Does PRP Work for Female Hair Loss?
A recent study has looked at platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy for female androgenetic alopecia, with somewhat conflicting results.
Any excessive or abnormal loss of hair is known, in medical terms, as alopecia. Male pattern baldness is a well-known condition. Hair loss in women, although less common, can occur as a result of disease, stress, hormonal imbalance, or medication. Androgenetic or androgenic hair loss in women is linked to DHT, a derivative of the male hormone, testosterone. This type of hair loss in women, unlike male pattern baldness, is usually characterized by a diffuse thinning of hair all over the scalp. Male pattern baldness, in contrast, is characterized by a receding hairline.
Platelet-rich plasma therapy is increasingly being used as a non-surgical treatment to stimulate hair growth in people with hair loss. This therapy utilizes growth factors present in the patient’s own blood to proactively treat men and women experiencing hair loss. Scientific research has advanced our understanding of wound healing and tissue regeneration, and PRP therapy is increasingly being recognized as a natural autologous procedure for scalp stimulation. Some studies have reported success with hair restoration following PRP treatment. However, the medical community remains cautious in accepting this technology.
In a recent study of 26 women, 15 patients with androgenic alopecia received platelet-rich plasma treatment while the remaining 11 received a placebo. The platelet-rich plasma was extracted from the patient’s blood and injected into the scalp with the Angel system manufactured by Cytromedix. The control group of patients received saline injections into their scalps. Although the study results showed no significant difference in either hair count or hair mass index between the two groups, the women in the treatment arm of the study reported a distinct improvement.
As part of the study, hair growth was measured every 4 weeks for 26 weeks. A t-test was conducted to measure the difference between two independent samples. There was no statistical difference in either hair count or hair mass between the two cohorts. However, when surveyed, a little over 13 percent of women in the treatment cohort reported significant improvement in hair thickness. They also reported a slower rate of hair loss and greater ease of styling their hair after the PRP therapy. None of the women in the placebo cohort reported similar improvements. In terms of hair texture, nearly 27 percent of women in the treatment cohort reported thicker, courser hair compared to approximately 18 percent in the placebo cohort.
Although the study did not demonstrate irrefutable evidence that PRP therapy works for female androgenetic hair loss, the researchers concluded that PRP or scalp needling may be a promising treatment for this condition owing to the delivery of growth factors to the scalp to stimulate the growth of hair.
References:
- http://www.healio.com/dermatology/hair-nails/news/online/%7B76e34489-8d29-4766-bbce-eead824c74db%7D/platelet-rich-plasma-did-not-significantly-improve-female-androgenetic-alopecia
- http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/hair-loss/hair-loss-types#1
