Hair Loss is a distressing issue in many adults. Many times, patients seek treatments which help in hair restoration. Most of the topical treatments are available in the market for hair fall reduction and increasing the growth of hair. But the miniaturized hair follicles need stimulation to improve the hair volume especially over the temples or on the crown. The pitfall of using traditional treatments for hair regrowth is that they increase hair volume by up to 40% only. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is gaining popularity all over the world. The reason is that it is derived from one’s blood and is safe to use. It utilizes the growth potential of platelets which are a storehouse of growth factors.
PRP can be used in hair loss treatment to improve the volume, density, and quality of hair. PRF therapy is an advanced version of PRP therapy. Platelets contain proteins that trigger growth signals for cells. PRP contains high platelet concentration which leads to improved hair growth. Not only the concentration but the intactness of platelets is equally important for best results. That is what decides the results of PRP treatment for hair regrowth.
Though PRP is natural, anticoagulants are added to prevent clotting. The blood is also subjected to repeated centrifugation to obtain plasma. This compromises the quality of platelets and also compromises the results. Also, non-standardized PRP kits are used which compromises the efficacy. To prevent these issues, there has been the introduction of Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) in Bangalore. PRF is also called autologous conditioned plasma. PRF does not require any anti-clotting agents and it is 100% autologous in nature.
Platelets are derived from the PRP which are then activated with calcium chloride to increase thrombocyte activity. PRF contains higher platelet concentration, intact platelets and active growth factors that help in hair regrowth. PRF is injected into the scalp dermis where it revitalizes the miniaturizing hair follicles and helps them to grow to their full potential.
What is the principle of PRP and PRF treatment?
The growth potential of the stem cells found in dermal papillae is the answer to the regrowth of miniaturizing hair follicles. Regenerative medicine aims to instigate these stem cells to continue to multiply and divide to form new hair fibres. The platelets have an immense quantity of growth factors. There are many commercially available kits for PRP and Growth factors containing systems. They all vary in collection volume, and preparation properties as well. The process for preparation of PRP involves multiple centrifugation steps which sometimes disrupt the morphology of platelets. In centers using PRP normally the following steps are followed. Blood is collected in centrifugation tubes which vary from centre to centre. An anticoagulant is added to present spontaneous clotting. Then the whole blood is centrifuged to separate the red blood cells followed by centrifugation to concentrate platelets. Many centres add activators like thrombin or calcium chloride to cause the immediate release of growth factors. There is no evidence to prove that this is beneficial or not. The platelets get activated by exposure to dermal collagen and thrombin. Active growth secretion begins within 10 minutes and more than 95% of growth factors are released within one hour. In PRF, no activator or anticoagulant is added, and the growth factors are secreted up to 10 days after the procedure.
PRP and PRF treatment would be the best procedure to choose for the hair regrowth treatment in Bangalore or any other cities where one live in.
For more information talk to experienced dermatologists at Noa Skin and Hair Clinic in Kadapa and Bengaluru.
