Randomized Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind, Half-Head Study to Assess the Efficacy of Platelet-Rich Plasma on the Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia

BACKGROUND: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) was identified as having a beneficial effect in alopecia and has been postulated as a new therapy for androgenetic alopecia (AGA). OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of PRP for the treatment of AGA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study in 25 patients with AGA. Platelet-rich plasma was injected in half-head and the other half-head with placebo. Each patient received a total of 3 treatments of PRP, 1 month apart. RESULTS: Six months after the first treatment with PRP, significant differences were seen in mean anagen hairs (67.6 ± 13.1), telogen hairs (32.4 ± 13.1), hair density (179.9 ± 62.7), and terminal hair density (165.8 ± 56.8) when compared with baseline (p < .05). Platelet-rich plasma was also found to increase hair density when comparing with the control side (p < .05). For the first time, the authors found a correlation between anagen hairs and patients >40 years and beginning of AGA ≥25 years old (p < .05) and hair density and male sex, age ≤40 years, positive family history of AGA and >10 years of duration of the disease (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Application of PRP showed a positive effect on AGA and could be regarded as an adjuvant therapy for AGA.