Written by Jessica Patella, ND. Platelet‐rich plasma and with microneedling is superior to platelet‐rich plasma alone or minoxidil monotherapy in patients with androgenetic alopecia.
Androgenetic alopecia is commonly known as “male pattern baldness” although it effects both men and women 1,2. In women it is more likely to cause thinning of the hair and hair loss all over the head versus in the typical male pattern 2. Androgenetic alopecia effects 50 million men and 30 million women in the United States 2. Recent research shows that microneedling and platelet-rich plasma injections may help increase hair growth 1.
One of the most common treatments for androgenetic alopecia is minoxidil lotion (5%) applied to the scalp 1. Some alternative treatments include platelet-rich plasma, which is a process of centrifuging the patient’s plasma multiple times so it is rich with platelets. This is then combined with calcium chloride and then injected into the scalp 1. Another treatment is called microneedling, which is the process of inserting multiple sterile microneedles into the scalp 1.
Recent research wanted to investigate if there is a difference in hair growth in treating with minoxidil lotion alone versus minoxidil with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or minoxidil with platelet-rich plasma and microneedling 1. The participants (n=93) were divided into three groups:
- Control Group: Minoxidil only (5%) applied twice daily (n=31)
- PRP Group: Minoxidil (5%) applied twice daily, plus PRP treatment (4 treatments total, 3 weeks apart) (n=31)
- PRP & Microneedling Group: Minoxidil (5%) applied twice daily, plus PRP and microneedling treatment (4 treatments total, 3 weeks apart) (n=31)
After 3 months of treatment the following results were observed:
| Control Group | PRP Group | PRP & Microneedling Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hair pull test | Negative in 15 participants (48.4%) NS | Negative in 20 participants (64.7%) P<0.05 | Negative in 27 participants (87.1%) P<0.01 |
| Hair Growth | Improved in 10/31 | Improved in 17/31 | Improved in 26/31 |
| Participants self-satisfaction | NS | NS | High satisfaction in 24/31 participants |
*NS= not significant
In conclusion, platelet-rich plasma with microneedling was shown to be better than PRP alone or minoxidil monotherapy in participants with androgenetic alopecia 1. Future research is needed with a larger population to confirm results.
Source: Jha AK, Vinay K, Zeeshan M, Roy PK, Chaudhary RKP, Priya A. Platelet‐rich plasma and microneedling improves hair growth in patients ofandrogenetic alopecia when used as an adjuvant to minoxidil. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2019;18:1330–1335. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.12864
Posted January 27, 2020.
References:
- Jha AK, Vinay K, Zeeshan M, Roy PK, Chaudhary R, Priya A. Platelet‐rich plasma and microneedling improves hair growth in patients ofandrogenetic alopecia when used as an adjuvant to minoxidil. Journal of cosmetic dermatology. 2019;18(5):1330-1335.
- National Institutes of Health. Androgenetic Alopecia. 2020; https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/androgenetic-alopecia. Accessed January 23, 2020.
