PRP (platelet-rich plasma) hair treatment uses a concentrate of your own blood platelets, injected into the scalp, to support hair growth. It is widely offered abroad, often alongside hair transplants, and it is heavily marketed.
This guide takes the marketing out. PRP has some supportive evidence, but it is low quality, inconsistent and debated, and you should know that before paying for a course. This is general information, not medical advice; your treating clinician gives the medical advice.
Key takeaways
- PRP is a concentrate of your own platelets, delivered by blood draw, centrifuge and scalp injection.
- A typical protocol is monthly sessions for three months, then maintenance every three to six months. Effects are not permanent.
- A 2024 meta-analysis found an average density gain of 27.55 hairs per cm², but graded the evidence low quality with very high inconsistency between trials.
- PRP does not address the hormonal driver of pattern hair loss. Researchers advise continuing licensed treatments such as minoxidil or finasteride.
- PRP is priced per session or per course; the figures for your case appear line by line in the clinic's written quote.
What it is
PRP is an autologous platelet concentrate, meaning it is made from your own blood. According to a peer-reviewed review of PRP in dermatology, a small blood sample is spun in a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets. The resulting plasma, rich in growth factors, is injected into the scalp. The theory is that these growth factors stimulate follicles and support the growth phase of the hair cycle.
Two things follow from that definition. First, PRP is a treatment course, not a one-off fix, because any effect fades without maintenance. Second, it is an adjunct: something used alongside proven approaches, not instead of them. The same review advises patients to continue licensed medication, because PRP does not address the hormonal cause of pattern hair loss.
PRP sits at the non-surgical end of the hair restoration spectrum. If you are weighing it against surgery, our full hair transplant guide covers when surgery is worth considering.
Am I a candidate
PRP is most commonly offered for androgenetic alopecia, the common pattern hair loss that affects both men and women. It tends to be discussed for people with early or moderate thinning who still have active follicles, rather than for smooth, long-bald areas.
It is also commonly offered after a hair transplant, with the aim of supporting healing and graft growth. If a clinic proposes this, ask what it adds for your case, and treat it as an optional extra rather than a required part of surgery. Some patients considering a transplant revision are offered PRP first as a lower-commitment step; the evidence caveats below apply just as much there.
The candid baseline comes from the NHS overview of hair loss treatments. Finasteride and minoxidil are the main treatments for male pattern baldness; minoxidil is also used for female pattern baldness. Women should not use finasteride. They do not work for everyone, only work while used, and are mostly not funded by the NHS. Weigh any PRP decision against that baseline, ideally with a clinician who has examined your scalp.
How it works
A session has three steps: a standard blood draw, centrifugation to concentrate the platelets, and a series of small injections across the thinning scalp. Sessions typically take under an hour. The review above describes a typical protocol of monthly sessions for three months, followed by maintenance every three to six months.
Now the evidence, plainly. A 2024 meta-analysis of 13 randomised controlled trials covering 431 patients found that PRP increased hair density by an average of 27.55 hairs per cm². The 95 per cent confidence interval was 14.04 to 41.06. That sounds encouraging, but the same analysis found very high heterogeneity between trials (I² of roughly 96 per cent) and evidence of publication bias. It graded the overall evidence quality as low. The change in hair diameter was not statistically significant.
There is also no standardised way to prepare or deliver PRP. The dermatology review notes that dose, spin protocol and injection technique vary across studies. The PRP you receive at one clinic may differ meaningfully from the PRP tested in any trial. A sceptical position also exists in mainstream literature: a Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology paper is titled "Platelet-rich plasma lacks evidence of clinically significant improvement in androgenetic alopecia". If a clinic presents PRP as proven, that title is a useful counterweight.
Recovery and aftercare
Downtime after PRP is minimal, which is part of its appeal. Expect some scalp tenderness, redness or mild swelling at the injection sites for a day or two. Most people return to normal activities the same day, and clinics usually advise avoiding harsh hair products and heavy sweating briefly afterwards.
