Application and Evaluation of PRP on the Therapy for Hair Loss Disorder

Hair loss is a disorder in which the hair undergoes aberration growth cycles and falls out from scalp. A number of factors like hormones, genetic factors, diet, endocrine abnormalities, systemic illnesses, drug intake, and hair shaft abnormalities may cause hair loss. Androgen alopecia or male pattern baldness is the most common cause of hair loss caused by progressive shortening of the anagen and increased number of hair follicles in telogen, which has a significant influence on psychological distress.

Except medical treatment and baldness surgery, a new interest in treating hair loss and baldness has been stimulated by using platelet plasma growth factors obtained from the patient's own platelet-rich plasma (PRP). PRP is a portion of plasma fraction of autologous blood having a high concentration of thrombocytes, and can be activated by Thrombin to release multiple growth factors, including platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), insulin-like growth factor (IGF), and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β). PRP is known for the capacity to stimulate cell proliferation and differentiation. The action of platelet plasma growth factors on the development of hair follicles has already been established. PRP has also been shown to increase the yield of implanted follicular units during male baldness surgery.

Our study will focus on the advantage of PRP for the treatment of hair loss and male pattern baldness. PRP from autologous blood can be mixed with thrombin in appropriate ratio and inject into the regions on scalp which is interested. We will track and evaluate regularly the effect and efficiency of PRP on human hair growth.