PRP may improve the appearance of a thinning area in people who respond.
Consultation-led aesthetic medicine · Brighton & Hove · By appointmentConsultation-led · Brighton
HAIR LOSS · GROWTH · DENSITY
PRP & PRFFor hair loss.
A wider parting, finer hair or more scalp showing through.Treatment uses a preparation from your own blood, with the choice guided by the cause of thinning and the evidence for each option.
At a glance
PRP & PRF.
For hair density.
The strongest research concerns PRP for pattern hair loss. PRF is a different preparation and is discussed separately.
Support the hair you still have; PRP cannot create follicles in a longstanding bald area.
Photographs help compare density over time; some people see no worthwhile improvement.
Quick overviewYour appointment at a glance
- Consultation
- A consultation includes a hair loss assessment. We examine the scalp, the pattern and pace of loss, your health and previous treatment; some concerns need medical or specialist assessment first.
- Appointment
- PRP involves taking a blood sample, preparing the plasma and injecting the agreed scalp areas. Scalp injections can be uncomfortable or painful; we discuss comfort beforehand.
- Preparation
- Arrive with freshly washed hair and scalp. Tell me about medicines and any difficulty or faintness with blood tests. Do not stop prescribed medicines yourself. Preparation and instructions follow the treatment chosen.
- Recovery
- Scalp tenderness, redness, small injection marks, bruising or swelling can occur. Headache or feeling faint during the blood draw is also possible. Follow the individual aftercare supplied.
- Course & review
- The usual PRP starting plan is three separate sessions where appropriate, with the interval chosen individually. Change is assessed over months before recommending more; this PRP schedule is not a PRF protocol.
- Fees & booking
- See current PRP fees, including two-vial, three-vial and repeat-treatment rates. These are treatment prices, rather than one price for a three-session course. Start with a consultation.
The complete conversation
Your questions about
PRP and PRF for hair
Which types of hair thinning PRP may help, why active follicles matter, and how treatment response is assessed.
odNOVA guide
- 1You
- 2Piotr
- 3Clinical
- 4In depth
Choose a question
What is causing my hair loss?Piotr answers
Piotr
I start by looking at the pattern of hair loss, how quickly it has changed and the condition of your scalp. Your health, medicines, recent illness and other changes can help explain what is happening.
A gradual widening of the parting needs a different assessment from sudden shedding or patches of hair loss. Understanding the cause helps us decide whether PRP could help or whether you need another kind of care.
Hair loss is a symptom, not a diagnosis
Understanding the cause
“Hair loss” can mean increased shedding, reduced density, a widening parting, recession, patchy loss or a change in the scalp itself. These can look similar and still require different decisions.
Possible contributors include pattern hair loss, shedding after illness or childbirth, rapid weight change, medicine, nutrition, hormonal or thyroid change, alopecia areata, traction, scalp inflammation and scarring disease.
These are not treated in the same way. An injection cannot correct every cause, and in some situations it is not the appropriate first step.
The first question is therefore not “How many PRP sessions?” It is: what has changed, and what might be driving it?
When the scalp needs a medical route first
Inflammatory or scarring loss Pain, burning, marked inflammation, pustules, smooth shiny areas or loss of follicular openings can point to a process that needs medical or specialist assessment. Where a follicle has been destroyed, PRP cannot recreate it.
When would I need a GP or dermatologist?
Getting the right assessment
If your hair or scalp needs specialist diagnosis or management, I will explain why GP or consultant-dermatologist assessment should come before PRP. The consultation should help you find the right next step, even when that is care elsewhere. You can read about my qualifications and scope in the author section.
What does a consultation for hair loss include?
The consultation includes an assessment of the pattern and pace of hair loss, your scalp, health and previous treatment. It establishes whether PRP has a useful role or whether another assessment or treatment should come first.
Does every type of hair loss suit PRP?
No. Sudden or patchy loss, pain, inflammation, suspected scarring and possible medical contributors can require another assessment or treatment route before PRP is considered.
