Hair Library · Hair Loss Treatments
How platelet-rich plasma is prepared, what the meta-analyses found in men and women, why it cannot switch off genetic hair loss, how many sessions guidance suggests and what it adds to a hair transplant.
Written by Nazmi Güldeş, Certified Trichologist · Medically reviewed by Dr. Teuku Adifitrian, Sp.BP-RE (Dr. Tompi), Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeon · Last reviewed 31 October 2026
Reading levelPRP for hair loss means drawing a little of your own blood, spinning it to concentrate the platelets and injecting that plasma into thinning areas of the scalp. It can add some density to pattern hair loss, but the gain is modest, it fades without top-ups and the trials behind it are mostly low in quality.
That makes PRP a support act rather than a main treatment. The useful questions are who it suits, how many sessions it takes and what it can't do, and we answer each below.
PRP, or platelet-rich plasma, is your own plasma with more platelets than normal blood. Injected into thinning scalp, it raised hair density over saline in controlled trials of pattern hair lossGlossaryAndrogenetic alopecia, or pattern baldness, is the pattern hair loss behind most male and female thinning. It is primarily driven by genetic predisposition and sensitivity to androgen hormones.
Open in the glossary →, by about 25.6 hairs per cm², though that evidence is rated low quality.[1] The FDA has not approved it for this use.
In 2025 a Canadian expert panel reviewed 45 treatments for pattern hair loss and recommended seven, PRP among them.[2] So the sources pull apart: a panel that recommends it, and reviewers who rate the evidence low. We'd call it promising but unproven, and best used alongside a medicine.
Blood is drawn into tubes with an anticoagulant and spun at low speed. The plasma then goes into fresh tubes for a faster spin, so the platelets settle and can be collected in less plasma. The Indian dermatology task force recommends this double-spin method, at 0.05 to 0.1 mL of PRP per cm² of scalp.[3]
Platelets release growth factors, and PRP's effect on hair is thought to depend on them.[4] PRP may encourage hair growth by helping cells mature, differentiate and multiply[5], and recipes differ widely from study to study.
On average, modestly. The table sorts what the reviews found by outcome; the last column is our plain-words reading.
| Outcome | What pooled studies found | Our reading |
|---|---|---|
| Hair density | More than saline injections, by about 25.6 hairs per cm² | A modest gain that seems real |
| Hair thickness | Thicker hair in a review of trials in women | Promising; the pooled data here come from women |
| Shedding | Fewer hairs on a pull test in women and against minoxidil | Seen in several studies on this page |
| Against minoxidil | Nearly comparable overall | Not a replacement for a proven drug |
| Quality of evidence | Mostly low, with varied recipes and schedules | Treat any single result with care |
For the round patches of alopecia areata, it is unclear whether PRP does better than steroid injections, and that evidence is rated very low in quality.[1] The rest of this entry covers pattern hair loss.
Pattern hair loss comes from inherited sensitivity plus androgens, mainly DHTGlossaryDihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a potent androgen that the body makes from testosterone using an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase. In people who are genetically sensitive to it, DHT makes hair follicles shrink.
Open in the glossary →, which shrink the follicles over time. Finasteride and dutasteride target that cause by lowering DHT in the follicles, while minoxidil and PRP act by other routes.[6] We found no study showing that PRP lowers DHT, so it isn't a substitute for a DHT blocker such as finasteride.
What PRP can do is slow shedding and add density for a while. In a one-year study of 20 patients, shedding returned to normal and density peaked at 3 months, then slipped at 6 and 12 months while staying above baseline, with a booster session at 6 months.[4] For the cause itself, read our guide to DHT and hair loss.
Men. The best case is early to moderate loss, as the box above sets out. Against minoxidil, PRP did about as well overall: minoxidil did better on terminal hair counts, PRP on density and the pull test.[7]
Women. A meta-analysis of 21 randomized trials in 628 women found more density and thicker hair, with mild, short-lived side effects.[8] The results varied with dose, schedule and ethnicity, so there is no single proven protocol yet. For women, PRP fits best as an add-on to the treatments in our female pattern hair loss guide.
Guidance starts with a course, not a single shot. A 2019 meta-analysis by a hair restoration society committee recommended three monthly sessions followed by a maintenance period of 3 to 6 months.[5] The Indian task force asks for at least three to five sessions, a month apart.
After that, expect top-ups. In the one-year study, more hairs came out on the pull test again by month 6, which is why a booster session was given then.
The middle column comes from the studies on this page; the right-hand column is our advice.
| Time | What the studies recorded | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| Months 0 to 2 | At least three monthly sessions in the guidance | Take start photos; keep your medicine going |
| Month 3 | Shedding back to normal and density at its peak in a one-year study | Compare your photos with month 0 |
| Months 3 to 6 | Maintenance period; pull tests crept up again by month 6 | Plan a booster with your doctor |
| Month 12 | Density still above baseline after a booster at 6 months | Decide whether the gain is worth the upkeep |
The injections hurt. In the one-year study, every patient felt mild pain despite local anaesthesia, a quarter had mild pain afterwards that faded within 4 hours, and 60% found the scalp sensitive at the first wash.[4] Pooled reviews found no serious treatment-related events.
That study left out people with any of the following, so mention them before treatment:
Ask, too, whether your blood is handled in sterile, single-use tubes, as in the method the Indian guideline describes.
