Systematic review of platelet‐rich plasma in treating alopecia: Focusing on efficacy, safety, and therapeutic durability
February 2021
in “Dermatologic Therapy”
TLDR Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a safe and potentially effective way to treat hair loss, especially when combined with minoxidil.
The systematic review assessed the effectiveness of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in treating alopecia, specifically androgenetic alopecia (AGA) and alopecia areata (AA), across 451 patients. It found that PRP therapy led to hair growth and thickness improvements in 62.5% of the studies, with the highest efficacy for AA at 76% and for AGA at 42.75%. Side effects were generally mild, with pain at the injection site being the most common and only one study reporting serious side effects. The review concluded that PRP is a safe and potentially effective treatment for hair loss, with the best results obtained by combining PRP with minoxidil, particularly in male AGA patients. The optimal PRP treatment involved 4-5 mL/cm² over 3 to 6 sessions at 2- to 4-week intervals. The review supports PRP as a viable alternative to traditional hair loss treatments, with its autologous nature, low invasiveness, and affordability.
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