How does PRP work?Piotr answers
Piotr
PRP stands for platelet-rich plasma, a preparation made from a sample of your own blood. I inject the platelet-rich portion into selected areas of the scalp.
Platelets release signalling proteins involved in repair. PRP is studied for their effect around follicles that still produce hair; it does not create new follicles.[7]
What PRP for hair is
How your platelets are prepared for the scalp
PRP is platelet-rich plasma; PRF is platelet-rich fibrin.
Both are prepared from a sample of your blood. A centrifuge separates the components so that the platelet-containing portion can be collected.
PRP is usually prepared with an anticoagulant, which helps keep it liquid. PRF is prepared without an anticoagulant, allowing fibrin — the protein mesh involved in clotting — to form. Injectable PRF is collected while it is still liquid and is used before that mesh fully forms.
The preparation changes which cells and proteins are present and how they are released. Laboratory studies have found different release patterns, but a slower release does not by itself prove a better result for your skin or hair.[source]
The concentration and preparation method matter; treatments called PRP are not necessarily identical. This matters when comparing a proposed treatment with the preparation studied.
Scalp treatment and skin treatment have different aims. Findings for one preparation or area cannot establish the result of another.
Hair-cycle biology, briefly
Why meaningful assessment takes months, not days.
Hair follicles move through repeating phases of growth, transition, rest and shedding. In pattern hair loss, susceptible follicles can gradually miniaturise, producing shorter and finer hairs over successive cycles. [5]
PRP contains growth factors, including PDGF, VEGF, TGF-β, IGF-1 and EGF. These are signalling proteins involved in tissue repair and cell activity. In laboratory research, activated PRP has increased the activity of dermal papilla cells — cells at the base of the follicle that help regulate hair growth. This provides a possible mechanism; it does not predict how much hair will grow.[source]
Hair changes gradually. Daily mirror-checking is therefore a poor way to judge value.
Is PRP a stem-cell treatment?
No. PRP is prepared from the patient’s own blood and contains platelets and their signalling proteins. It is not a stem-cell treatment.
Could PRP help my type of hair loss?Piotr answers
Piotr
PRP may help some people with pattern hair loss, where the follicles are producing increasingly fine hairs. I assess whether enough follicular activity remains for a useful response.
Other causes need a different plan. Shedding after illness or childbirth, autoimmune hair loss, traction and scalp inflammation should each be assessed on their own terms. The follow-up questions explain these differences.
Where PRP may fit by cause
The same “thinning” can require a different route.
Pattern hair loss This is where PRP has its clearest research signal. It may have a role when follicles remain active, but the evidence is mixed and the expected improvement is modest.
Diffuse shedding Shedding after illness, stress, surgery, childbirth or rapid weight change may improve as the trigger settles or may need medical investigation. PRP should not be used to bypass that question.
Alopecia areata Patchy autoimmune hair loss belongs in a diagnosis-led medical pathway. PRP evidence here is less certain than it is for pattern hair loss.
Traction and longstanding smooth areas
Traction-related loss Ongoing mechanical tension has to be addressed. PRP cannot compensate for a cause that continues to damage the hair.
Longstanding smooth bald areas These are less likely to respond because useful follicular activity may no longer remain. A transplant discussion may be more relevant than PRP.
Who may benefit — and when it may be poor value
When PRP may be useful
PRP may be reasonable to discuss when the likely cause is understood, relevant follicles remain active, the scalp is suitable and expectations are centred on possible improvement rather than restoration.
It may be poor value when the diagnosis is unclear, an important contributor has not been assessed, an inflammatory or scarring process may be active, the area is longstanding and smooth, or the expected change is unlikely to justify the burden and cost of treatment.
Advising against PRP is not a failed consultation. It can be the most useful outcome of one.
What about women, hair change after pregnancy or menopause?
