Millions of American men and women suffer from hair loss, whether genetic or triggered by stress, medications, or health concerns. A lot of our patients seek alternatives to hair transplant surgery in Rochester, and many turn to PRP for hair loss instead.
PRP, or platelet-rich plasma, harnesses growth factors in your blood for powerful restoration of hair follicles. All it takes is a simple blood draw in our office, followed by preparation of the PRP by spinning the blood in a centrifuge to extract the platelet-rich plasma.
The PRP treatment process
The platelet-rich plasma treatment process is simple and safe. Before you come in for your PRP for hair loss in Rochester, make sure you’ve had at least a gallon of fluids the day before. You will have blood drawn, and without proper hydration, you could become dizzy or light headed.
Blood Draw
First, we gently draw a vial of blood from your arm and apply a topical numbing cream to the injection site(s) to ensure your comfort during the injections. Let us know if you have had any issues in the past with blood drawing, that way we can cater the process to make it easier and more comfortable for you.
Activate the PRP
The blood spins in a centrifuge to separate the plasma from the blood. The white blood cells within the plasma hold a vital amount of natural growth factors that stimulate hair growth.
Inject PRP
After extracting the PRP from the vial with a syringe, your specialist will inject the plasma into designated areas of your scalp. Depending on how many injections you need, the process could take anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes to complete. The injections will stimulate hair follicle activity and promote new hair growth to eliminate baldness and add thickness to your hair!
After the your PRP treatment
After receiving PRP treatment, you’ll be able to return to your regular daily activities. With continued treatments, soon you’ll notice fuller hair, giving you a healthier, more youthful appearance!
What is platelet-rich plasma?
For decades, physicians have used PRP to stimulate healing in injured tissue. It’s one of the most natural ways to accelerate repair and regenerate tissue, including as a treatment for hair growth. PRP is made from your own blood, and all blood is made up of plasma and blood cells. Plasma is the liquid that circulates the cells; it contains platelets that cause blood clots, helping with wound healing.
Have you heard the old adage about how a little bit of pus is a good sign of healing? That’s because the yellowish goo discharging from a healing wound is platelet-rich plasma!
How does PRP help with hair growth?
The major growth factors in PRP enhance the functions of other cells they come into contact with. That’s why we’ve learned how to isolate it from our blood and inject it into other parts of the body with a variety of benefits thanks to the boost in cellular growth.
PRP vs other hair loss treatments
Outside of PRP, your choices to treat hair loss include either prescriptions or surgical hair transplants. The FDA-approved medications for treatment of hair loss include finasteride and minoxidil.
Medications must be taken regularly and still provide inconsistent results for many people. Because they’re not taken from your body the way PRP is, prescriptions also have side effects. Minoxidil can lead to a dry and itchy scalp, while finasteride can cause sexual dysfunction in men.
Because a hair transplant is a surgical procedure, it means you’ll need a longer recovery period. Doctors also typically perform surgical hair transplants on those suffering from dramatic hair loss, rather than early thinning.
Schedule your free consultation for PRP hair restoration with the Envision Aesthetics team!
If you have hair loss you’d like to address, come see the Envision team today.
We offer state-of-the-art surgical and non-surgical hair restoration in Rochester and want to help you treat your concerns and restore a head of hair you can be proud of.
Use our online virtual consultation tool to learn more about all our treatments that address your concerns, or request an appointment.