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BG PRP Hair Treatment: What the Trials Show and How the Protocol Works
PRP is one of the most widely offered and least precisely described hair treatments available. This page sets out the protocol we follow, the pooled results from randomised controlled trials including their limitations, who should not have it, and what it costs.
- What is PRP hair treatment?
- How it works
- The procedure, step by step
- Who it helps
- When we advise against it
- What the evidence shows
- What to realistically expect
- Session schedule and timeline
- PRP compared with other treatments
- PRP and hair transplantation
- Safety and side effects
- Cost
- Frequently asked questions
- References
What is PRP hair treatment?
PRP is a concentrate made from your own blood. Platelets are separated from the other blood components in a centrifuge, and the resulting platelet-rich plasma is injected into the areas of the scalp where hair is thinning.
You will see the same treatment described in several ways: PRP hair treatment, plasma hair treatment, PRP for hair loss, or simply hair growth injections. They all refer to this procedure.
Platelets are best known for clotting, but they also carry a store of signalling proteins — growth factors — released whenever tissue needs repair. Concentrating them and delivering them around the hair follicles is intended to improve the local environment in which those follicles are trying to work.
Nothing is added. No drug, no donor material, no synthetic carrier. What is injected came out of your arm twenty minutes earlier.
How it works
In androgenetic alopecia, follicles do not disappear overnight. They miniaturise: each successive growth cycle produces a finer, shorter, less pigmented hair, the growth phase shortens, and eventually the follicle stops producing anything visible. That process runs over years, and for most of it the follicle is still there.
PRP targets that period. The growth factors concentrated in platelets — among them platelet-derived growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor and transforming growth factor beta — are involved in angiogenesis, cell proliferation and tissue repair. The working hypothesis is that delivering them into the perifollicular tissue improves blood supply and prolongs the growth phase in follicles that are still cycling.
The limit of the treatment, stated plainly. PRP acts on follicles that still exist. Where the scalp is smooth and shiny and the follicles have been lost, there is nothing for growth factors to act on. No number of sessions changes that. Those areas need a hair transplant, and a clinic selling you PRP for a bald crown is selling rather than assessing.
The procedure, step by step
| Stage | What happens | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1 · Assessment | Trichoscopy of the thinning area, miniaturisation mapped, baseline photographs at standard angles | 10 min |
| 2 · Blood draw | 10–20 ml drawn from a vein in the arm, as for a routine blood test | 5 min |
| 3 · Centrifugation | Blood spun in dedicated tubes to separate red cells, white cells and platelet-rich plasma. The plasma layer is drawn off | 8–10 min |
| 4 · Scalp preparation | Antiseptic preparation; topical anaesthetic applied where sensitivity requires it | 5–10 min |
| 5 · Injection | Plasma injected into the dermis across a grid, roughly 0.1–0.2 ml per cm² of treated scalp | 10–15 min |
| 6 · Discharge | Aftercare explained. No dressing. Normal activity the same day | 5 min |
The plasma is injected within minutes of preparation. It is not stored, frozen or sent elsewhere. Injection volume follows the dosing used in the published trials rather than being estimated by eye.
What you will feel
The blood draw feels like any blood test. The scalp injections feel like a rapid series of small stings, with some pressure. Most patients tolerate this without topical anaesthetic, but it is available and used where the scalp is sensitive. Brief local discomfort is the most commonly reported effect in the published trials. You can drive afterwards.
Who it helps
- Early to moderate androgenetic alopecia — men at Norwood II–IV, women at Ludwig I–II, where trichoscopy shows miniaturisation rather than empty scalp
- Female pattern hair loss with diffuse thinning and a preserved hairline
- Before a hair transplant, to support the native hair around the planned graft area
- After a hair transplant, to support surrounding native hair as it continues to thin
- Telogen effluvium that has settled, where the underlying cause has been identified and corrected
- Patients who cannot take finasteride or prefer not to, as part of a wider plan
What matters is not age or how long you have been losing hair, but what the trichoscope shows: how many follicles survive in the area, and what proportion of them are miniaturised rather than lost.
When we advise against it
PRP has more genuine contraindications than most non-surgical hair treatments, because it depends on your platelets working normally.
- Platelet disorders, thrombocytopenia or any bleeding disorder — the treatment relies on a normal platelet count and function.
- Anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy that has not been reviewed. This is a discussion with the prescribing doctor, not something to stop on your own.
- Active cancer treatment, or a haematological malignancy.
