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 β-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.