Women are represented in the evidence for female-pattern hair loss, but “hair loss in women” is not one diagnosis. Postpartum shedding may recover naturally, and menopause can coincide with several different contributors. Suitability depends on the cause and scalp, not sex or age alone.
Does PRP work, and how much change is realistic?
It may help selected people with androgenetic — pattern — hair loss where active follicles are likely to remain. Studies are mixed. The realistic aim is a modest possible improvement in density, not restoration, and a genuine non-response is possible.
What results have the studies found?Piotr answers
Piotr
Some controlled studies found an improvement in hair density, while others found no worthwhile change. In one small trial, 20 men were analysed after three monthly sessions; the treated areas showed increased hair counts and density.[8]
A separate trial of 30 men found no improvement in hair number, diameter, photographs or satisfaction. Differences in preparation and treatment schedules make these results difficult to compare.[10]
The studies below show both findings, with the people studied, the treatment course and the limitations.
Research and results
Results from clinical studies The record contains positive, negative and low-certainty findings. None predicts an individual result.
Specific placebo comparisons exist
Positive and negative controlled trials exist, but each belongs to its own diagnosis, preparation, schedule and endpoint.
No complete alternatives comparison
The record does not rank PRP fairly against every medical, monitoring, transplant or no-treatment route.
The cause and preparation matter
One preparation, sex, diagnosis or course cannot stand in for another — and PRP Hair evidence cannot become PRP Skin evidence.
What does more density mean?
An improvement in density does not mean a restored hairline or new follicles. Density, thickness, count, shedding, photographs, satisfaction and durability are different outcomes.
The evidence, study by study
What the studies found, and where uncertainty remains.
The studies below involve different patient groups, preparation methods, treatment schedules and outcome measures. They are not interchangeable. A positive result in one protocol does not forecast an individual result, and a biological mechanism does not prove a clinical outcome.
Supporting reviews help define the boundary rather than create a promise. Zhang pooled nine randomised trials involving 238 participants and found a hair-density signal at three and six months, while Gupta illustrates how much PRP protocols vary. Zhou remains relevant only to the separate alopecia-areata boundary. [3] [6] [4]
Research
Study: Cruciani et al. · systematic review and meta-analysis
Important finding: the review found a density signal in androgenetic alopecia.
Study details and original results
Study: Cruciani et al. · systematic review and meta-analysis Population: 27 controlled trials involving 1,117 participants across androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata [1] Question: Does PRP improve hair outcomes compared with saline or another control?
Equally important limitation: the density finding in androgenetic alopecia was based on low-quality evidence. Evidence for alopecia areata was very low quality and remained uncertain. Inconsistency and risk of bias limit confidence in the findings.
For a patient: there is a reason to discuss PRP in selected pattern hair loss, but not a dependable promise across every diagnosis.
Research
Study: Tawfik and Osman, 2018 · randomised placebo-controlled split-scalp trial [9]
Important finding: the study reported greater density on the PRP-treated side at six months.
Study details and original results
Study: Tawfik and Osman, 2018 · randomised placebo-controlled split-scalp trial [9] Population: 30 women with female-pattern hair loss Question: Did the treated side show a greater density change than the placebo side?
Limitation: it was small, single-centre and used a particular preparation and schedule. The result cannot be transferred automatically to every woman, cause of thinning or clinic protocol.
For a patient: women are represented in the evidence, but suitability still depends on the cause of the hair change.
Research
Study: Gressenberger et al., 2020 · randomised placebo-controlled pilot trial [10]
Important finding: no improvement was found in the measured outcomes.
Study details and original results
Study: Gressenberger et al., 2020 · randomised placebo-controlled pilot trial [10] Population: 30 men with androgenetic alopecia Question: Did PRP monotherapy improve hair number, diameter, photographs or satisfaction?
Limitation: this was also a small pilot study, and its preparation and protocol differed from the positive trials.
For a patient: genuine non-response is not theoretical. The planned sessions can be completed without a worthwhile result.