Here is how PRP sits next to the alternatives on what you would live with. The last column is our own summary of the evidence.
| What it does | Time and effort | If you stop | Evidence, in short | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRP | Growth factors from your own platelets | Clinic visits and a blood draw each session | Gains fade without top-ups | Modest, low certainty |
| Minoxidil | A drug that doesn't target androgens | A topical or low-dose tablet, used long term | Relies on long-term use | FDA approved; recommended by the Canadian panel |
| Finasteride | Lowers DHT in the follicles | A tablet, or newer topical forms, used long term | Relies on long-term use | Recommended by the Canadian panel |
| Exosomes | Cell-derived products, mostly tested in the lab | No standard product or schedule | Unknown | Very limited |
| Hair transplant | Moves follicles that keep their genetic traits | A minimally invasive procedure | Moved hair stays; native hair needs medicine | Established surgery |
Head to head, minoxidil and PRP come out close. A review of six trials found PRP nearly comparable to minoxidil, and called it a valuable add-on to minoxidil or a second-line option.[7] The FDA has approved minoxidil for pattern hair loss, but not PRP.
Finasteride lowers DHT, which PRP has not been shown to do. All three were among the seven treatments the Canadian panel recommended, along with microneedling, and we'd see PRP as something to add to a medicine rather than a reason to stop one.
Exosome products are newer and less tested. In lab studies they stimulate the cells that drive hair growth, but a 2025 review found only nine clinical studies with 125 hair loss patients, and at least 10 serious adverse events reported across dermatology.[9] We found no trial comparing them with PRP in hair loss.
The Indian guideline gives PRP an adjunct role in hair transplant surgery, and the only systematic review on the question found three controlled studies with 217 participants.[10] All reported better density, follicle survival or earlier growth, but their methods varied, none used standardized assessment, and long-term trials are missing.
So the signal is positive but thin. For shock lossGlossaryShock loss is a temporary shedding phase after a hair transplant, triggered by surgical stress to the scalp and typically starting 2 to 4 weeks after the procedure. The follicles remain healthy beneath the skin, and new growth resumes within 4 to 6 months.
Open in the glossary → of native hair, we found no trial that used it as the main outcome. Our guide to shock loss after a hair transplant explains what is normal.
A transplant moves follicles from the donor areaGlossaryThe donor area is the back and sides of the head, where follicles resist DHT. An extracted follicle does not grow back in that spot, so extractions are spread out, and the donor supply is the limit of every plan.
Open in the glossary →, and they keep their genetic traits in the new spot.[11] If your hairline or crown has gone smooth, a transplant is the option that adds hair there; how many grafts a stage needs is set out in how many grafts do I need.
If you are still losing hair fast across the top, start with medicine: modern transplant care pairs surgery with medical therapy to maintain density.
This split is our reading of the studies above.
| PRP may suit you if | Skip it, or wait, if |
|---|---|
| You have early to moderate pattern thinning | Your hairline or crown has already gone smooth |
| You already use a medicine and want an add-on | You want PRP to replace a proven medicine |
| You can commit to a course and top-ups | You can't return for repeat sessions |
| Your blood clots normally and you take no blood thinners | You have a blood or platelet disorder, take anticoagulants or have a scalp skin disease |
If your hairline or crown is already smooth, a transplant is the option that adds hair there. Send us three photos for a free hair analysis, and the medical team will tell you whether your pattern suits medication, surgery or both. You can also message us on WhatsApp.
Written by: Nazmi Güldeş, Certified Trichologist. Nazmi Güldeş focuses on patient education around androgenetic alopecia, evaluating miniaturization through dermoscopy, and assessing candidates for medical treatments and hair transplants.
This entry was drafted with the help of AI writing tools and edited by our team, then medically reviewed by Dr. Teuku Adifitrian, Sp.BP-RE (Dr. Tompi) on 31 October 2026. AI is never used as a source: every study cited here was checked against PubMed on 31 October 2026. Key figures are marked with their source, and every source is listed at the end of this entry. Read how we work in our editorial policy.
Check what you remember from this entry. Each answer links back to the section that explains it.
Pooled trials found more hair density than saline injections, but the evidence was rated low quality. Read the section
Density peaked at 3 months and was lower at 6 and 12 months, while still above baseline. Read the section
Its three studies reported benefits, but methods varied and long-term follow-up was missing. Read the section
Evidence behind this entry: 12 publications indexed in PubMed (2014 to 2026): 5 systematic reviews, 4 reviews, 2 guidelines and 1 clinical study. 7 sources have free full text.
Every source checked against PubMed on 31 October 2026, including corrections and retractions. See the newest studies on PubMed →
Güldeş, N. (2026, October 31). PRP for hair loss: Does it really work?. Turkey Hair Center Hair Library. https://turkeyhaircenter.com/prp-for-hair-loss/
@misc{guldes2026prpforhairloss,
author = {Güldeş, Nazmi},
title = {PRP for hair loss: Does it really work?},
howpublished = {Turkey Hair Center Hair Library},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
url = {https://turkeyhaircenter.com/prp-for-hair-loss/},
note = {Last updated 31 October 2026}
}TY - ELEC AU - Güldeş, Nazmi TI - PRP for hair loss: Does it really work? T2 - Turkey Hair Center Hair Library PY - 2026 DA - 2026/10/31 UR - https://turkeyhaircenter.com/prp-for-hair-loss/ N1 - Last updated 31 October 2026 ER -
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