Publication:

Growth factor concentrate therapy for management of hair loss: a prospective, real-world study

The present pilot study was conducted to determine the role of growth factor concentrate (GFC) therapy, a modified platelet-rich plasma (PRP) technique for the management of androgenetic alopecia. In this study, patients diagnosed with androgenic alopecia were treated with subcutaneous injections of GFC in the scalp. A total of 3 injections were administered 4 weeks apart, and the patients were followed up for 24 weeks. The treatment outcomes were assessed by taking global macroscopic photographs, trichoscopic photomicrographs, and by performing a hair pull test after 24 weeks of therapy and compared to the baseline. To determine the safety of the treatment, the incidence of any adverse event was recorded throughout the study period. The patient’s self-satisfaction was assessed using a survey-based questionnaire at the end of the study period. The global macroscopic photographs showed a significant improvement in hair growth post-GFC therapy in all 5 patients. These findings were supported by trichoscopic photomicrographs, in which a pronounced improvement in hair density along with a decrease in the shaft diameter variability and number of yellow dots were observed. Hair pull test was found to be negative in 100% of patients 4 months post-therapy. The therapy was found to be well tolerated with high patient satisfaction (80%). GFC therapy was found to have a promising role in the management of androgenetic alopecia in both male and female patients.