Research
Study: Kieling et al., 2024 · systematic review and meta-analysis [11]
Important finding: the pooled result favoured PRP for hair density, but not clearly for hair thickness.
Study details and original results
Study: Kieling et al., 2024 · systematic review and meta-analysis [11] Population: 14 studies involving 431 participants; 13 in the quantitative synthesis Question: What did the pooled result show compared with placebo?
Important limitation: variation between studies was very high and publication bias was evident. This makes a single pooled number unstable and potentially too optimistic.
For a patient: an average from unlike studies is not a forecast for your scalp.
Research
Study: Paichitrojjana and Paichitrojjana, 2022 · narrative mechanism review
Important finding: platelet-derived signalling pathways provide a plausible mechanism for influencing follicular activity. [7]
Study details and original results
Study: Paichitrojjana and Paichitrojjana, 2022 · narrative mechanism review Question: Is there a plausible biological reason PRP might influence hair follicles?
Limitation: biological plausibility does not establish how much hair a patient will gain, how long any change will last or which course is appropriate.
For a patient: mechanism explains why PRP is studied. Controlled clinical outcomes decide how confidently it can be offered.
References
How the sources fit together
The evidence on this page includes primary controlled trials, systematic reviews, meta-analyses and a mechanism review. Studies differ in diagnosis, sex, preparation, schedule and outcome measurement, so findings are presented by study rather than treated as interchangeable.
The earlier review by Giordano and colleagues pooled six studies involving 177 people with androgenetic alopecia. It found a positive signal for hair number per square centimetre and a measure of hair thickness, but not statistically significant differences in the percentage increases in hair number or thickness. The authors urged caution because the studies were small. It provides earlier evidence context, not a prediction for your treatment. [2]
View all 11 references
- Cruciani M, et al. Platelet-rich plasma for the treatment of alopecia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Blood Transfusion . First published online 2021; print record 2023;21(1):24–36. doi:10.2450/2021.0216-21 .
- Giordano S, et al. Platelet-rich plasma for androgenetic alopecia: does it work? Evidence from meta-analysis. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology . 2017. doi:10.1111/jocd.12331 .
- Zhang X, et al. Platelet-rich plasma for androgenetic alopecia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery . 2023. doi:10.1177/12034754231191461 .
- Zhou C, et al. Alopecia areata: an update on etiopathogenesis, diagnosis, and management. Clinical Reviews in Allergy & Immunology . 2021. doi:10.1007/s12016-021-08883-0 .
- York K, et al. A review of the treatment of male pattern hair loss. Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy . 2020. doi:10.1080/14656566.2020.1721463 .
- Gupta AK, Bamimore M. Platelet-rich plasma monotherapies for androgenetic alopecia: a network meta-analysis and meta-regression study. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology . 2022. doi:10.36849/JDD.6948 .
- Paichitrojjana A, Paichitrojjana A. Platelet-rich plasma and its use in hair regrowth: a review. Drug Design, Development and Therapy . 2022. doi:10.2147/DDDT.S356858 .
- Gentile P, et al. The effect of platelet-rich plasma in hair regrowth: a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Stem Cells Translational Medicine . 2015;4:1317–1323. doi:10.5966/sctm.2015-0107 .
- Tawfik AA, Osman MAR. The effect of autologous activated platelet-rich plasma injection on female pattern hair loss: a randomized placebo-controlled study. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology . 2018;17:47–53. doi:10.1111/jocd.12357 .
- Gressenberger P, et al. Platelet-rich plasma for androgenetic alopecia treatment: a randomized placebo-controlled pilot study. Acta Dermato-Venereologica . 2020;100:adv00247. doi:10.2340/00015555-3609 .
- Kieling L, Konzen AT, Zanella RK, Valente DS. Is autologous platelet-rich plasma capable of increasing hair density in patients with androgenic alopecia? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia . 2024;99(6):847–862. doi:10.1016/j.abd.2024.01.002 . PMID 39013743; PMCID PMC11551241.
