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Frequently asked questions
PRP & PRF treatments

WHAT TO EXPECT
Our Registered Nurse will confirm your details and ask a few health questions, thereafter she will draw blood in a small tube from the arm. The blood tube is then put into a centrifuge, which spins the tube for 10 minutes to separate the plasma and platelets from the red blood cells. Once this has been retrieved, our nurse will then inject the Platelets directly into the scalp. 

Why choose PRP, PRF or GFC hair restoration treatment?
All these treatment has been used for a few years to aid people who have thinning hair and hair loss. It uses your own plasma and platelets to help restore hair growth without the need for surgery or the use of any external medications. PRF can be used to prevent hair loss and PRP can be used in the restoration of hair. People with Alopecia or other immune issues, as well as those who have received hair transplants, can have good results from either treatment.

What is the difference between PRP and PRF?
PRF is the next generation of PRP. PRF contains greater concentrations of growth factors than PRP. PRF serum also contains stem cells, white blood cells (leucocytes) and fibrin – which PRP does not have.
The stem cells in the PRF are “undifferentiated” cells that literally morph into the cells needed to repair the hair follicles, so they can begin to produce thick, healthy hair shafts again.
And, the fibrin in PRF acts as a scaffolding to keep the growth factors and stem cells in the area of the scalp being treated, so they do not diffuse away from where they needed. This allows for release of more growth factors, for a longer period of time.
GFC hair treatment is a highly safe and effective treatment that involves generating growth factors from your blood for treating hair loss. The growth factors present in GFC treatments can help improve scalp health by reducing inflammation, balancing sebum production, and promoting a healthier environment for hair growth.

 3 STEPS:
1. Blood will be drawn from your arm and stored in a specific tube in a sample size amount. The tube is then placed in a centrifuge.
2. The blood sample is centrifuged. A centrifuge is used to separate the platelets from the rest of the blood cells, resulting in your own Platelet Rich Plasma.
3. Using the prepared syringes, the highly concentrated PRP, PRF or GFC are injected into areas of the scalp where hair loss and thinning are present.

What are the risks?
There is no risk of an allergic reaction with any of these therapies because the enriched plasma is derived from the patient’s own blood. The PRP has a concentrated amount of white blood cells, which are the body's natural defenders against infections.

How long do the benefits of these treatments last?

On average, the benefits of PRP Treatments last a year or more depending on external factors. Some patients will need to repeat PRP treatment more often than others to maintain the hair growth effects.

Do the treatment hurt?

Some patients may experience the injections as uncomfortable and sometimes painful. To minimize the pain a topical anesthetic may be used.

How do these treatments work?
These treatments stimulate hair follicles, improves scalp blood circulation, and encourages tissue recovery. With the use of your own plasma, this one-of-a-kind therapy encourages the production of growth factors, leading to cell regeneration. Plasma is needed because it contains a lot of growth hormones, nutrients, and bioactive proteins that help with cell regeneration and tissue loss.
Platelets are tiny blood cells that circulate in our bloodstream and bind together when they detect injury to form blood clots (mesh) that halt bleeding and facilitate healing.

Who is suitable for these treatment?
- Patients who experience hair loss, hair thinning or early stages of  pattern baldness.
- Men and women suffering from all forms of alopecia may have some success from PRP.
- Ineffective on bald patients as the hair follicles have to be present in order for PRP to be its best.
- Patients aged 18 and over.
- Suitable for patients who have had or are having a hair transplant.
- Patients who do not respond to hair growth medications and other hair loss therapies.

Recover time

Some brief mild redness and numbness of the scalp may be present for several hours. Most patients can return to work immediately after. Patients may shampoo their hair normally and resume normal daily and athletic activities just 24 hours after the treatment. No harsh chemical colouring or perming treatments should be performed for at least 72 hours.

Results
We always try and set realistic expecations with our clients. It takes time to try and regrow hair and not everyone experiences the results they wish to achieve. As with all treatments, the more you do, the better the results usually. 
The individual's biological and genetical features, lifestyle variables, other causes of hair loss, hair texture and density, and other aspects all influence the final outcome of any treatment and results are not guaranteed. 

Recommended number of treatments

3 to 6 sessions are recommended, depending on the individual. The number of sessions required and the expected outcomes vary.  We are able to offer the In Clinic treatments but because of external factors, results vary from person to person. 

What are the benefits of PRP and PRF treatment?

Using your own PRP ensures that only a natural liquid is penetrating your scalp, encouraging the creation of new hair cells and reducing hair loss. There is no need for recovery time after a session; you can return to your daily routine right away.

Is this right for me?
PRP hair restoration treatment can help patients who are experiencing hair thinning or loss. If you suffer from alopecia or other immune system issues, the results can be significant over time.
We do recommend that everyone considering PRP or PRF treatments do as much research on the topic to decide if this is an option to consider as these treatments are not always successful. We do also suggest that anyone wanting to have these treatments do make some lifestyle changes if needed to ensure you get the best possible outcome.

Advantages of PRP, PRF & GFC Therapy in Hair Transplantation:

They may provide you with the following benefits in Hair Transplantation:

  • Decreases the sensitivity in the surgical field during the procedure as well as the postoperative period.

  • Avoids all the possible post-surgical complications.

  • Promotes and accelerates the adhesion of transplanted grafts.

  • Reduces redness following the surgery.

  • Faster healing of wounds

  • Quicker regeneration of tissues

  • Limited hair loss

  • Faster results because of the regeneration of the transplanted hair follicles.

  • PRP results are not guaranteed after hair transplants.

Hair shedding after treatments may occur:
Why is my PRP or PRF treatment causing me more shedding? 
These treatments do not help everyone and in fact, in some cases actually makes hair fall worse after treatments or there may be no new hair growth.
Hair shedding after first and second session is fairly common. It makes good sense that shedding occurs. After all, PRP or PRF involves flooding the scalp with many different growth factors, cytokines and chemokine - suddenly. Within a matter of minutes, hairs are essentially bathing in a new environment. For some hairs - this whole experience is a bit much - and they shed.

There are two main scenarios that can happen whenever a patient experiences more shedding after their treatment session.

Scenario 1. The hair shedding is a good sign and thicker hair follows. For any treatment that actually works in treating androgenetic alopecia, we expect some hair shedding. Miniaturized hairs leave the scalp quickly in order to regrow as thicker and stronger hairs. Shedding in this case is a good thing.

Scenario 2. The hair shedding speeds up the process of the genetic hair loss. PRP or PRF can sometimes cause a telogen effluvium that drives the underlying Androgenetic Alopecia to worsen.
 
For some patients who get shedding, the shedding is just the first step en-route to better hair. For others who get shedding, this shedding experience carries the risk of actually worsening.

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