Therapy uses platelet-rich plasma to treat hair loss

There is no shortage of pills, creams, devices and procedures for men and women losing their hair.

Many carry only false hope of helping regrow hair. But, one local clinic is using a technique that's working for men and women.

Shala Allen was diagnosed with cancer six years ago and braced for the hair loss.   

"It was just awful to lose your hair," she said. "It's humiliating for you."

And, like so many other cancer survivors, she was left with a lasting, noticeable reminder of her long fought battle. Her hair never grew back. 

"Probably about four years and I would wear wigs and caps so people could not see," Allen said.

But, then she heard about PRP. A simple process in which your blood is drawn and put into a centrifuge. The platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, is separated and injected into the scalp. 

Long used to help promote healing in sports medicine, Clinician Bill Moore at Advanced Skin Fitness was the first in Dallas to use PRP for hair replacement. 

But, Dr. Abraham Armani cautions that not everyone is a candidate. 

"It's sort of like fertilizer for a lawn," Armani said. "[It's] not going to grow new grass ... It's not a cure for baldness; it's another effective method to have thicker healthier hair.

Allen said it worked for her.

"Within a month, I started to see some fuzz," she said. "I was very excited about that."

The results have been good enough for Allen to encourage the treatment for others.

"I would say don't hesitate," she said. "Don't hesitate to do this for yourself.'

Ideal candidates are younger man and women with newly thinning hair and can serve as an alternative for Propecia patients who experience adverse side effect.

The therapy costs about $850 per treatment.

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