Category Archives: Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)

Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), Platelet-Rich Plasma, PRP

A Smorgasbord of PRP and Hair Growth News

107 Comments

Make sure to also read my post from last year on how well PRP works for hair loss. There are quite a few studies from around the world that suggest that PRP is more than just a scam as many commentators seem to think.

PRP Injections Hair Loss
PRP Injections for Hair Loss.

PRP and Hair Growth: New Developments

The past several weeks have witnessed a huge number of news items, forum posts, videos and more related to platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and hair growth.

  • First, in November Dr. Joseph Greco published a new chapter on PRP and stem cells in a textbook. There are some great photos and statistics in there. Edit: Link no longer works.
  • A new Italian study on PRP and hair regrowth was published in November in Stem Cells Translational Medicine. Results were favorable, with mean hair count increasing by 33.6 hairs, and mean hair density increasing by 45. 9 hairs per square centimeter. Point of interest: “We also observed an increase of Ki67(+) keratinocytes in the epidermis and of hair follicular bulge cells, and a slight increase of small blood vessels around hair follicles in the treated skin.”
  • At the 9th Congress for Hair Research from November 18-21, Dr. Ratchathorn Panchaprateep from Thailand presented favorable findings regarding combination therapy treatment of hair loss using PRP and non-ablative 1,550 nm Erbium glass fractional laser. Total benefits in nine patients averaged around 17 percent increases in both hair density and hair mass. Treatment entailed two injection each month for six months in total.
  • On November 24th, Dr. Sam Lam published a video of his presentation on PRP/ACell/ATP at the 7th Annual Hair Transplant 360 Workshop that took place in Saint Louis, Missouri from November 19-22. ATP stands for Adenosine triphosphate, and it is usually administered in liposomal form via a spray during a hair transplant procedure.
  • Also on November 24th, Dr. Alvi Armani’s clinic representative posted a forum thread where they state that PRP in combination with hair restoration procedures is leading to superior results. They have been administering platelet-rich plasma in their patients for a few years. Edit: Link no longer works.
  • On December 8th, the UK’s sensationalist/gossip rag Daily Mail (my favorite newspaper when it comes to hair related news) published an article on PRP injected in gel form for hair growth purposes. The Daily Mail’s articles are often quite superficial, but I am still glad that they give so much emphasis to hair loss news.

Overall, it seems like PRP is here to stay in the hair loss industry, especially when used in combination with extracellular matrix products such as ACell. However, as one doctor told me recently, platelet-rich plasma will not regrow hair in totally bald areas. At best, it will make existing hair stronger, and in those who are lucky, reverse recent miniaturization. Moreover, some of the growth factors in PRP have been proven to aid with hair growth.

It is important to go to an experienced physician if getting platelet-rich plasma treatments. I would only go to a doctor who has been treating hair loss patients with PRP for at least two years. You should also carefully check the pricing and number of treatments needed per year, as both vary significantly depending on physician. Some clinics advertise rates that are very obvious ripoffs in my opinion.