Is PRP Better Than A Hair Transplant?

Platelet-rich plasma therapy, or PRP, is one of the popular treatments we offer across the network of KSL Clinic practices. PRP is not necessarily an alternative to a hair transplant, but it is frequently used as an initial treatment process or to augment recovery following a transplant.

However, PRP can be advantageous for clients who are not candidates for a hair transplant due to myriad factors. It may also be advisable for those who wish to explore lower-cost non-surgical therapies in the interim, where pattern hair loss and genetics indicate that a hair transplant at this stage would not be the optimal way forward.

Our specialist hair transplant surgeons and technicians always recommend treatments based solely on your wishes, hair loss concerns, and the likelihood of any therapy or transplant achieving your desired appearance and aesthetic.

PRP vs Hair Transplant – which is better?

KSL Clinic always recommends the Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) technique for clients requiring a hair transplant. However, we can only verify whether a hair transplant would be effective after performing a clinical evaluation of your scalp and hair during a cost-free consultation at your preferred clinic.

The FUE procedure involves extracting tiny follicles from areas around your scalp with healthy, thick hair growth and transplanting graded, carefully selected follicles into the target area using a microscopic tool, with no scarring or large incisions.

FUE transplants are widely considered the safest solution, given that the hair transplant approach is low risk, suited to most clients, and uses only your own follicles for a seamless, natural appearance.

Platelet-rich plasma therapy is an established, professional treatment that assists in healing and recovery [1]. It can be used within therapies to help with recovery after an accident or surgery and as a secondary treatment to optimise recovery times after a hair transplant.

Several variables exist, and PRP is usually scheduled as a series of treatments rather than a one-off procedure. It involves drawing a small blood sample, normally from your arm, and placing it in a centrifuge to extract the valuable biodynamic compounds.

Reinjecting those compounds into areas with hair loss can stimulate follicular and cellular activity to prevent hair loss from continuing, reduce the speed of ongoing hair loss, or help with scalp recovery and hair restoration after or before a hair transplant. 

Benefits of Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy

The major benefit of PRP is that it uses the platelet from your own blood, without synthetic compounds, that are known to boost the concentration of growth compounds within the target area. This can help with healing, tissue recovery, bone regeneration and neovascularisation, the technical name for the formation of new blood vessels. [2]

Results through PRP may take longer to emerge, but this solution is often preferable for clients who find that:

• They are not candidates for a hair transplant because they lack healthy donor follicles with the same density and characteristics as their other hair.
• They would find it difficult to commit to the recovery, aftercare, and downtime necessary to ensure that the hair transplant results are effective and meet their expectations.
• They prefer a non-surgical approach, either because of underlying medical conditions that might limit the suitability of a hair transplant or because of personal preferences.

Dr Matee, Director of Surgical Services, explains that ‘We commonly use PRP therapies following a hair transplant but can also suggest a personalised treatment schedule to help with hair restoration as a standalone therapy if, for any of the reasons mentioned above, you cannot or do not wish to proceed with a hair transplant’.

Here’s a table comparing PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) and hair transplants:

Hair Regrowth Timelines: Hair Transplants Compared to PRP

Although PRP therapies are delivered over a series of treatments, and a hair transplant using the FUE technique is completed on a walk-in/walk-out basis, both can provide excellent skin and hair health results.

Studies have shown that PRP is even used in the medical treatment of conditions like osteoarthritis, which improves functional movement and reduces pain in some types of arthritis. [3]

In terms of timing, an FUE hair transplant typically begins to regrow within four to six months, with full hair regrowth after approximately one year. The initial recovery period is just two weeks, after which you can return to your usual routines.

PRP can provide gradual and ongoing improvements in the density of your hair and slow the pace of continuing hair loss – it is often ideal for clients who are reluctant to proceed with a hair transplant or who are in the early stages of hair thinning or loss.

A hair transplant too early might mean the client requires further transplants since pattern hair loss is likely to continue. Therefore, PRP could ensure that, when the time is right for a transplant, the client has experienced less hair loss than they might otherwise.