Hair Restoration with PRP

Platelet-Rich Plasma in Seattle

A common issue that many men and women face as they get older is hair loss. Pattern baldness and thinning hair affect millions each year, often causing a person to appear years older than he or she is and resulting in lower levels of self-confidence.
At the Advanced Dermatology & Laser Institute of Seattle, PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) can be used to restore a fuller, younger-looking head of hair without invasive surgery or the discomfort of other methods.

What Causes Hair Loss?

Hereditary-pattern hair loss is the most common cause of hair loss. It is not a disease, but a natural condition caused by some combination of genetics, hormone levels, and the aging process. Although commonly thought of as a problem mostly in men, it is more common in women than you may think. In fact, more than 1 in 4 women will experience hereditary hair thinning.

How Can Hair Loss Be Treated?

There are several non-surgical steps you can take to slow down the process and reactivate dormant hair follicles which results in thicker, more beautiful hair. Not everyone will respond to a single type of treatment; therefore, a combination approach using topical, oral, and injectable procedures to address thinning hair is often recommended. Since hereditary-pattern hair loss is an ongoing process, maintenance of therapy is required to sustain results.

What is PRP Hair Restoration?

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) harnesses the power of the body’s natural restorative potential to add fullness and volume to thinning hair. Our blood is made up of two main components – red blood cells, and plasma.  PRP therapy for hair restoration involves withdrawing a patient’s blood, processing it so that only the enriched cells (PRP) remain, and injecting it into the scalp. Platelets in the blood contain growth factors that can energize cellular activity within the hair follicle to promote the proliferation of thicker, healthier-looking hair. 

How is PRP Hair Restoration Performed?

Your PRP hair restoration treatment will be performed onsite at our Seattle practice by Dr. Greene. This is an incision-free procedure that does not require any general anesthesia. Prior to the day of your treatment, you will have a private consultation with Dr. Greene to discuss your goals and concerns. He will then work with you to develop a personalized treatment plan specifically for your unique case.

Here’s how the PRP hair restoration process works. First, a bit of your blood will be drawn and placed into a centrifuge. This process works to concentrate the plasma within the blood, which is a rich source of platelets and growth factors linked to the stem cells around the base of the hair follicles. These cells are what determine whether the hair is in a growth or rest phase. Once separated, Dr. Greene will inject the PRP into the specific areas of your scalp, stimulating the growth phase of the
surrounding hair follicles.

Does PRP Hair Restoration Hurt?

We have developed a more comfortable hair restoration treatment for our patients. During your treatment, Dr. Greene will use an advanced numbing technique that creates a ring nerve block all around the scalp. This creates a comfortable region in the area where your PRP injections are administered. Unlike previous methods of hair restoration, this treatment does not require any painful incisions or grafting of the follicles. Platelet-rich plasma is created individually from each patient after a simple blood draw, so the risks of allergy or side effects are minimal. 

When Will I Notice Results?

Dr. Greene recommends a series of three PRP hair restoration treatments for optimal results, with each session about a month apart. You will begin to notice results just one month after your first treatment session. 

Photos courtesy of Dr. Jeffrey Rapaport

Photos courtesy of Dr. Jeffrey Rapaport