As the prevalence of hair loss continues to grow across the world, many sufferers are searching for more advanced forms of treatment. Hair restoration surgery remains among the most talked-about treatment option, with many hair loss sufferers taking to social media to share photos and discuss results. However, not everyone is a candidate for surgical hair restoration. Luckily, new therapies like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and low level laser therapy (LLLT) are gaining stride as alternative methods of hair restoration.
What is PRP Treatment?
PRP uses patients’ blood to prompt tissue restoration. Some aesthetic dermatologists use PRP for facelifts and skin rejuvenation procedures. In recent years, hair restoration experts have begun to use platelet rich plasma to promote hair growth. So how does PRP work?Blood is comprised of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma. Platelets, in specific, allow blood to clot due to their healing elements. Therefore, when platelet counts are high, the body’s healing process is expedited and wounds are able to heal faster. Much like a skin wound, follicle damage can be reversed with the application of blood platelets. Platelets from a hair restoration patient’s blood are derived and injected directly into the scalp where hair loss is evident.
Who is a Candidate for PRP Treatment?
Anyone with thinning or shedding hair can undergo all-natural PRP treatment. Since it is a targeted treatment, the best candidates are usually those who suffer from pattern baldness, also known as androgenic alopecia. Male pattern baldness, which manifests at the top of the scalp and causes hair recession along the temples, is treatable with a successful PRP plan. Typically, patients undergo eight sittings, each spaced about two weeks apart. The procedure takes around 80 minutes per session. Your doctor will first obtain a blood sample to produce the PRP treatment, and then numb the area requiring treatment. Depending on your specific hair loss pattern, your doctor may inject the PRP formula into a few designated areas, or throughout your scalp. Patients may experience mild swelling that is usually calmed with Ibuprofen or another non-narcotic analgesic medication. Often, swelling goes down within 48 hours. Depending on your level discomfort during treatment, your doctor may give you a sedative to ease the pain. Results are commonly seen as early as two months, but most see drastic changes between five and eight months time. Hair growth continues to improve up to a year after your last session.
PRP and Low-Level Laser Therapy
Like most hair restoration treatments, low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is perfectly safe to use with PRP treatment. Since LLLT is completely non-invasive and doesn’t contain chemical compounds that could interfere with PRP treatments, Capillus LLLT is a reliable companion in your PRP hair restoration journey. If you’re considering PRP therapy and want to expedite your results, a Capillus laser therapy cap is the most discreet, easy-to-use option. Our laser caps are portable and can be used with any baseball cap or sun hat. Further Capillus is cleared by the FDA for the treatment of androgenic alopecia, making it a safe option for adults to use in the comfort of their own home.
Better Results with Capillus Laser Therapy
You can also use Capillus alongside additional hair loss therapies to improve your hair faster. Topical foams like Rogaine®, prescriptions like Propecia®, and PRP, as outlined above, are all safe to use with Capillus laser therapy products. For more information on LLLT caps as a standalone or additional hair loss treatment, contact a verified medical professional within the Capillus Network.