Hair loss is often an uncomfortable topic for those who experience it, but the team at Dermatology Realm is here to help. PRP injections for hair loss are shown to reverse the effects of low follicle growth, leading to a fuller, healthier head of hair. Our skin professionals are experts in treating hair loss, so keep reading to learn more about how we can give you the confidence you deserve.
Hair Loss Causes
Losing hair is a natural process that everyone experiences, whether we realize it or not. From washing their hair to brushing it, the average person loses up to 100 strands every day. When you have approximately 100,000 strands that constantly grow back, however, this form of hair loss is easy to miss.
The real problem begins when you lose more hair than your follicles can produce. This form of hair loss is much more noticeable and can cause major anxiety for patients who experience it. The results range from thinning to balding, and there are many different reasons it occurs.
Age
According to the United Care Clinic, approximately one in five men and one in ten women will experience hair loss by age 30. By age 50, these numbers increase to one in two men and one in four women. This is because the cycles that cause your follicles to produce strands of hair tend to slow down as we get older, leaving us with less active regrowth to replace those naturally shedding strands.
Genetics
Like most dermatology health conditions, you may experience hair loss if it runs in the family. When your parents pass down their genetic information, the genes for hair production may result in shrinking follicles that produce fewer strands or stop production altogether. Typically, genetic hair loss goes hand-in-hand with the aging process. Treatment may be able to help.
Stress
Shedding may occur for patients experiencing stressful life experiences or ongoing general anxiety. This is because anxiety impacts hair growth at the follicle level, causing hair follicles to revert to their resting phase and essentially shut down. As a part of the natural life cycle of a hair follicle, the resting phase usually allows the hair to start the growth process over in a healthy way. When stress causes hair loss, however, it is usually because the natural process is disrupted.
Other Causes
Many other factors can cause hair loss, including lifestyle factors and health conditions. Damaged hair due to products or coloring can reduce the function of the follicles earlier than is normal, but conditions like alopecia areata or cancer treatment can also cause hair loss. The ability for the hair to grow back depends largely on the reason for hair loss. Talking with your Dermatology Realm clinician can give you a better understanding of the dermatological conditions leading to your hair loss.
How Dermatology Realm Can Help
Hair loss can be especially damaging to a person’s self-confidence, so finding a solution as soon as you notice an issue is important. Our team uses platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections to naturally induce your hair follicles’ production of strands.
A Regenerative Approach to Medicine
PRP therapy is a form of regenerative medicine that taps into the body’s natural ability to heal itself. Rather than introducing external materials, this approach uses the natural tissues from your own body – like blood, for example. Regenerative medicine has been shown to treat a wide range of conditions, from osteoarthritis to hair loss.
How PRP Injections Combat Hair Loss
When you visit Dermatology Realm for your PRP treatment, we’ll start by drawing blood samples. Then, we’ll run the vials through a machine to separate the blood into three main components: red blood cells, platelet-poor plasma, and platelet-rich plasma. After isolating the platelet-rich plasma from your blood, our team will use a syringe to inject this material into your scalp.
No matter what they’re used for, PRP injections work to speed up the healing process in a given area of the body. When introduced to the scalp, PRP increases the blood flow to the hair follicles, giving them what they need to restart the growth cycle.
Preparing for Treatment
Before you receive PRP injections, we recommend washing your hair thoroughly to rid your scalp of any excess oils. This helps provide a more sterile environment for the procedure to move forward. We also recommend avoiding smoking or drinking alcohol several days before the procedure, as either of the two will lower your platelet count, which could make treatment impossible. (Smoking long-term decreases platelets, but in the short term, it affects the blood flow negatively, and alcohol decreases vitamin K levels, which increases bruising).
Because we will draw your blood at the time of the injection, be sure to eat a healthy breakfast and drink lots of water the day before.
What To Expect from Treatment
You should begin to see the fullness of your results within three to six months after your PRP treatment, but you’ll notice an improvement in hair texture and growth in just a few weeks. Following a PRP treatment at Dermatology Realm, you may experience slight discomfort in your scalp for a few weeks after injections. You should avoid using hair products of any kind for 72 hours post-op.
Trust the Experts at Dermatology Realm
Healthy hair starts at the root – literally. With injectable PRP treatments from your Germantown skin experts, we’ll tackle your hair loss problems in no time, leaving you with a healthier, fuller head of hair. Contact our dermatology office to schedule a consultation and get started today!