I Got PRP Injections For Hair Loss — and They Actually Worked

During the depths of the pandemic lockdown, I did some questionable issues to my hair, together with however not restricted to DIY bleach. Despite getting away with minimal harm (thanks, Olaplex), I used to be completely unprepared for the toll that COVID and stress would tackle my hair. A strong portion of my already baby-fine, skinny hair simply slowly disappeared into no matter universe incorporates all these misplaced bobby pins and hair ties. It most likely wasn’t noticeable to anybody apart from me, nevertheless it was sufficient hair loss to carry out some insecurities (particularly with my wedding ceremony on deck) and get me on the lookout for options.

I had tried dietary supplements with sluggish outcomes and flirted with varied hair extensions however needed one thing extra impactful, long-term, and science-backed. That’s when the concept of getting PRP injections for hair loss got here into play.

I popped in for a session with Janet Gedjeyan, RN, BSN, the aesthetic director of Los Angeles’s The Things We Do, who steered a collection of PRFM injections — scheduled in once-a-month intervals for 3 months — to fight my hair loss. A PRFM remedy, which stands for platelet-rich fibrin matrix, is basically an enhanced model of PRP, or platelet-rich plasma. (You could also be conversant in the latter being utilized in “vampire facials” and microneedling.)

I made a decision to provide the remedy a attempt to see if it will assist me in my hair-growth course of. Keep studying to be taught extra about how PRFM injections work and take a look at my before-and-after images.

How Do PRFM Injections For Hair Loss Work?

In a PRFM remedy, your blood is drawn and put right into a centrifuge to separate the blood’s platelets right into a gel-like substance — aka the fibrin matrix. “This allows for a more concentrated and localized treatment, where the platelets can signal collagen production and rejuvenation of the skin,” Gedjeyan says. “With hair growth, PRFM is an ideal treatment because the platelets are rich in growth factors that stimulate stem cells, which then strengthen and stimulate the hair follicles.”

Compared to PRP, the PRFM injection releases a stronger dose of these growth-factor-rich platelets. More efficiency equals stronger outcomes. Gedjeyan additionally notes that this remedy is often advisable for sufferers with latest hair loss or thinning and that circumstances of great balding are often referred out for hair transplants.

What to Expect During a PRFM Hair Treatment

Once I settled in for my remedy, Gedjeyan and I made a recreation plan for the areas she’d concentrate on: the crown of my head and my hairline. I used to be additionally given a glass of water to hydrate whereas we chatted, since we might be drawing blood quickly. A small vial of my blood was collected and shortly whisked away to a centrifuge. Upon its return, my vial had remodeled right into a golden PRFM substance that contained all of my platelets and what Gedjeyan dubbed “liquid gold.”

She then used a super-fine needle to inject the gel matrix into my scalp. The whole course of was about 20 minutes tops and solely mildly uncomfortable. I’d put it someplace between getting a stick-and-poke tattoo or brow Botox. Gedjeyan really handed me a vibrator (like, an precise vibrator) to carry onto my brow as a distraction from any ache.

After we have been achieved, my hair was wiped down and I used to be instructed to chorus from washing my hair or doing sweaty exercises for twenty-four hours. I placed on a baseball cap and went on my merry method. For the subsequent day or two, my scalp felt just a little tender to the contact — just like the feeling of taking your hair out of a decent ponytail. Then, I scheduled my two follow-up appointments. Each time, we adopted the identical course of: draw blood, centrifuge, inject.

How Much Do PRFM Hair Treatments Cost?

A PRFM remedy for hair loss is unquestionably an funding. While the precise value can range relying on the place you’re within the nation and the place you go, the process will run about $1,050 per session at The Things We Do.

When Will You See Results From a PRFM Hair Treatment?

“Optimal results are seen one to three months after each treatment,” Gedjeyan says. “Once patients complete a series of three treatments, I recommend they wait a couple of months and come in for a follow-up to determine if more treatments should be done.” It’s necessary to level out that hair progress (even at a fast-tracked charge) remains to be sluggish — you will not get up someday to a brand new head of hair.

So I went on with my life, unbeknownst to any modifications. Remember: a watched pot by no means boils. I had develop into more and more aggravated with carrying my hair down as a result of my ends had began appeared scraggly and virtually mullet-like. Then, someday, it dawned on me that my ends solely appeared wimpy as compared as a result of I had an entire new crop (!) of roots up prime. I made an appointment with my hairstylist (Rachel Duhame, the queen of low-maintenance cuts at Interior Hair) for a fast trim to assist masks the disproportionate layers.

I nonetheless have a month or so to go for the total results, however up to now, my hair is wanting good — and far fuller. So whereas the remedy is an funding, in case you’re fighting hair loss, it may actually be a worthy one.

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Hannah Cassidy