What is PRP Therapy for Hair Loss?

PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) therapy is a minimally invasive non-surgical treatment for hair loss that uses concentrated growth factors derived from your own blood to stimulate dormant hair follicles, strengthen existing hair, and reduce shedding. It has emerged as one of the most scientifically supported non-surgical options available for androgenetic alopecia, telogen effluvium, and alopecia areata.

The treatment works on the principle that platelets — the cells in blood responsible for wound healing and tissue repair — contain a rich cocktail of growth factors including PDGF (Platelet-Derived Growth Factor), VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor), EGF (Epidermal Growth Factor), and IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor). When concentrated and injected into the scalp, these growth factors stimulate follicle activity, increase blood supply to the hair papilla, and extend the anagen (growth) phase of the hair cycle.

At Sapphire Roots, Dr. Ashwini uses a high-quality double-centrifugation PRP protocol that produces significantly higher platelet concentration than basic single-spin systems — ensuring maximum growth factor delivery with every session.

5–8×
Platelet concentration vs whole blood
4–6
Sessions recommended initially
30–45
Minutes per session

How PRP Works — The Science

When injected into the scalp at the level of the hair follicle bulge, the concentrated growth factors in PRP trigger several beneficial processes:

  • Follicle stimulation: Growth factors activate follicle stem cells in the bulge region — stimulating follicles in the telogen (resting) phase to enter the anagen (growth) phase earlier, and extending the duration of the anagen phase in actively growing follicles.
  • Angiogenesis: VEGF stimulates the formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis) around the follicle, improving the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the hair papilla — the metabolically active base of the follicle.
  • Anti-inflammatory effect: PRP suppresses the localised inflammatory microenvironment around DHT-miniaturised follicles, partially counteracting the progressive miniaturisation of androgenetic alopecia.
  • Follicle enlargement: Growth factors stimulate the proliferation of dermal papilla cells — increasing the size of miniaturised follicles and the calibre of the hair they produce.
  • Reduced shedding: By extending the anagen phase and reducing premature follicle entry into telogen, PRP significantly reduces daily hair shedding — one of the first and most noticeable results patients experience.

The PRP Procedure at Sapphire Roots

  1. Blood draw: A small amount of blood (20–30ml) is drawn from your arm — identical to a routine blood test.
  2. Centrifugation: The blood is placed in a specialised centrifuge and spun at precise speeds to separate the platelet-rich plasma from red blood cells and platelet-poor plasma. At Sapphire Roots, we use a double-centrifugation protocol for higher platelet concentration.
  3. Activation (optional): The PRP may be activated with calcium chloride to initiate degranulation and immediate growth factor release.
  4. Scalp preparation: A topical anaesthetic cream is applied to the scalp 30–45 minutes before injections to maximise comfort. Some patients also opt for scalp nerve blocks for complete comfort.
  5. Microinjections: Using a fine needle, PRP is injected at multiple points across the thinning or affected scalp — at a depth of approximately 2–3mm to target the follicle bulge region. The injection pattern covers the entire treatment area systematically.
  6. Post-session care: No downtime. Patients can return to work immediately. Hair can be washed normally the following day. Mild redness and slight swelling at injection sites may be present for a few hours — normal and temporary.

Who Benefits from PRP?

  • Early-stage androgenetic alopecia (Norwood II–III / Ludwig I–II): PRP is most effective when follicles are miniaturised but still present — it can partially reverse miniaturisation and slow progression. Less effective in areas of complete follicle absence.
  • Telogen effluvium (stress/post-COVID/postpartum hair loss): PRP accelerates follicle recovery and shortens the recovery timeline significantly.
  • Post-hair-transplant enhancement: PRP sessions at 1, 3, and 6 months post-transplant improve graft survival, accelerate new growth, and stimulate adjacent native follicles.
  • Alopecia areata (adjunct therapy): Combined with corticosteroid injections or JAK inhibitors, PRP can support follicle recovery in patchy alopecia areata.
  • Prevention and maintenance: Even patients with early thinning who are not yet candidates for transplant benefit from PRP to slow progression and maintain hair density.
⚠️ PRP Limitations

PRP is not effective for areas where follicles are completely and permanently absent — it requires living (if dormant) follicles to work. For extensive baldness, PRP is complementary to hair transplant — not a replacement for it. It also requires ongoing maintenance sessions (every 6 months) to sustain results.

PRP Protocol & Results Timeline

  • Initial loading phase: 4–6 sessions, spaced 3–4 weeks apart. This delivers the concentrated growth factor stimulation needed to produce visible results.
  • Maintenance: 1 session every 4–6 months to sustain results long-term.
  • First results visible: Reduced shedding typically noticed within 4–8 weeks of first session. New growth and density improvement visible from month 3–4.
  • Optimal results: At months 6–9 after completing the initial course.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is PRP painful?
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With topical anaesthetic cream applied 30–45 minutes before the procedure, most patients experience only mild discomfort during injections — described as a brief pinching sensation. Patients who prefer maximum comfort can opt for local nerve blocks (a brief injection that numbs the entire scalp) — making the procedure essentially pain-free.
How is PRP different from GFC (Growth Factor Concentrate)?
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GFC is a more advanced evolution of PRP — the same principle (using blood-derived growth factors for follicle stimulation) but with significantly higher growth factor concentration. GFC processing isolates growth factors more selectively than PRP, producing a preparation that is 5–10× more potent in growth factor content. GFC is Dr. Ashwini's preferred recommendation for patients wanting maximum stimulation — particularly those who have not responded adequately to standard PRP.
Can I use PRP while taking finasteride or minoxidil?
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Yes — PRP works synergistically with medical treatments. Finasteride reduces DHT to slow follicle miniaturisation; minoxidil increases blood flow and extends anagen; PRP provides direct growth factor stimulation. The combination of all three (triple therapy) produces superior results to any single treatment alone.