The Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Autologous Activated Platelet-Rich Plasma Injection in Androgenetic Alopecia

Abstract

Introduction: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a common, chronic hair loss disorder. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a novel therapeutic tool for AGA. The objective of this study was to assess the clinical efficacy and safety of autologous activated PRP injections in AGA. Methods: Twenty-four AGA patients were enrolled in the study. All the patients received 4 PRP treatments at baseline (T1), 3 weeks (T2), 6 weeks (T3), and at 14 weeks (T5). We evaluated hair density (hairs/cm2) at 6 time points (T1-T3, T4 [9 weeks], T5, and T6 [7 months]) and patient satisfaction was assessed at T6 with a patient satisfaction questionnaire. Hair count (hairs/0.48 cm2) was assessed using dermoscopic photographs and hair density (hairs/cm2) was calculated accordingly. Results: Twenty-three men and one woman were included with baseline hair density of 102.25 ± 18.463. Hair density significantly increased at all time points with p < 0.001 compared to the baseline. Patients were satisfied with a mean result rating of 72.92 on a linear analogue scale of 0-100. Other than mild pain felt during injections, no remarkable adverse effects were noted. Conclusions: PRP injections may have a positive therapeutic effect on AGA without major side effects.