The aftercare that matters is the schedule, not the sofa time. Ask any provider for the full proposed course and maintenance calendar, and how they will judge whether it is working. If your treatment abroad is arranged through GetClinic, follow-up is arranged with the clinic, and we coordinate if a complication needs attention closer to home.
Risks and how clinics manage them
Because PRP uses your own blood, serious reactions are uncommon. The main physical risks are injection-site pain, swelling, bruising, headache and, rarely, infection. Reputable clinics manage these with sterile single-use preparation, medical supervision of the injections, and clear post-session instructions.
The larger risk with PRP is not physical but financial and emotional. You can pay for repeated courses of a treatment whose evidence is low quality, and whose effect, if any, fades when you stop. A responsible clinic manages that risk with honesty. It will describe PRP as an adjunct with mixed evidence and encourage you to continue licensed treatment where appropriate. It will set a defined review point rather than an open-ended subscription.
Be cautious of any provider who promises regrowth, quotes unsourced success rates, or positions PRP as a replacement for minoxidil or finasteride. The research advises the opposite. This guide is general information; a clinician who has examined you should confirm whether PRP is worth trying.
Cost by country
PRP is priced per session or per course, unlike surgery. This guide gives no typical figures, because there is no typical PRP: the dermatology review above notes that dose, spin protocol and injection technique vary across providers, and prices vary with them. Session-based pricing appears line by line in the clinic's written quote.
Maintenance sessions are usually priced individually on top, so ask for the full-course cost over a year, not the per-session headline. Before booking anything through us, you receive a written, itemised quote from the clinic; nothing is added without your express agreement. Our PRP cost guide breaks down what drives course pricing in more detail.
Choosing a clinic
With PRP, the clinic's honesty is the main quality signal, because the treatment itself is quick and low-tech. Useful questions to ask:
- Who draws the blood, prepares the PRP and performs the injections, and what is their medical qualification?
- What preparation system do they use, and what platelet concentration does it produce?
- How will they measure whether the course is working, and when would they advise stopping?
- Do they recommend continuing minoxidil or finasteride alongside, and why?
- What does the full year cost, including maintenance?
A clinic that answers these directly, without promising outcomes, is behaving the way the evidence demands. When you enquire through GetClinic, a coordinator collects your photos and history and puts them in front of the clinic's clinician, who confirms suitability before a quote is finalised. Partner clinics complete administrative verification, covering licence, registration and claimed accreditations, before listing; verification is not a guarantee. Your coordinator puts the questions above to the clinic and returns the written answers with your quote. Every option is quoted in writing.
FAQ
Does PRP actually regrow hair?
The honest answer is: possibly, modestly, for some people. A 2024 meta-analysis found an average density gain of 27.55 hairs per cm², but rated the evidence low quality. Results across trials were very inconsistent, with signs of publication bias. No responsible clinic should promise regrowth.
How many sessions will I need?
A typical published protocol is one session a month for three months, then maintenance every three to six months. Effects are not permanent, so stopping maintenance generally means losing any benefit over time.
Can PRP replace finasteride or minoxidil?
No. Researchers advise continuing licensed treatment because PRP does not address the hormonal driver of pattern hair loss. The NHS lists finasteride and minoxidil as the main treatments, noting they only work while used and do not work for everyone.
Is PRP worth having after a hair transplant?
Clinics often offer it to support healing and graft growth, but treat it as an optional adjunct rather than a required step. Ask your surgeon what it adds for your specific case, and what it costs over the full follow-up period.
Does PRP hurt, and is there downtime?
The injections cause brief discomfort, and the scalp can be tender for a day or two. Most people return to normal activities the same day.
Is this medical advice?
No. This guide is general information to help you prepare questions and compare options. Decisions about PRP, or any hair loss treatment, belong with a qualified clinician who has examined you. If you want a gentler comparison point, see our guide to hair mesotherapy, where the evidence is thinner still.