- Active infection, systemic or on the scalp, and any open wound in the treatment area.
- Severe active scalp disease — dermatitis, psoriasis or folliculitis must be treated first.
- Advanced hair loss with smooth, shiny scalp. Norwood V–VII, or any area where follicles have gone. There is nothing to stimulate.
- Untreated underlying causes — thyroid disease, iron deficiency, or a medication driving the shedding. These are investigated and corrected first; otherwise the treatment works against an active cause.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding — postponed as a precaution.
Blood tests are reviewed before a first session where the history suggests any of the above. If your trichoscopy shows too few surviving follicles for PRP to work, we will say so before you book a course.
What the evidence shows
PRP has been studied more thoroughly than most treatments in this category, and the findings are genuinely mixed in an interesting way.
| Measure | Pooled result | Certainty |
|---|---|---|
| Hair density vs placebo | +27.55 hairs/cm² (95% CI 14.04–41.06) | Low — wide variation between trials |
| Hair shaft diameter vs placebo | +2.02 μm (95% CI −0.85 to 4.88) | Very low — not statistically significant |
| Trials showing improved density | 13 of 14 | Consistent direction of effect |
| Serious adverse events | None reported | Consistent across trials |
| Most common side effect | Short-duration local pain | Consistent across trials |
Source: Kieling et al., 2024 — a systematic review and meta-analysis of 14 randomised controlled trials, 431 patients (319 treated, 310 controls). Most trials used monthly injections at 0.1–0.2 ml/cm².
How to read these numbers honestly
The density figure is large — and the uncertainty around it is also large. A gain of 27.6 hairs per cm² would be a substantial change, more than most patients expect from an injection. But the confidence interval runs from 14 to 41, and heterogeneity between the trials was very high. In plain terms: PRP worked in almost every trial, but by amounts that differed enormously depending on how it was prepared, how often it was given and who was treated.
The diameter finding did not reach significance. Individual hairs did not measurably thicken across the pooled data. The benefit, where it appears, is in how many hairs are growing rather than how thick each one is.
Protocols are not standardised. Half the trials used a platelet activator and half did not. Injection frequency varied. There is no single agreed PRP recipe, which is the main reason the results scatter and the reason the authors rated the certainty of the evidence as low despite a positive pooled effect.
What this means for you: PRP is well supported as a treatment that does something, with a good safety record, and poorly supported as a treatment with a predictable effect size. We think that is worth telling you before you pay for a course of six sessions.
What to realistically expect
- Reduced shedding first. Usually after the second or third session. Fewer hairs in the shower and on the pillow — the earliest and most consistently reported change.
- Better hair quality. Hair feels stronger and holds a style better, often before any change is visible in the mirror.
- Measurable density gain. Visible on trichoscopy and in standardised photographs, generally from month three onwards and more clearly at six.
- Visible cosmetic change. The least certain outcome, and entirely dependent on how much surviving follicular activity you started with.
PRP does not create new follicles. It supports the ones you have. A patient with widespread miniaturisation and a dense population of surviving follicles can see a striking difference; a patient whose thinning is already advanced will see very little, no matter how many sessions are given.
Session schedule and timeline
| Stage | Timing | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Session 1 | Week 0 | Baseline trichoscopy and photographs, first treatment |
| Session 2 | Week 4–6 | Second treatment |
| Session 3 | Week 8–12 | Reduced shedding typically noticed around this point |
| Sessions 4–6 | Every 4–6 weeks | Course completed according to response and severity |
| Review | Month 6 | Trichoscopy and comparison photographs. The point at which the result is assessed |
| Maintenance | Every 6–12 months | Single sessions, decided on the six-month measurements |
A course is 3–6 sessions. Which end of that range depends on the extent of the thinning and how the scalp responds after the first three. Photographs are taken at the same angles under the same lighting each time; without that, “it looks a bit better” is not an assessment.
PRP compared with other treatments
| PRP | Regenera Activa | Minoxidil / finasteride | Hair transplant | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it does | Supports miniaturising follicles | Supports miniaturising follicles | Slows or partly reverses miniaturisation | Moves living follicles to bald areas |
| Works on bald scalp | No | No | No | Yes |
| Course | 3–6 sessions, 4–6 weeks apart | 1 session, repeat at 6–12 months | Daily, indefinitely | One procedure |
| Source material | Your blood | Your scalp tissue | A drug | Your own follicles |
| Evidence base | 14 randomised trials, pooled; certainty rated low | Cohort studies and small series | Large randomised trials; both licensed | Established surgical practice |
| Price at Hair of Istanbul | €150 per session | €750 per session | Prescription cost | €4,000–5,000 |
These are not competitors. A typical plan is medical therapy as the foundation, PRP or Regenera Activa to support the thinning zone, and a transplant for areas where follicles have already been lost.
