Promises and Pitfalls of Regenerative Therapies for Androgenetic Alopecia: Platelet-Rich Plasma, Photobiomodulation, Stem Cells, and Exosomes

    December 2025 in “ Medical Sciences
    Aditya K. Gupta, Tong Wang, Ryan J. Welter, Robin Unger, Ricardo Mejía
    From the encyclopedia
    Platelet-Rich Plasma →

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

    Exosomes →

    Microscopic delivery system that sends growth-promoting signals to hair follicles

    Image
    Studysummary This study critically reviewed recent evidence (2020–2025) on treatments like platelet-rich plasma, photobiomodulation, stem cells, and exosomes for androgenetic alopecia, finding emerging but limited efficacy data and emphasizing the need for standardized protocols to enhance transparency and patient safety. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
    The review examines regenerative therapies for androgenetic alopecia, focusing on platelet-rich plasma (PRP), photobiomodulation (PBM), stem cells, and exosomes. PRP is the most studied, showing promise in improving hair density, but its efficacy is limited by inconsistent protocols and a lack of large, high-quality studies. PBM is safe and can stimulate hair regrowth, but its effectiveness as a standalone treatment is inconclusive due to varied study results. Stem cells and exosomes show potential for hair regrowth, but clinical evidence is limited. The review emphasizes the need for standardization, transparency, and safety in these therapies, as their clinical application has outpaced the accumulation of high-quality evidence.
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