PRP Treatment for Hair Loss

PRP (platelet-rich plasma) therapy for hair loss is a three-step medical treatment. A small amount of blood is drawn from your arm, spun in a centrifuge to separate a plasma layer rich in platelets, and that concentrate is injected into the scalp. The whole visit usually takes 30 to 45 minutes, and you can go back to normal life the same day.

This page explains what PRP can and can't do for thinning hair, how a session works, how long the results last and how we use PRP alongside a hair transplant at our clinic in Istanbul.

What is PRP hair treatment?

Platelets are small blood cells best known for helping blood clot. They also carry growth factors, signalling proteins that the body uses to repair tissue. That's why platelet concentrates have been used for many years to help slow-healing wounds.

In hair treatment, the idea is to bring a high concentration of those growth factors to the follicles. Follicles affected by pattern hair loss gradually shrink and produce thinner, shorter hairs. PRP aims to support those weakened follicles so that the hair they produce stays thicker and the shedding slows down.

Because the plasma comes from your own blood, nothing foreign is injected. That's the main reason PRP is so well tolerated.

Does PRP actually regrow hair?

PRP works on follicles that are still alive, even if they're weak or resting. It can thicken thinning hair and slow down shedding. It can't grow hair from nothing. If an area has been smooth and bald for years, the follicles there are gone, and no injection will bring them back. In that case the area first needs new follicles from a hair transplant, and PRP can then support the result.

Results also differ from person to person. Patients in the early stages of thinning, with plenty of miniaturized hair still present, usually see the clearest benefit. Research reviews generally report improved hair density and thickness after a series of sessions, although protocols vary between clinics.

How is PRP prepared and applied?

1. Blood draw. A small tube of blood is taken from the arm, much like a routine blood test.
2. Centrifuge. The tube is spun for several minutes. The red cells settle at the bottom, and the platelet-rich plasma is collected from the top.
3. Application. The plasma is injected with a very fine needle into the thinning areas of the scalp. A session usually ends within 30 to 45 minutes.

Most patients describe the injections as a quick pinching feeling. You can wash your hair and go back to work the next day.

Does PRP have side effects?

PRP is made from your own blood, so there's no risk of an allergic reaction or rejection, and it has no known side effects. Some patients notice light tenderness at the injection points for a few hours, which settles on its own. It's suitable for both men and women, and it can be combined with medical treatment for hair loss.

How many sessions do you need, and how long does it last?

PRP works best as a series rather than a single visit. For thicker hair, a common schedule is a session at months 1, 3, 4, 6, 9 and 12 over the first year. If you’d like more frequent sessions, having PRP every month is also fine and does no harm. The results aren't permanent, but they last about 18 months on average, and up to 2 years has been reported. After the first year, many patients keep the effect with one maintenance session a year.

Your exact plan depends on how advanced the thinning is and what other treatment you're using, so it's set after an examination.

PRP in the hair transplant process

At our clinic, every hair transplant ends with one PRP application on the day of surgery. Because the newly implanted follicles sit in fresh channels, the plasma can be applied directly onto the scalp without extra injections. It's included in the operation day and supports early healing of the recipient and donor areas.

After the transplant, PRP sessions in the following months can help the new and existing hair grow thicker. They're optional. The transplanted follicles grow without them, and the decision depends on your hair and your schedule.

Is mesotherapy an easier alternative?

Regular PRP visits aren't practical for everyone, especially for patients who live abroad and return home after surgery. For them, hair mesotherapy can be an easier way to keep supporting the scalp. Mesotherapy delivers vitamins, minerals and amino acids to the scalp, and the application is simpler than PRP because no blood needs to be drawn or processed.

We mention it as an option, not a requirement. Neither PRP nor mesotherapy is necessary for a transplant to succeed, and we'll tell you honestly whether either one is worth it in your case.