PRP or Regenera Activa?
They act on the same patients and the same problem. The practical differences are the schedule and the source material: PRP is a course of three to six sessions drawn from your blood, Regenera Activa a single session taken from a small sample of your scalp. PRP has the larger randomised evidence base; Regenera Activa has the simpler schedule. Head-to-head comparative trials are lacking, so the choice is usually made on how often you can attend and what your scalp shows at assessment.
PRP and hair transplantation
Before surgery
A transplant relocates hair; it does not stop the native hair around it from thinning. Where trichoscopy shows active miniaturisation in the zones surrounding the planned graft area, supporting that hair beforehand addresses the part of the result surgery cannot.
After surgery
PRP is commonly given after a transplant to support the surrounding native hair. It is worth being clear about what it does not do: the survival of transplanted grafts is determined during the procedure itself — by time out of the body, temperature control and handling — not by injections afterwards. Those factors are covered on our FUE technique page.
Included in your package. Every hair transplant at Hair of Istanbul includes one PRP session in the all-inclusive price. Further sessions are €150 each and are recommended only where trichoscopy shows surviving follicular activity worth supporting.
Safety and side effects
Across 14 randomised trials, no serious adverse events were reported. Because the plasma comes from your own blood, there is no risk of immune rejection and no risk of an allergic reaction to a foreign substance.
That does not make the procedure free of risk. Any injection through the skin carries a small risk of infection, and the blood draw carries the ordinary risks of venepuncture.
| Effect | Frequency | Course |
|---|---|---|
| Local pain during injection | Common — most reported effect in trials | Brief, resolves immediately |
| Redness and mild swelling | Common | Hours |
| Tenderness of the scalp | Common | 24–48 hours |
| Bruising at the blood draw site | Occasional | Days |
| Headache after the session | Occasional | Hours |
| Infection at an injection site | Uncommon | Requires review and treatment |
| Fainting during the blood draw | Uncommon | Resolves with positioning |
Aftercare
- Leave the scalp dry for the rest of the treatment day; wash normally from the following morning
- Avoid heavy exercise, sauna and swimming pools for 48 hours
- Avoid alcohol for 24 hours and anti-inflammatory painkillers for 48 hours, as they act against the mechanism
- Do not apply minoxidil or other topicals to the treated area for 24 hours
- Contact the clinic if redness increases after day two rather than settling
Cost
PRP costs €150 per session at Hair of Istanbul. A course of three to six sessions therefore costs €450–900, and one session is already included in every hair transplant package.
| Treatment | Price | Typical course | Course total |
|---|---|---|---|
| PRP therapy | €150 per session | 3–6 sessions | €450–900 |
| Regenera Activa | €750 | 1 session | €750 |
| Hair transplant | €4,000–5,000 | One procedure | All-inclusive, includes one PRP session |
Assessment, trichoscopy and follow-up photographs are included. See the full 2026 price list.
“PRP is the most oversold treatment in this field and also one of the better studied. Both things are true. Used on the right scalp it earns its place in a plan; sold as a cure for a bald crown it is simply money taken from someone who needed different advice.”
— Dr Mahmut Satekin, Medical Aesthetics Physician, Hair of Istanbul
Frequently asked questions
What is PRP hair treatment?
A treatment in which 10–20 ml of your own blood is drawn, spun in a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets, and the resulting platelet-rich plasma injected into the thinning areas of your scalp. Platelets carry growth factors involved in tissue repair. Nothing is added to what is injected.
Does PRP actually work for hair loss?
A 2024 meta-analysis of 14 randomised controlled trials covering 431 patients found an average gain of 27.55 hairs per cm² compared with placebo, and 13 of the 14 trials showed improved density. However, the certainty of that evidence was rated low because results varied widely between trials and protocols are not standardised. The effect on individual hair thickness did not reach statistical significance.
How many PRP sessions do I need?
A course is 3–6 sessions, four to six weeks apart, followed by maintenance sessions every six to twelve months. Where in that range you fall depends on the extent of the thinning and how your scalp responds to the first three sessions.
How much does PRP hair treatment cost?
