Comparison of the Efficacy of Homologous and Autologous Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) for Treating Androgenic Alopecia

• Published in: Aesthetic plastic surgery 2018-02, Vol.42 (1), p.297-303
• Main Authors: Ince, Bilsev, Yildirim, Mehmet Emin Cem, Dadaci, Mehmet, Avunduk, Mustafa Cihat, Savaci, Nedim
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Alopecia - diagnosis; Alopecia - therapy; Baldness; Cohort Studies; Hair - growth & development; Hair loss; Humans; Injections, Intralesional; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Original Article; Otorhinolaryngology; Patients; Plastic Surgery; Platelet-Rich Plasma; Prospective Studies; Sensitivity and Specificity; Transplantation, Autologous - methods; Transplantation, Homologous - methods
• ISSN: 0364-216X; 1432-5241
• DOI: 10.1007/s00266-017-1004-y

Background Androgenetic alopecia (AGA), the most common cause of hair loss in both sexes, accounts for 95% of all cases of hair loss. Although the literature has suggested that both nonactivated (n-PRP) and activated autologous (a-PRP) PRP can be used to treat AGA, we did not find any study investigating the use of homologous PRP (h-PRP) for this purpose. Also, to the best of our knowledge, there are no studies comparing the efficacy of h-PRP, a-PRP, or n-PRP on AGA therapy. Objectives The aim of this study was to compare the increase in hair density, average number of platelets, complications, preparation, and duration of application in the treatment of AGA using a-PRP, n-PRP, and h-PRP. Methods Between 2014 and 2015, we studied male patients who had experienced increased hair loss in the last year. Patients were divided into three groups: Group 1 received n-PRP, Group 2 received active PRP, and Group 3 received h-PRP. For Group 1, PRP was prepared by a single centrifugation prepared from the patient’s own blood. For Group 2, the PRP was prepared from the patient’s own blood, but a second centrifugation was applied for platelet activation with calcium chloride. For Group 3, the PRP was prepared from pooled platelets with the same blood group as the patient from the blood center. PRP was injected at 1, 2, and 6 months. The hair density (n/cm 2 ) of each patient before and after injection was calculated. Each patient was assigned a fixed evaluation point at the time of application to calculate hair density. Results At 2, 6, and 12 months after the first treatment, the increase in hair density was calculated as 11.2, 26.1, and 32.4%, respectively, in Group 1; 8.1, 12.5, and 20.8%, respectively, in Group 2; and 16.09, 36.41, and 41.76%, respectively, in Group 3. The increase in hair density was statistically significantly greater in Group 1 than in Group 2 and more so in Group 3 than in both groups among all controls ( p