What change could I notice?Piotr answers
Piotr
If you respond, the thinning area may look denser. The aim is to improve the appearance of the hair you still have.
I compare photographs over the following months to judge whether the change is worthwhile for you. Some people see little or no improvement.
What it may achieve — and cannot promise
Modest possible density improvement, not restoration.
The realistic aim is a modest improvement in density or in how a thinning area looks. PRP works with the hair that remains; it does not add fibres or transplant follicles.
It cannot recreate lost follicles or reliably restore an established bald area or a youthful hairline. An improvement in density also does not establish a permanent result or an effect on every measure of shedding and thickness.
Can PRP treat a longstanding smooth bald area?
PRP cannot recreate follicles that have been destroyed. A longstanding bald area needs examination to distinguish advanced pattern hair loss from scarring or another cause. PRP is unlikely to restore an established bald area. A transplant may be worth discussing for some people, but suitability depends on the diagnosis and the available donor hair.[source]
What are my other options?Piotr answers
Piotr
The best alternative depends on what is causing the hair loss. Treating a scalp condition or investigating a medical contributor may be more useful than starting injections. The options may include monitoring, medical treatment or specialist advice. A transplant moves existing follicles into an area of loss and has a different role from PRP. You can discuss the options and decide which approach fits your circumstances.
I usually combine PRP with medication as part of a wider treatment plan. The approach depends on the cause of your hair loss and which options are suitable for you.
PRP is rarely the whole plan
PRP is a local procedure. It does not automatically address the process that caused the hair change.
Any prescribing decision is individual, optional and separate from the decision about PRP. No medicine is chosen from this page.
Declining one route should lead to a clearer discussion of alternatives and realistic expectations — not pressure.
Medical or specialist assessment may be more important when the cause is unclear, sudden, patchy, painful, inflamed or possibly scarring.
Treating an underlying contributor may do more for the hair than a local procedure where illness, medicine, nutrition, hormonal or thyroid change is relevant.
Monitoring can be entirely reasonable where change is uncertain, recovery may occur naturally or treatment would not add enough value.
No treatment is a legitimate outcome.
What happens at the appointment?Piotr answers
Piotr
I examine your scalp and discuss your health, previous treatments and the change you would like to see. If PRP is suitable, treatment involves taking a blood sample, preparing the plasma and injecting the agreed scalp areas.
What do the blood draw and scalp injections involve?
The blood draw and scalp treatment
A sample of your blood is taken from a vein. It is processed to separate the platelet-rich portion, which is then injected into the selected scalp areas. Scalp injections can be uncomfortable or painful, and sensitivity varies between people and areas.
Tell me if you have felt faint during a blood test or find blood tests difficult, so we can plan the appointment around that.
Will I need tests, and is this a dermatology consultation?
Not everyone needs the same investigations. Some presentations may need medical testing or specialist assessment before treatment. I hold a PGDip in Dermatology in Clinical Practice. I am not a consultant dermatologist.
Will scalp PRP injections hurt?Piotr answers
Piotr
Scalp injections can be uncomfortable or painful. I discuss comfort with you beforehand and check how you feel during treatment.
How many sessions will I need, and what will it cost?Piotr answers
Piotr
The usual starting plan is three separate sessions, with the interval chosen for you. Hair changes gradually, so photographs taken in consistent conditions help compare your response over the following months before recommending more treatment. You can find the current PRP fees in the price list. The cost of the proposed course and what each appointment includes are explained before you decide.
What happens after the first three sessions?
Hair changes slowly. Consistently taken photographs can help us compare the same area over the following months, rather than relying on memory or a different light in the mirror.
Some people respond. Some see a change too small to justify further treatment. Some do not respond at all. I would base any later decision on what has actually changed, not assume that more sessions are the right answer.
If you see worthwhile improvement, we can review whether further treatment is worth doing. A starting course is not a promise of a lasting result. The decision should take account of your response, the cause of the hair loss, and what continuing treatment would cost you in time and money.
What will it cost?