€150 per session at Hair of Istanbul, so a course of three to six sessions costs €450–900. Assessment, trichoscopy and follow-up photographs are included. One PRP session is already included in every hair transplant package.
Is PRP painful?
The blood draw feels like any blood test. The scalp injections feel like a rapid series of small stings. Brief local pain is the most commonly reported effect in the published trials. Topical anaesthetic is available where the scalp is sensitive, and most patients do not need it.
How long does a PRP session take?
30–45 minutes in total: about five minutes for the blood draw, eight to ten minutes of centrifugation, and ten to fifteen minutes of injections. There is no downtime and you can drive afterwards.
When will I see results from PRP?
Reduced shedding is usually noticed after the second or third session. Measurable density change appears on trichoscopy from around month three, and the result is assessed at month six against baseline photographs taken under identical conditions.
Are PRP results permanent?
No. Androgenetic alopecia is progressive, and no treatment supporting existing follicles halts that process. Maintenance sessions every six to twelve months, usually alongside medical therapy, determine whether a gain is held.
Can PRP regrow hair on a bald area?
No. It acts on follicles that are still alive but underperforming. Where the scalp is smooth and shiny and the follicles have gone, there is nothing for growth factors to act on. A hair transplant is the appropriate treatment for those areas.
Is PRP better than Regenera Activa?
They treat the same patients and the same problem. PRP has the larger randomised evidence base; Regenera Activa has the simpler schedule of a single session rather than a course. Head-to-head comparative trials are lacking, so the choice is usually made on how often you can attend and what your assessment shows.
Who should not have PRP?
Patients with platelet or bleeding disorders, those on anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy that has not been reviewed, anyone in active cancer treatment, patients with active infection or severe scalp disease, and anyone whose hair loss is advanced enough that the follicles have gone. Pregnancy and breastfeeding are reasons to postpone.
Can I have PRP if I take blood thinners?
Not without review. PRP depends on normal platelet function, and antiplatelet drugs work directly against that. This is a conversation with the doctor who prescribed them. Never stop a prescribed medication on your own initiative.
Can PRP be combined with a hair transplant?
Yes, and one session is included in every transplant package. Before surgery it supports the native hair around the planned graft area; afterwards it supports that hair as it continues to thin. It does not change the survival of transplanted grafts, which is determined during the procedure itself.
Can I have PRP while using minoxidil or finasteride?
Yes. They work through different mechanisms and are frequently combined. Avoid applying minoxidil to the treated area for 24 hours after a session, and tell us about all medication at your assessment.
What is the difference between PRP and mesotherapy?
Mesotherapy injects vitamins, minerals and amino acids from an external preparation. PRP injects a concentrate made from your own blood, containing no added substances. They are sometimes used together, but they are different treatments with different evidence bases.
Does PRP work for women?
Yes. Female pattern hair loss with diffuse thinning and a preserved hairline is a common indication, because that pattern typically involves widespread miniaturisation rather than complete follicle loss. The underlying cause — thyroid function, ferritin, hormonal factors — is investigated first.
How will I know whether it worked?
Trichoscopy measurements and photographs taken at standard angles before the first session, repeated at months three and six under identical lighting and camera settings. Without a baseline, there is no way to distinguish a real change from a better haircut.
References
- Kieling L, Konzen AT, Zanella RK, Valente DS. Is autologous platelet-rich plasma capable of increasing hair density in patients with androgenic alopecia? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia, 2024;99:847–862.
- Zhang M, Park G, Zhou B, Luo D. Applications and efficacy of platelet-rich plasma in dermatology: A clinical review. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2018.
- Gupta AK, Carviel JL. Meta-analysis of efficacy of platelet-rich plasma therapy for androgenetic alopecia. Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017.
- Norwood OT. Male pattern baldness: classification and incidence. Southern Medical Journal, 1975.
- Ludwig E. Classification of the types of androgenetic alopecia occurring in the female sex. British Journal of Dermatology, 1977.
Find out whether PRP is worth it for your scalp
Send photographs of the thinning area. We will tell you whether trichoscopy is likely to show enough surviving follicular activity for a course to be worth your money — including if the honest answer is that a transplant, or medical therapy first, would serve you better.
Medically reviewed by Dr Mahmut Satekin, Medical Aesthetics Physician at Hair of Istanbul. Last reviewed August 2026. This page is general information about a medical treatment and does not replace individual assessment. Suitability and expected outcome are determined after examination and trichoscopy.
