Can I Go For PRP After a Hair Transplant?

Nowadays, hair transplants are frequently performed in a single large session or over several weeks or months. The final appointment completes the procedure by harvesting hair follicles from the donor spot on the patient’s scalp. Many sessions may be preferable for some people, such as those with medical difficulties. Within 3 to 6 months, the majority of the transplanted follicles will grow and produce hair in their new location. Some transplanted follicles do not develop in their new area.

Then, in order to improve the survival of transplanted hair follicles and promote healing with minimal scarring following transplantation, PRP treatment is used. There is a lot of research on the use of PRP to promote tissue regeneration and healing after surgery or injury, as well as in many other medical and surgical specialties. This article is drafted from the insights shared by a renowned hair transplant surgeon, Dr. Urvashi Chandra, practicing at Chandra Hair Transplant Clinic, the clinic known for offering effective hair transplant surgery in Delhi, will guide one more about PRP and the benefits of PRP after hair transplantation.

PRP Following Hair Transplant

Although it may appear weird, the technique can be applied sequentially. PRP strengthens and improves transplanted hair. They improve the survival of new follicles, resulting in fresh hair growth. PRP injections are also known to help prevent and treat hair loss, which is good for the entire scalp, which has not undergone transplant procedure.

Procedure for PRP 

PRP is a three-step solution that is quite effective. The secret to PRP’s potency lies in the patient’s blood. The blood flow to the hair follicle is enhanced and natural hair growth is triggered by the use of the body’s platelets. The three phases of PRP are as follows:

1. Blood is extracted from the arm and deposited in a centrifuge, which is a spinning machine that separates components.
2. For approximately 10 minutes, the blood is spun to separate the platelet-poor plasma, platelet-rich plasma, and red blood cells.
3. PRP is taken into a syringe and injected into areas of the scalp with balding.

The entire treatment takes less than 30 minutes and there is no downtime involved. While one treatment will enhance hair density, most people require a few treatment sessions spaced 4-6 months apart to receive best results. PRP can be used as a standalone treatment, but it produces the most dramatic results when combined with a hair transplant.

Hair Transplantation Using PRP

PRP can be used in the hair transplantation procedure at several levels:

• Increasing the number of poor donors and transplanting areas
• Increasing the rate of transplanted graft yields
• Lowering the rate of transactional graft
• Healing the donor and recipient zones. 

In many cases, calcium chloride and thrombin are used to activate PRP before soaking the treated area. In this technique, growth factors increase the yield of fresh transplanted follicles.

Benefits of PRP after Hair Transplantation

The advantages of using PRP to stimulate hair healing and regeneration following hair transplantation are divided into three functional applications: 

• Maintaining and enhancing hair follicle vitality during and after hair transplantation
• Encourage and improve tissue regeneration and recovery following hair transplantation.
• To encourage new hair growth and strengthen dormant hair follicles. 

Maintaining and Enhancing Hair Follicle Viability:

During the interval between removing hair follicles from the donor area of the scalp and transplanting them into the recipient area, follicles might be destroyed for a variety of reasons. 

A typical method for preserving the viability of donor hair follicles during the transition phase is to preserve them in a PRP-containing storage solution. It provides a safe environment by maintaining a constant temperature, chemical balance, and a sufficient supply of nutrients. Introducing PRP into the storage solution:

• Improves follicular vitality before and after transplantation
• Improves tissue healing after transplanting
• Hair growth in transplanted follicles is increased.

PRP stimulates hair follicle growth by stimulating platelet-derived growth factors in hair follicle stem cells. Platelet growth factors cause follicular stem cells to transition from a resting to an active state, kicking off the hair development process.

Promote and Increase Tissue Repair and Healing 

After injury and surgery, PRP releases the platelet growth factors at the site of tissue injury, which encourages tissue repair and healing. Surgeons have used individual growth factors such as PDGF platelet-derived growth factors to improve wound healing in surgical patients in hospitals. The reason for use PRP in outpatient hair transplantation is to take advantage of platelet-related growth factors:

• To enhance healing
• Scarring should be kept to a minimum.
• Maximize hair development in transplanted follicles.

Injecting PRP gel into the wound during wound closure is one approach of administering PRP to the scalp incision. Doctors who utilize this method report faster recovery at the transplant site.

To Encourage New Hair Growth and Strengthen Hair Follicles

As we all know, PRP after transplantation promotes hair growth. Platelet growth factors, on the other hand, can activate dormant hair follicles and stimulate the production of new hair. After the scalp skin has been slightly wounded, PRP is administered to trigger platelets to release growth factors at the site of injury. Hair growth and diameter will increase during the next four months.

When Should One Get PRP Following a Transplant?

It is advised to wait three weeks after a hair transplant before getting PRP treatment. This allows the edema to subside and the tissues to recover. 

PRP contains a high concentration of growth factors, which are naturally occurring proteins that aid in cell regeneration. PRP boosts cell development, collagen regeneration, and tissue repair, all of which increase healing.

Ideal Candidates for PRP Treatment

PRP is typically safe for the majority of healthy people. It’s created from a patient’s own blood, which is taken and processed on the spot, so it’s devoid of allergies that can cause negative side effects.

Patients who are typically healthy, have an average amount of platelets in their blood, and are experiencing hair loss caused by a factor that PRP can treat through cell regeneration are the ideal candidates. 

Not Ideal Candidates for PRP

• Patients who are currently using blood-thinning drugs
• Patients with blood abnormalities that can result in low platelet count, platelet-poor plasma, or clotting and wound healing issues
• Heavy smokers, this can interfere with the clotting process and significantly impact hair development, negating the aim of obtaining PRP.

Note: Patients with skin and scalp infections should seek treatment for their infection and wait for it to fully cure before scheduling PRP injections. 

Conclusion

Injecting a more concentrated platelet count treated with hair transplantation into the scalp speeds up healing and rejuvenates the cells. The skilled doctor will perform PRP following hair transplants, which is a better idea in the long term. Also PRP is a wonderful option if one has hair loss in an area that has not been transplanted. Many people feel that PRP is a safe and efficient approach to reverse hair loss and encourage new hair growth.
One should consult a doctor to determine which treatment or combination of treatments is best for them. One can contact Chandra Clinic, a leading hair transplant clinic in Delhi, if one wants to learn more about PRP scalp care after a hair transplant or if one wants to undergo the surgery. One should set up a consultation with the skilled hair transplant surgeon, Dr. Urvashi Chandra, if one decides to proceed, the expert will handle everything efficiently and effectively. All one has to do is schedule an appointment. Contact Chandra Hair Transplant Clinic right away!