PRP Hair Treatment

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection is a novel procedure that can potentially reverse hair loss by using your own blood platelets. Platelets are the cells that helps to form a blood clot to prevent bleeding Besides their clotting properties, they also contain growth factors that can stimulate cell reproduction and promote tissue regeneration or healing in the affected region.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection is a novel procedure that can potentially reverse hair loss by using your own blood platelets. Platelets are the cells that help to form a blood clot to prevent bleeding Besides their clotting properties, they also contain growth factors that can stimulate cell reproduction and promote tissue regeneration or healing in the affected region.

1. Long-lasting results
2. Quick recovery
3. Non-surgical, non-scarring
4. High success rate
5. Cost-effective

Your doctor may recommend doing a PRP for the following reasons:

1. When your hair is set in ways that pull on your roots, such as tight ponytails, braids, or cornrows, you can experience hair loss. This type of hair loss is called traction alopecia. The loss of hair can be permanent if hair follicles are damaged.
2. Breakage of scalp hair due to overprocessing
3. Hair loss associated with significant psychological stress
4. Alopecia (a disorder in which the hair falls out of its roots)
5. Extreme hair loss and baldness
6. To stimulate the growth of hair transplants.
7. The hair falls out more often on your brush, on the floor, in showers, on your pillows, or in the sink.
8. When you see noticeable patches of thinning or missing hair, including a widened part on the top of your head.
9. When you can see your scalp through your hair.
10. If you observe symptoms of alopecia, such as:
    1. The hair begins to fall out, often in clumps.
    2. Hair may start to grow and fall again, or it remains on the head in some cases.

The treatment approach and selection of procedures depend on your health condition and the opinion of your treating surgeon. After deciding on PRP, the following steps are carried out during the surgery:

1. In the first step, your blood is withdrawn and spun in a centrifuge (a laboratory device that is used for separating fluids) to separate the platelets from the plasma.
2. After the centrifuge, the platelet-rich plasma is loaded into an insulin syringe containing calcium chloride.
3. PRP will be injected using an insulin syringe over the affected area.
4. This injection is performed by a nappage technique (multiple small injections in a linear pattern one cm apart) under proper aseptic precaution. 
5. A total volume of 2-3 cc PRP is injected. 
6. The full procedure will be completed in less than 30 minutes.
7. For three months, you will return once a month for an injection, then once every three to six months thereafter.

You can expect the following:

1. Pre anaesthetic checkup: Knowing your general health and what medicines you're taking is essential before having the treatment. A health questionnaire is used in some hospitals, or you may be invited to a pre-assessment clinic.
2. Medical history: 
   1. NSAIDs (ibuprofen, Aleve, naproxen, aspirin) must be avoided for seven days before the procedure. 
   2. You should also stop herbal supplements seven days prior (including Garlic, Vitamin E, Ginko, etc.).
   3. If you aren't told otherwise, you should continue to take your medicines up until the day of the surgery. Any instructions you're given at the pre-assessment clinic should be carefully followed.
   4. Inform your doctors about your entire medical history. It is essential to do that because patients taking anticoagulants and those with active scalp infections, chronic liver disease, or low platelet counts cannot undergo PRP.
3. Type of anaesthesia advised and decided based on surgery: Local anaesthetic cream will be applied to the scalp during the surgery.
4. Medication & dietary advice before surgery: On the day before and the day of your procedure, you should drink plenty of fluids and water. It is harder to draw blood if you are dehydrated, and you won't have as much plasma.
5. Fasting prior to surgery: Fasting is required before the procedure. Drink clear fluids on the day of the procedure except for fruit juice. Unless told otherwise, do not eat for eight hours before you go to the hospital.
6. An ELISA test will be done before the procedure. ELISA is an enzyme-linked immunoassay, a commonly used laboratory test to detect antibodies in the blood. This test will check for HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), HBS Ag (hepatitis B surface antigen) and platelet count.

You can expect the following:

1. When you arrive at the hospital, written informed consent for the procedure is obtained by the hospital.
2. The hospital staff will provide and ask you to change into a gown and slippers.
3. Remove all the jewellery, make-up and nail paint before the procedure.
4. You will be moved to the operation theatre.
5. An anaesthetic cream will be applied over the bald area one hour before the injection of PRP. After that, the scalp will be cleaned with antiseptics such as cetavlon, spirit, and povidone-iodine.
6. The anaesthesiologist will monitor vital signs, including blood pressure, blood oxygen level, pulse and heart rate.

You can expect the following:

1. You will be positioned in a supine position (lying horizontally with your face and torso facing up). The head of the operating table will be lifted upwards for easy administration of injections.
2. The treatment area will be anaesthetised with local anaesthetic cream before the procedure begins. 
3. You will not be asleep during the whole procedure, but the area where the treatment will be performed will be numbed, so there will be no pain.
4. The anaesthesiologist will monitor vital signs, including blood pressure, blood oxygen level, pulse and heart rate.
5. The surgeon will cover your head with bandages when the treatment is completed.

You should visit your doctor if you observe any of the following symptoms after treatment:

1. Uncontrollable itching on the injection site
2. You have lumps/bumps, which represent bruising or swelling and generally subside within a few days to a couple of days. If they do not, visit your doctor.
3. Infections at the injection site are extremely rare, but if they do occur, they may require treatment. You should visit your doctor for that.
4. Excessive hair shedding is rare. However, if it occurs, you should see your doctor and get more diagnostic tests done.
5. Although very unlikely, risks associated with the PRP treatment include:
   1. Bleeding at the injection site
   2. Tissue damage
   3. Nerve injuries on the scalp.