By Hadley Gavin
The hair loss treatment industry is a multi-billion-dollar industry catering to both sexes and people of all ages. Since the 1970s, medical science has developed a full array of treatments including oral medications, topical medications, and hair replacement surgeries. Now a new treatment is emerging. It is a treatment that people are looking to with greater frequency.
This new treatment is PRP therapy. PRP, known more formally as platelet-rich plasma, is injected into the site of the hair loss with the expectation that the growth factors and platelets present in the serum will stimulate new hair growth and better follicle health.
So, does it work? The jury is still out. But that hasn’t stopped people from trying it. Here are three reasons people are looking to PRP therapy for hair loss in greater numbers:
1. The Anecdotal Evidence Is There
While there isn’t a mountain of clinical evidence doctors can point to in an effort to convince patients that PRP therapy is effective, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence. Consumers are aware of that evidence. They read stories online; they see YouTube videos; they see what their friends are saying in social media. It is all around them.
A good example of anecdotal evidence in mainstream media is an Ann Crowley article published by Refinery29 in mid-November 2018. Crowley was a bit skeptical of PRP therapy until she actually underwent her first treatment. That treatment changed her perspective completely. Not only is she ready to believe that PRP will help her, she is also ready to undergo multiple treatments on the advice of her doctor.
2. They Have Tried Everything Else
Staff at the Advanced Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI) say that it is not uncommon for hair loss patients to turn to PRP therapy after having tried everything else. Patients have taken the medications and used the topical solutions. They have tried plugs and replacement surgeries. They have even tried a range of homeopathic treatments that haven’t done anything. What do they have to lose?
It is unfortunate that so many people view PRP therapy and other regenerative medicine procedures as possibilities of last resort. But nonetheless, that is often the way things go. If every other treatment has either failed or offered only marginal results, what does a patient have to lose by trying PRP injections?
3. They Are Not Fans of Pharmaceuticals and Surgeries
The third reason for turning to PRP for hair loss is as simple as not being a big fan of pharmaceuticals and surgeries. As odd as that sounds to most of us, people have legitimate concerns about both drugs and going under the knife.
Drugs are not always appropriate. Furthermore, they are not always safe. Just do an internet search on pharmaceutical lawsuits and see for yourself. As for surgeries, they always bring with them the inherent risk of infection and complications.
PRP injections for hair loss are considered safe for the most part. Though there are exceptions to the rule, the worst that could happen to most patients is that the injections don’t work. Patients are unlikely to suffer any severe complications following a PRP procedure.
Ann Crowley wasn’t quite sure PRP would work for her. She also wasn’t too thrilled with the pain she experienced after having opted not to receive anesthesia. But within days of her first treatment, she started seeing positive results. They were enough to motivate her to go back for a second treatment. Count her among the growing number of people who have turned to PRP injections to address hair loss.
