PRP stands for platelet-rich plasma. In PRP hair treatment, this plasma is prepared from a small sample of your own blood and injected into the scalp with microinjections.

Platelets are the blood cells involved in clotting, and they contain growth factors that support tissue repair. When these growth factors are delivered to the scalp, they help nourish the hair follicles and support blood flow in the area. The goal is to strengthen weakened follicles, reduce shedding and help hair grow in healthier.

Because PRP is made from your own blood, the risk of an allergic reaction is low. PRP hair treatment can be used for both women and men with hair loss. It is most often chosen for:

• Male pattern hair loss: Early stages, when the hairline is receding or the crown is thinning.
• Diffuse thinning in women: When the parting widens and hair looks thinner overall.
• Temporary shedding: Increased hair loss after stress, illness or childbirth.
• Thinning strands: When hair has lost its former density and vitality.

The right treatment is chosen only after the cause of your hair loss has been investigated.

PRP and GRP are based on the same method: both use plasma from your own blood. The difference is in how the plasma is prepared.

• PRP: Blood is separated in special tubes in a centrifuge. The platelet-rich part of the plasma is drawn off and injected into the scalp.
• GRP: An activator is added to the plasma separated with the PRP technique, and the plasma is combined with salmon DNA. The mixture is then injected into the scalp.

GRP aims to combine the growth factors in plasma with the tissue-supporting properties of salmon DNA (polynucleotides). In practice, the two procedures, session length and aftercare are much the same.

Which method is used depends on how advanced the hair loss is, the condition of your scalp and your expectations, and is decided at your consultation. Some plans use both methods in different sessions.

Before treatment, the cause of hair loss is assessed. If needed, blood tests for iron, vitamin D, B12 and thyroid levels are requested. Come to your appointment with freshly washed hair, eat a light meal beforehand and drink plenty of water. For a few days before, ask your doctor about stopping medicines such as aspirin that can increase bleeding.

1. A small amount of blood is taken from your arm, just like a routine blood test.
2. The blood is spun in special tubes in a centrifuge to obtain platelet-rich plasma. For GRP, the plasma is prepared at this stage.
3. The scalp is cleaned and numbed if needed.
4. The plasma is injected in small amounts with very fine needles into the areas where shedding is heaviest.

Including the blood draw and preparation, the procedure takes about 30–45 minutes. No rest is needed afterward. Mild tenderness and redness on the scalp usually settle the same day. Do not wash your hair for 24 hours, and avoid dye, styling products, saunas, Turkish baths and intense exercise that day.

PRP and mesotherapy both use scalp microinjections, but with different ingredients.

• PRP hair treatment: Uses growth factors from your own blood to support repair and nourishment of the follicle.
• Hair mesotherapy: Delivers vitamins, minerals, amino acids and peptides to the scalp from outside. See our hair mesotherapy page for details.

The two are not interchangeable. Mesotherapy may come first when vitamin and mineral deficiencies are a factor, while PRP may come first when the follicles have weakened. Many people have both in the same plan, in alternating sessions. Hair Botox can be added to care for brittle, damaged strands.

The number of sessions varies from person to person and with the method used; treatment is usually planned for 1–6 sessions. For most people, the first sessions are 3–4 weeks apart. After the course, maintenance sessions every few months are recommended.

Less shedding is usually noticed in the weeks after the first sessions. New growth and fuller-looking hair often take a few months.

Factors that affect the result include:

• Cause and duration of hair loss: Follicles respond better when treatment starts early.
• General health: Vitamin deficiencies and hormonal problems need to be addressed too. If tests show a deficiency, correct supplement use is added to the plan.
• Consistency: Keeping to the session schedule matters.
• Lifestyle: Smoking, high stress and a poor diet can weaken the response.

PRP does not stop hair loss for good. In genetic hair loss especially, follicles may weaken again over time, so regular check-ups and maintenance sessions help preserve results.