Platelet-rich plasma for androgenic alopecia: A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study and combined mice model experiment.

BACKGROUND: Platelet rich plasma (PRP) has been accepted as a potential therapy for treating androgenetic alopecia (AGA). OBJECTIVE: To fully clarify the underling molecular mechanisms of PRP action on hair growth and promote its clinical applications. METHODS: In this study, we used mice models and protein biochip to explore the specific mechanisms of PRP regulating hair growth. Then, we performed a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, half-head study of 52 AGA patients to verify the therapeutic efficacy of PRP in Chinese AGA patients. RESULTS: The results confirmed that PRP treatment boosted hair regrowth, accelerated hair cycling, and the effect sustained for more than one hair cycle in mice. Protein biochip evaluation confirmed remarkably upregulated ß-Catenin, PDGF, and AKT signaling and repressed p53 signaling in PRP injection group. Clinically, mean hair count, density, diameter, and anagen hair ratio in PRP group showed a significant improvement at 6 month comparing to control side. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, we elucidated the specific molecular mechanism of PRP action on hair growth and proved the therapeutic efficacy and safety of PRP in Chinese AGA patients.

Efficacy of Platelet-rich Plasma for Treating Androgenic Alopecia of Varying Grades.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has received growing attention as a valuable therapeutic tool in androgenetic alopecia (AGA). However, knowledge regarding specific effectiveness and satisfaction of PRP for different grades of AGA in male pattern hair loss (MPHL) and female pattern hair loss (FPHL) is missing. This study aims to ascertain and compare the efficacy and safety of PRP treatment for different grades of AGA in males and females over 6 months. METHODS: In this study, 51 MPHL patients with Norwood-Hamilton stage II-V and 42 FPHL patients with Ludwig stage I to III were enrolled for 6 monthly sessions of PRP injections. A longitudinal analysis was used to compare the hair density, thickness, and hair pull test over 6 months for MPHL and FPHL through generalized estimating equation (GEE) models. Phototrichograms of scalp inflammation and oil secretion, global photographs and overall patient satisfaction were also assessed. RESULTS: Consequently, improvement of hair density, hair thickness, hair pull test, the level of scalp inflammation and oil secretion were observed with statistical significance in all stages for both MPHL and FPHL at 6 months. Noteworthy, lower level of alopecia (Grade II, III in MPHL and Grade I in FPHL) had better response to PRP, and also had a better tendency of increment of hair growth than that of high-grade patients with prolonged treatment. CONCLUSIONS: PRP injections, as an efficacious and reliable therapy, can be recommended for Grade II and Grade III in MPHL and Grade I in FPHL.

Types of hairline recession in androgenetic alopecia and perceptions of aging in Asian males.

BACKGROUND: Cranial hair loss is one of the characteristics of age. Hairline recession has been confirmed adversely to affect the perceptions of age in Western males. However, comparatively little is known about the effect of frontal recession on the perceived facial age (PFA) of East Asian males. Moreover, specific roles of different types of hairline recession in PFA of different age groups still remain a mystery. OBJECTIVE: To investigate and quantify the effect of different types of hairline recession on PFA in East Asian young males of different age groups. METHODS: Thirty non-bald males were selected and divided equally into three groups (20s, 30s, and 40s). With the aid of modern software, the frontoparietal area of facial images from 30 experimenters was modified into three basic types of hair loss (M2 , C2 , and U2 ) according to the basic and specific classification of androgenic alopecia. In a web-based survey, approximately 900 naive participants were asked to estimate the PFA of males from their original and modified facial images. RESULTS: Perceived facial age increased to 1.58 ± 0.79, 4.19 ± 1.27, and 5.90 ± 1.00 years when the original facial images were modified to have hair loss types M2 , C2 , or U2 , respectively. In addition, the PFA of males with hair loss type C2 or U2 appeared significantly older than the original facial images in the 30s group. CONCLUSION: Different types of hairline recession can increase the PFA to different degrees in East Asian males of different age groups.

A Novel and Convenient Method for the Preparation and Activation of PRP without Any Additives: Temperature Controlled PRP.

Platelet rich plasma (PRP) is a concentrate of autologous platelets which contain enrichment growth factors (GFs). However, the addition of exogenous anticoagulant and procoagulant may result in clinical side effects and raise the price of PRP. Herein, we report a novel method named temperature controlled PRP (t-PRP), in which exogenous additives are dispensable in the preparation and activation process. Human blood samples were processed by a two-step centrifugation process under hypothermic conditions (4°C) to obtain t-PRP and rewarming up to 37°C to activate t-PRP. Contemporary PRP (c-PRP) was processed as the control. t-PRP showed a physiological pH value between 7.46 and 7.48 and up to 6.58 ± 0.45-fold significantly higher platelet concentration than that of whole blood compared with c-PRP (4.06-fold) in the preparation process. Meanwhile, t-PRP also maintained a stable GF level between plasma and PRP. After activation, t-PRP demonstrated natural fiber scaffolding, which trapped more platelet and GFs, and exhibited a slow release and degradation rate of GFs. In addition, t-PRP exhibited the function of promoting wound healing. t-PRP is a novel and convenient method for the preparation and activation of PRP without any additives. Compared to c-PRP, t-PRP reflects more physiologic characteristics while maintaining high quality.