HAIR LOSS/PRP AND LASER THERAPY

PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) is a new technology being utilized for hair regrowth and restoration.  Your own blood will be drawn and separated to collect your growth factors and other molecules that help the body stimulate hair follicles.  The average patient may see a 30-40% increase in hair growth. 

In Addition to the PRP therapy, Low Level Laser Therapy will also be included in the treatment regime.  A novel German injectable may also be added for additional support. 

Hair loss affects both men and women and can have a significant impact on quality of life, both personally and professionally. The most common type of hair loss is androgenic alopecia (AGA). It affects up to 50% of white individuals by age 50 and nearly 50% of women over the course of their lifetime.1,2 AGA is progressive, leading to a decrease in the density and diameter of the hair, miniaturization of the hair follicle, and potentially significant baldness.

Male Pattern Hair Loss
AGA accounts for 95% of the hair loss in men. Male pattern hair loss (MPHL) is caused by an underlying genetic factor that makes the hair follicle sensitive to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This will cause progressive thinning of the hair and miniaturization of the hair follicle leading to the inability to grow thick, full hair. When considering treatment, it is important to understand how far the hair loss has progressed and this can be done by using methods in our office.  Baldness is typically characterized by a receding hairline at the temples and thinning at the scalp vertex, but differing patterns exist.

Treatment options for MPHL include minoxidil 5%, finasteride, ketoconazole 2% shampoo, low-level laser (light) therapy (LLLT),⁴ surgical hair restoration, nonsurgical hair restoration with platelet-rich plasma (PRP), PRP and ACell, microneedling (pen or roller), topical hair products (ie, Qilib or Revivogen), oral supplements (ie, Viviscal or Nutrafol), and topical growth factors.

Female Pattern Hair Loss
The prevalence of female pattern hair loss (FPHL) appears to advance with age and menopause. Twelve percent of women first develop clinically detectable FPHL by age 29 years, 25% by age 49 years, 41% by 69 years, and more than 50% have some element of FPHL by 79 years of age.⁵ As women approach menopause, their estrogen levels decline and levels of androgens can increase causing a relative increase in DHT. Lab results may not reflect abnormal androgen levels; therefore, the health care provider does not relate the hair loss to an overproduction of androgens. These women—just like men—have a genetic propensity for follicular miniaturization.

Presentation may include a thinning and widening of the midline part with minimal disruption to the frontal and temporal regions. Women can also present with diffuse thinning, which makes it more difficult to diagnose.⁵ Therefore, it is necessary to rule out underlying androgen-secreting tumors, endocrine disorders, medication-induced alopecia, telogen effluvium, alopecia areata, as well as inflammatory and autoimmune disorders.³ Women often have multifactorial causes related to hair loss.

The recommended diagnostic tests for women include hormone levels (dehydroepiandrosterone, total testosterone, androstenedione, prolactin, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone); comprehensive metabolic panel; zinc; Lyme disease screen; serum iron; serum ferritin; total iron binding capacity; thyroid-stimulating hormone (T3, T4,); VDRL test (a screening test for syphilis); complete blood count; scalp biopsy; hair pull; and densitometry.³

Minoxidil (2% and 5%) is the only FDA-approved medication for women. Other treatment options for women include aldactone/spironolactone; estrogen/progesterone; oral contraceptives (caution in women older than 35 years); ketoconazole 2% shampoo; finasteride (contraindicated in women of childbearing age); LLLT;⁴ surgical hair restoration; nonsurgical hair restoration with PRP; PRP and ACell; microneedling (pen or roller); topical hair products (ie, Qilib or Revivogen); oral supplements (ie, Viviscal or Nutrafol); and topical growth factors.

Platelet-Rich Plasma
PRP is a method for the treatment of AGA that has shown positive results. PRP is not FDA approved for the use in hair restoration, but certain PRP systems are FDA cleared. Ty Dr. Donese Worden is approved.

PRP contains platelets that are key to stimulating hair follicles to generate hair growth. The platelets in PRP become activated when injected into the scalp, releasing a variety of growth factors that bind in the bulge of the hair follicle, promoting hair growth^.6,9,14 The platelets, when used to regenerate hair growth within follicles, promote healing and the formation of new cell growth. In addition, the platelets accelerate the rate and degree of regeneration so that you can expect to see telogen hairs cycle to anagen in a timely manner. There is also a prolonging of the anagen phase. This is a component of hair restoration because it is effective in stimulating inactive hair follicles, causing them to revert to the growth phase.^6,14