PRP Therapy for Hair Loss in Chevy Chase, MD

Hair loss is a major concern for a number of men and women, whether it's caused by genetics, age, hormones, medical conditions, or from styling practices and/or products. Luckily, because of recent advancements in research within the hair restoration industry, physicians have developed new procedures to help combat the condition. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is an advanced nonsurgical procedure that shows remarkable benefits in slowing, stopping, and reversing baldness. PRP has also shown promising outcomes in individuals with alopecia areata and thinning eyebrows. By blending a powerful solution of growth factors and bioactive proteins, Dr. Gainers can help strengthen your hair, resulting in thicker, longer, and healthier locks.

• Treats the root cause of hair loss

• Uses your body's own healing processes

• Minimally invasive procedure with no surgery required

• No chemicals or medications

• No side effects

• Clinically-tested effective results

• Works for both women and men

• Natural-looking results

• No recovery or downtime

• Treatments are quick and easy

Any man or woman experiencing balding is potentially an excellent candidate for PRP hair therapy, but those with early hair loss typically respond best. PRP works well for androgenic alopecia, an inherited type of hair thinning that commonly occurs on the top part of the head. This can sometimes look like a broadening part with average hair thickness on the back of the scalp for women. Typically, patients who have "poor quality" hair growth areas and some reacting hair follicles experience the best results with PRP hair regrowth therapy.

As a nonsurgical procedure, PRP treatments take about an hour to complete. At the beginning of your appointment, we draw a small amount of your blood and place it in a centrifuge. While the centrifuge spins at a rapid pace, the platelets separate from the rest of your blood components. Next, Dr. Gainers uses a local anesthetic on your scalp and injects the platelet-rich plasma into regions of your head that have thin hair or bald spots. To maintain your results, Dr. Gainers recommends follow-up treatments every nine months to a year.

There's no downtime after this treatment with virtually no limits or constraints. If anything, patients may develop some redness, minimal swelling, and mild discomfort near the treatment areas. Often, these symptoms can last up to 48 hours. While outcomes differ for each patient, cosmetic results are typically seen approximately 4 – 6 months after the initial treatment. Following your treatment, your results will continue to improve for up to a year. PRP is not a permanent solution for hair loss, so Dr. Gainers recommends follow-up sessions at six to twelve month intervals for maintenance once desired results are obtained. Additionally, we want to emphasize that PRP doesn't grow new hair follicles in locations where you're already bald. Instead, we use it to reverse the miniaturization of hair follicles so they produce fuller, healthier, and longer hair fibers.

Can PRP be combined with other hair treatments?
Yes, it can. In fact, many patients combine other treatments with PRP therapy. These may include topical medication, microneedling, and more. Dr. Madeliene Elaine Gainers will assess your scalp and level of hair loss and then personalize a care plan for you. She can further discuss recommendations for in-office treatments and home products you can use.

How often should I get PRP treatments?

For the majority of patients, three treatments performed one month apart will see the best results. Every PRP therapy program is custom-tailored to your hair loss needs and aesthetic goals. Dr. Gainers can recommend the number and frequency of PRP treatments based on this. For more advanced cases, she may recommend more initial treatments, which will then decrease in frequency over time as you begin to see results.

How effective is PRP therapy at treating hair loss?

Every person's hair loss is unique, depending on severity, the number of treatments, and other medical factors. Remember – although you may want instant results, be patient and give your new hair time to grow and become visible while the PRP therapy aids the process. Dr. Gainers will discuss with you the results you can realistically expect to see from your personalized treatment plan. Often, many patients will require continued PRP therapy to maintain their results and minimize any future hair loss.

Are PRP injections painful?

While your PRP serum is being prepared, we will apply a local anesthetic to your scalp to minimize any discomfort you may feel. If you are worried about pain or have other concerns, please feel free to voice them to Dr. Gainers. Most patients don't feel discomfort. Some experience numbness or tingling after the injections, which is normal and only temporary.

PRP treatment is a proven treatment option for individuals who struggle to find hair loss solutions. At Madeliene Elaine, we are honored to provide innovative solutions that address thinning hair. To find out more about PRP treatments, we ask you to contact our Chevy Chase, MD office and schedule an appointment with Dr. Gainers.