rich Plasma for Androgenic Alopecia: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Study and Combined Mice Model Experiment

research Platelet-Rich Plasma for Androgenic Alopecia: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Study and Combined Mice Model Experiment

6 citations , March 2021 in “Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology”

In this study, platelet-rich plasma treatment improved hair regrowth and characteristics in mice and showed therapeutic efficacy in Chinese patients with androgenetic alopecia.

Evaluation of Platelet-Rich Plasma on Hair Regrowth and Lesional T-Cell Cytokine Expression in Alopecia Areata: A Randomized Observer-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled, Split-Head Pilot Study

research Evaluation of Platelet-Rich Plasma on Hair Regrowth and Lesional T-Cell Cytokine Expression in Alopecia Areata: A Randomized Observer-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled, Split-Head Pilot Study

9 citations , December 2020 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

This study found that platelet-rich plasma had limited efficacy in treating alopecia areata but may help restore immune balance in the affected areas.

research Platelet-Rich Plasma in the Treatment of Alopecia Areata: A Review

15 citations , October 2020 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology Symposium Proceedings”

This review discusses the potential use of platelet-rich plasma for treating alopecia areata but reports no new experimental findings, noting the need for standardized protocols and larger studies to evaluate its efficacy.

Comparative Evaluation of the Clinical Efficacy of PRP Therapy, Minoxidil, and Their Combination with Immunohistochemical Study of the Dynamics of Cell Proliferation in the Treatment of Men with Androgenetic Alopecia

research Comparative Evaluation of the Clinical Efficacy of PRP Therapy, Minoxidil, and Their Combination with Immunohistochemical Study of the Dynamics of Cell Proliferation in the Treatment of Men with Androgenetic Alopecia

13 citations , September 2020 in “International Journal of Molecular Sciences”

This study found that combining platelet-rich plasma therapy with minoxidil was more effective in treating androgenetic alopecia in men than either treatment alone.

research Heterogeneity in Amount of Growth Factors Secreted by Platelets in Platelet-Rich Plasma Samples from Alopecia Patients

8 citations , August 2020 in “Experimental dermatology”

This study observed that platelet-rich plasma samples from female patients show significant variability in growth factor secretion, which may influence the inconsistent clinical response in alopecia treatment.

research Fat Grafting and Platelet-Rich Plasma for the Treatment of Diabetic Foot Ulcers: A Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial

55 citations , July 2020 in “International Wound Journal”

This study evaluated the feasibility of a single-center, three-arm trial to assess fat grafting with or without PRP for diabetic foot ulcers, finding high patient engagement and indicating that a multi-center trial could be safe and feasible.

research Platelet-Rich Plasma for Androgenetic Alopecia Treatment: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study

8 citations , January 2020 in “Acta dermato-venereologica”

This pilot study found that platelet-rich plasma injections did not improve hair growth in men with androgenetic alopecia.

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

15 citations , August 2019 in “Dermatologic Therapy”

This letter details a case report on platelet-rich plasma treatment for a patient with treatment-resistant frontal fibrosing alopecia, but it does not provide new clinical results.

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

27 citations , June 2019 in “Aesthetic Plastic Surgery”

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) treatment may increase hair growth for genetic hair loss, but more research is needed to confirm this.

research Platelet-Rich Plasma as a Treatment for Androgenetic Alopecia

39 citations , March 2019 in “Dermatologic Surgery”

This study's meta-analysis reported that PRP injections significantly increased hair density compared to baseline and placebo in androgenetic alopecia patients, supporting its use as a beneficial treatment.

research Frequency of the Types of Alopecia at Twenty-Two Specialist Hair Clinics: A Multicenter Study

56 citations , January 2019 in “Skin appendage disorders”

In this multicenter study, androgenetic alopecia was the most common type of alopecia among both men and women attending specialty hair clinics on four continents.

research Effect of Platelet-Rich Plasma Injection for Rejuvenation of Photoaged Facial Skin

51 citations , November 2018 in “JAMA Dermatology”

This study found that participant self-assessments suggested greater improvement in the texture and wrinkles of facial skin treated with PRP compared to normal saline, though dermatologist ratings showed no significant difference.

Treatment of Male Pattern Alopecia with Platelet-Rich Plasma: A Double-Blind Controlled Study with Analysis of Platelet Number and Growth Factor Levels

research Treatment of Male Pattern Alopecia with Platelet-Rich Plasma: A Double-Blind Controlled Study with Analysis of Platelet Number and Growth Factor Levels

57 citations , October 2018 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

This study found that platelet-rich plasma significantly increased hair count, density, and the percentage of anagen hairs in patients with androgenetic alopecia, but these improvements did not correlate with platelet or growth factor levels.

research Platelet-Rich Plasma for Androgenetic Alopecia: A Review of the Literature and Proposed Treatment Protocol

45 citations , September 2018 in “International Journal of Women's Dermatology”

This review discusses the use of platelet-rich plasma as a treatment for androgenetic alopecia and highlights the need for standardized protocols, reporting no new clinical results.

research Use of Platelet-Rich Plasma in Cicatricial Alopecia

28 citations , August 2018 in “Dermatologic Surgery”

This abstract is a listing of affiliations and funding, with no new study or results reported.

research Alopecia Areata: Treatment Options and Efficacy

182 citations , December 2017 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology”

This article reviews current and emerging treatments for alopecia areata, including Janus kinase inhibitors, highlighting variability in clinical outcomes and the lack of sustained remission.

Platelet-Rich Plasma for Androgenetic Alopecia: Does It Work? Evidence from Meta-Analysis