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The injection of platelet rich
plasma (PRP) is a technique using
the body’s own blood to heal itself.
Dr Robert Jones is incorporating
its use for the growth of thinning
hair, transplanted hair and wound
healing. This technique has now
been performed on hundreds of patients
since 2005 with good success. One
of the first patients that will
receive this treatment at Dr. Jones’
clinic is Dr. Jones himself and
his progress will be tracked on
his blog.
When platelet rich plasma is used
in the transplanted area, the newly
transplanted follicles have an increased
yield.
The Process
One syringe of blood is
removed from the patient, much like
during a regular blood test, then
the blood is placed into a centrifuge.
After centrifuging the platelets
can be concentrated and can multiply
their growth factors up to ten times
their natural rate. This platelet
rich plasma is then injected into
the hair donor site and the hair
recipient site to promote healing.
Because the PRP is injected into
the site where blood would not usually
go, it can deliver the body’s natural
healing instincts.
Benefits
Platelet Rich Plasma is
being used in patients with hair
loss as well as during hair restoration
surgery. In patients with hair loss,
early studies have shown hair diameters
to increase causing hair to appear
thicker and fuller. During hair
restoration surgery it appears to
aid healing of the donor site as
well as increase graft survival
in the recipient area.
At this time, PRP is still considered
experimental. We are in the early
stages of seeing where it best fits
into a hair restoration practice.
The PRP gel is used in the donor
site for the above reasons and the
PRP and concentrated growth factors
are injected into the recipient
area after the transplantation to
promote quicker healing. Infusing
PRP into the recipient area may
also have a positive effect on the
regeneration of the non-transplanted
hair and studies are under way to
evaluate this hypothesis.
The Body’s Natural Way
to Heal
Platelets help the blood
to clot and they also promote healing.
They are powerful and important
components in the healing process.
They contain growth factors that
promote generation in the body and
they also interact with local cells
that start events such as cell division
and migration.
The benefits of platelets are apparent
to doctors in many fields and its
usage is in its infancy though the
promise is there. The use of PRP
is likely to change the treatment
of hair loss around the world.
(Dr. Jones
is no longer offering PRP treatments
as he has not seen satisfactory
results from his trial patients.) |
