Trichoscopic comparison of 5% minoxidil lotion monotherapy versus its combination with autologous platelet rich plasma therapy in androgenetic alopecia

A total of 60 patients of androgenetic alopecia visiting dermatology OPD of Era’s Lucknow Medical College and Hospital fulfilling inclusion criteria will be enrolled in our study. Written and informed consent from patients will be taken prior to participation in study. Patients will be randomly divided into two groups  A and B each containing 30  individuals each. History, clinical examination with trichoscopic evaluation and photographic documentation will be done before the start of the treatment and then at each visit (baseline,3weeks,6weeks,9 weeks and 12 weeks) and results will be tabulated in respective tables. In group A- each patient will be advised minoxidil (5%) twice daily application over scalp for 3weeks with follow up at every 3 week. In group B- each patient will be advised minoxidil (5%) twice daily application over scalp for 3 weeks with platelet rich plasma therapy sessions over scalp at every 3 weeks with follow up at every 3week. Under aseptic precautions, around 16ml of peripheral blood will be collected from the median cubital vein and transferred into a sodium citrate vacutainer. The tubes will be  rotated in a centrifuge machine (REMI) at 2,000 revolutions per minute for 6 minutes and the Buffy coat along with the plasma will be collected with the help of a pipette in another test tube. This tube will again be subjected to asecond centrifugation at 4000 revolutions per minute for 10 minutes. The upper layer containing platelet poor plasma will be discarded, and the lower layer of the PRP will be collected in another clean tube. Multiple PRP injections of 0.1 ml will be given at each site in a linear pattern 1 cm apart using the nappage technique.