What is PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma)
PRP is a completely natural, non-surgical medical procedure for treating hair loss or hair thinning. It works by using the patient’s own blood and the active growth factors in it to promote hair growth.
How does PRP work?
- The patient’s blood is taken and centrifuged to concentrate the platelets and growth factor proteins, such as vascular endothelial growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, epidermal growth factor, etc.
- Then the head is triggered via electronic or mechanical micro needling, to stimulate the injury-recovery procedure, which is essential for the subsequent use of platelets and growth factors.
- Then the centrifuged plasma rich in platelets is re-injected into the head.
- The growth factors released from platelets reduce the shrinkage of the hair follicles, improve blood flow and encourage new growth of cells.
- PRP helps by keeping the hair follicles in a growth phase (anagen phase), allowing the hair to become thicker and longer; so it not only promotes new growth but also strengthens the existing hair follicles.
At least 3 PRP injections are recommended at an interval of 2-4 weeks to appreciate the change in the density and thickness of the hair? It can also be used for treating hair loss due to other non-genetic and genetic causes. PRP is also effective in Skin rejuvenation & under eye dark circles.
It can be used alone, or in combination with hair transplant or mesotherapy for maximal benefit.
Who is not a good candidate for PRP?
- While PRP can be used to treat hair loss due to various causes.
- It is not recommended during chemotherapy, in individuals suffering from liver disorders, bleeding disorders, skin disorders, those who have low blood pressure, in smokers and users of cortisone therapy.
Advantages of PRP:
- Excellent safety profile, simple and comfortable
- Natural therapy
- Non-surgical
- Short duration (1 hour)
- Quick recovery period, no downtime
- No risk of allergic reaction since it comes from your own body
- Hair restoration
- Cost-effective
- Extremely natural looking results
Side effects of PRP:
Since it involves injecting a substance into the skin, rarely, there may be potential side effects like infection, nerve injuries, pain at the injection site and tissue damage.
What is Mesotherapy:
Mesotherapy is a non-surgical technique used to combat hair loss and promote hair growth by injecting nutrient-rich liquid into the mesoderm of the scalp, the layer that lies between the tissue of the skin and the layer of fats.
How does Mesotherapy work?
- A mixture of nutrient boosters, comprising of vitamins, minerals and DHT (dihydrotestosterone) blockers are injected into the mesoderm in order to stimulate hair growth and reverse hair loss. (DHT is the androgen hormone that damages hair follicles on the scalp.)
- It is injected with the help of an injection gun in the least painful manner.
- It works because it increases blood circulation to the weakened or dormant hair follicles, boosts cell metabolism, stimulates collagen; it replaces the vitamins and minerals that we lose as we age and neutralizes the follicle-killing DHT hormone; thus curbing hair loss and encouraging hair growth.
The treatment encompasses about eight sessions, one every week for the duration of half an hour each. Effects start becoming visible by the fifth session and it is known to have a success rate of 90-92%.
Mesotherapy is most effective in treating androgenetic alopecia, but it can also treat hair loss due to other causes like nutritional deficiencies, chronic illness, weather changes, stress, etc. It can not only be used for treating balding, patchy hair loss, progressive thinning of hair, but also for dandruff.
Not a good candidate for Mesotherapy?
People with skin disorders, dermal inflammation, diabetes, hemophilia, and pregnancy should not be receiving mesotherapy as it may deteriorate their health condition.
Advantages of Mesotherapy:
- Excellent safety profile, simple and comfortable
- Non-surgical
- Short duration (~30 minutes)
- Virtually painless
- No pre or post precautionary measures required
Side effects:
They are rare, the most common being bruising, which usually heals within a week; and soreness in the scalp region, that may last for a couple of days.
PRP vs MESOTHERAPY?
- PRP involves multiple injections of platelet-rich plasma, while mesotherapy involves those of hyaluronic acid.
- Mesotherapy injects it into the mesoderm (middle layer) of skin, while PRP can be administered on any layer of the skin to be treated.
- Mesotherapy requires about 5-8 sessions, PRP takes about 7-10.
- Each session of mesotherapy and PRP takes about half an hour and one hour respectively.
- PRP has no downtime, while mesotherapy has some amount of downtime.
- PRP is more expensive than mesotherapy usually.
As observed, PRP and Mesotherapy can be equally effective, and be even more so when used in combination with one another. They both serve as safer, less expensive, and less invasive alternatives to hair transplant surgery.