Alopecia

Platelet Rich Plasma Injections for Hair Restoration in Androgenic Alopecia

Substantial evidence suggests that the use of autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) improves hair growth and thickness in patients with androgenic alopecia, and thus, it has become a popular procedure in aesthetic surgery and dermatology. Little research has been done, however, to determine whether patients perceive the procedure to be effective. This prospective study examined patient-reported outcomes and assessed whether they correlated with the clinician’s assessment of effectiveness of the procedure. Twenty patients with androgenic alopecia who had received PRP injections to the scalp within Cleveland Clinic Institutes of Dermatology and Plastic Surgery were given a validated hair- and scalp-related questionnaire. Hairdex (or Hair-specific Skindex-29)2 was distributed to all patients at initial visit and at 3-month follow-up. Data was scored using a Likert scale and analyzed using paired difference testing.

Twenty patients responded to the initial pilot survey; the average survey score preoperatively was 48.6/100, with a lower score indicating higher satisfaction with hair or scalp at baseline. Overall, the majority of patients reported concern with physical appearance and social engagement, but few experienced physical symptoms/side effects or psychological disturbances due to hair loss. Preliminary postprocedure data at 3 months showed decreased numerical scores in all areas, compared with baseline assessments, especially self- perception, indicating higher satisfaction with the appearance of hair and scalp. No patients reported experiencing adverse effects after receiving PRP injections.

PRP injections to the scalp are perceived to be a valuable, safe, and worthwhile treatment for androgenic alopecia, resulting in perceived improvement in appearance of the hair and scalp, as well as improved social well-being.

Overall Satisfaction with Hair-Related Quality of Life Baseline (N = 20)

2018-2019

Patient 1. At baseline.
5 months after 3 autologous platelet-rich plasma treatments.
Patient 1. At baseline.
Patient 1. At 5 months after 3 autologous platelet-rich plasma treatments.
Patient 2. At baseline.
Patient 2. At 5 months after 3 autologous platelet-rich plasma treatments.
Patient 2. At baseline.
Patient 2. At 5 months after 3 autologous platelet-rich plasma treatments.
References

  1. Wong C, Khetarpal S. Platelet-Rich Plasma for Hair Growth. Advances in Cosmetic Surgery. 2019:151-159.

  2. Fischer T, Schmidt S, Strauss BM, Elsner, P. Hairdex: a tool for evaluation of disease-specific quality of life in patients with hair diseases. Der Hautarzt. 2001;52(3):219-227.