The Efficacy of Platelet-Rich Plasma in the Field of Hair Restoration and Facial Aesthetics—A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Abstract

As a promising alternative to traditional treatment, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is being used to encourage hair growth through the release of growth factors and cytokines. In addition to hair restoration, PRP’s multifactorial capabilities can also be used to treat aging skin, facial scarring, and acne. The purpose of this review is to critically examine the success of PRP in the field of dermatology, with specific attention to the role of PRP in hair restoration. Where possible, meta-analyses were used to evaluate the efficacy of PRP. In androgenetic alopecia (AGA) patients, 3 monthly PRP injections (1 session administered every month for 3 months) exhibited greater efficacy over placebo as measured by change in total hair density (hair/cm2) over the treatment period (mean difference: 25.61, 95% CI: 4.45 to 46.77; P = .02). The studies included in the meta-analysis used a half-head design, which may have influenced the results because of the effects PRP can induce. Controlled studies suggest that 2 to 4 sessions of PRP combined with traditional therapies and procedures can help minimize acne scarring and facial burns, improve aesthetic results, and decrease recovery time. However, data for these indications are lacking and are less robust in design. In conclusion, to achieve an improvement in hair restoration in patients with mild AGA, 3 initial monthly PRP injections should be given. Only upon completion of rigorous, randomized, controlled studies can standardized and effective PRP protocols for treating dermatology conditions such as acne scarring, facial burns, and aging skin be determined.

Platelet‐poor plasma gel vs platelet‐rich plasma for infraorbital rejuvenation: A clinical and dermoscopic comparative study

“…It has been used successfully in several aesthetic fields and skin rejuvenation. 6 PPP gel is another plasma formulation that is rich in fibrin and gelled proteins which provide volume and stability at the site of injection. It is recently suggested for soft tissue augmentation as it is a semi-solid, easily injectable material that generally fulfills the standard safety requirements.…”

Platelet-rich plasma: The journey so far !

“…A systematic review and meta-analysis including 23 studies of PRP use in AGA (7 randomized controlled trials, with 6 studies having a half-head design) reported that monthly PRP administration for 3 months produced significant improvement in total hair density, compared to placebo, with most studies using a half-head design. [ 17 ] The authors further reported that while 26% of studies showed strong evidence for the use of PRP in AGA, 30% of studies showed moderate-level evidence and as high as 47% of studies had low evidence. Whereas another systematic review concluded the lack of enough evidence for the use of PRP-based therapies in androgenetic alopecia.…”

Platelet‐rich plasma for treatment resistant frontal fibrosing alopecia: A case report

“…Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is an autologous product that is prepared by centrifuging from patients' own venous blood (Giordano, Romeo, & Lankinen, 2017). Recently, PRP has emerged as a promising agent for treating alopecias and a number of reports have been published showing encouraging results, particularly for androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata (Giordano et al, 2017;Gupta et al, 2019;Trink et al, 2013); however, its efficacy in FFA is unknown. infiltration were observed on the vertical sections.…”

“…There are only a few case reports, which assess the use of PRP in primary cicatricial alopecia (Bolan ca, Goren, Getaldi c-Švarc, Vu ci c, & Šitum, 2018; Dina & Aguh, 2018;Gupta et al, 2019;Jha, 2019). It has been used to treat lichen planopilaris and central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia, wherein global improvement of hair density and regression of the symptoms and signs was achieved in the patients (Dina & Aguh, 2018;Bolan ca et al, 2018;Jha, 2019).…”

“…It has been used to treat lichen planopilaris and central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia, wherein global improvement of hair density and regression of the symptoms and signs was achieved in the patients (Dina & Aguh, 2018;Bolan ca et al, 2018;Jha, 2019). PRP comprises several growth factors and cytokines and can support hair growth and follicle survival by stimulating the stem cells located in the bulge region which in turn can activate the proliferative phase of the hair cycle (Dina & Aguh, 2018;Giordano et al, 2017;Gupta et al, 2019). Additionally, the anti-inflammatory effects of growth factors, as well as their ability to promote remodeling of collagen and extracellular matrix may contribute to their potential success in treating primary cicatricial alopecia (Bolan ca et al, 2018;Dina & Aguh, 2018).…”