Understanding the cost
The Fees page lists prices for two-vial and three-vial PRP treatments, with separate repeat-treatment rates. These are treatment prices, not a single price for the three-session starting course.
Before you decide, I will explain the cost of your proposed plan, what it includes and what happens if we change the plan. The amount and preparation need to fit your treatment; a price list cannot decide that for you.
What if I do not see an improvement?Piotr answers
Piotr
We review the photographs and what you have noticed before deciding what comes next. Some people see little or no improvement despite completing the course.
If the change is too small to justify further treatment, I will say so. We can discuss another approach or stop; you do not need to continue simply because you have started.
What happens if PRP is not right for me?
The consultation should still leave you with a clearer next step. That may be monitoring, medical or specialist assessment, another treatment route, transplant discussion or no treatment at present.
Find a question again
Return to what matters to you
Open the question index to find a specific answer again — from suitability and realistic results to the course and its risks.
What is recovery like, and what are the risks?Piotr answers
Piotr
Your scalp may feel tender after treatment, with redness, small injection marks, pinpoint bleeding, bruising or swelling. Headache and feeling faint during the blood draw can also occur. Infection and prolonged inflammation are possible complications. You receive aftercare for your treatment, including the symptoms that need prompt assessment. Reliable percentages are not available for every preparation and technique.
If your scalp becomes increasingly painful, hot or swollen, seek an urgent GP appointment or contact NHS 111 and let me know. The guidance below explains when help should not wait.
When PRP should wait
Treatment should not bypass an unanswered medical question.
PRP may need to wait where the cause is unclear, the loss is sudden or patchy, the scalp is inflamed or infected, scarring is possible, an important medical contributor needs assessment, or health and medicine history changes suitability.
Tell me about your medicines. Do not stop prescribed medicine to make yourself eligible for treatment.
I assess suitability individually. If PRP is unlikely to be safe, appropriate or worthwhile, I will explain why I am advising against it.
Will I receive instructions for looking after my scalp?
Instructions for your procedure
Leave the scalp unwashed for 48 hours after treatment. After that, you can return to your usual hair products. Wait at least one week before colouring your hair. Follow the individual instructions supplied for your treatment, and ask before restarting any scalp medicine.[source]
When to seek help
Possible infection — seek urgent advice. Skin that is painful, hot and swollen needs an urgent GP appointment or advice from NHS 111. Redness may be harder to see on brown or black skin. Tell the clinician about the injections and let the clinic know too; do not wait for a clinic reply before seeking help.
Emergency symptoms — call 999 or go to A&E. If you also develop fast breathing, confusion or faintness with these infection symptoms, seek emergency help. Do not drive yourself or wait for a clinic reply.
NHS guidance on skin infection and when to seek help ↗ supports these action thresholds; it does not estimate the risk from scalp PRP.
What if my hair sheds more after PRP?
An increase in shedding is not, by itself, evidence that PRP is working. If you notice a clear increase after treatment, contact me so that the timing, pattern and any other scalp symptoms can be reviewed. Do not assume that new or worsening hair loss is a necessary stage of recovery.
How do I book a consultation for hair loss?Piotr answers
Piotr
A consultation includes a hair loss assessment. The pattern of loss, condition of your scalp and relevant health history help establish whether PRP has a useful role or whether another assessment or treatment should come first.
Question index
All your questions, by topic.
Open a topic and choose a question to go straight to its answer.
Browse all 26 questions
Hair loss and assessment5 questions
PRP and treatment choices6 questions
Evidence and possible results5 questions
Consultation and appointment4 questions
Sessions, review and fees3 questions
After treatment and safety3 questions
References & sources
The research section brings together the positive findings, the negative trial and the limits of what each can tell us. All 11 references are available there, beside the individual study summaries.
View all 11 references
This page provides general education about hair loss assessment and PRP for hair loss. It is not individual medical advice. Suitability, alternatives and the decision whether to treat are established only through an appropriate clinical assessment.