Whether you spot a widening part, a receding hairline or patches of scalp becoming more visible, hair loss affects more than your appearance — it can shake your confidence to its core.
Fortunately, major strides have been made in techniques to restore hair. Gone are the days of hair transplants with unevenly placed grafts and visible scars. Surgical techniques have improved greatly, and we now have options that don't require surgery at all.
One of the most exciting areas of innovation is regenerative medicine. This emerging field harnesses the body's natural capacities to heal and renew itself. Two treatments are currently the leading regenerative hair restoration solutions: platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF).
Let's talk about these options—how they're similar, how they're different and why we've chosen to offer PRF here at Bespoke Rx.
How Regenerative Treatments Combat Hair Loss
Regenerative treatments for hair restoration target the root causes of hair loss. They function at a cellular level to awaken dormant follicles and strengthen active ones.
How exactly does this work, and why do we need it?
Our hair follicles are like tiny organs that need proper nutrition and stimulation to thrive. As we age, our follicles receive fewer resources from our body. This leads to a process called miniaturization, where healthy follicles gradually become smaller and weaker until they stop producing hair altogether.
Regenerative treatments interrupt this cycle. PRP and PRF are derived from your blood, which is processed to produce a concentration of platelets, growth factors and stem cells. We essentially create your very own all-natural hair growth serum.
When we inject it into your scalp, it sends signals to your hair follicles that trigger repair and regeneration. They enter a new active growth phase. Over the following months, the treatment helps promote hair regrowth and increases in strand thickness and strength.
What Is Platelet-Rich Plasma?
PRP has been the standard bearer in regenerative hair restoration for over a decade.
The treatment begins with a blood draw, similar to what you might have during a routine health check-up. This blood sample then undergoes high-speed centrifugation (spinning the blood rapidly to separate its components) to create the platelet-rich plasma.
The PRP is extracted and placed into a syringe. Then, it is injected into specific points across the scalp, focusing on areas where hair thinning is most noticeable.
Most patients require multiple sessions, typically spaced at least a month apart, followed by maintenance treatments every six to 12 months to sustain results.
What Is Platelet-Rich Fibrin?
PRP was a breakthrough when it first emerged, but over the years, providers discovered its limitations. These insights led to the development of platelet-rich fibrin.
PRF undergoes a similar creation process. Blood is drawn, then spun in a centrifuge to separate its components. The solution contains the same powerful ingredients as PRP, plus more.
Fibrin is a protein involved in forming blood clots. When it helps repair an injury, it forms a fibrous mesh that stops the flow of blood. In PRF hair restoration, it creates a "living tissue" matrix that acts like a time-release system for the growth factors.
This is just one of the reasons PRF is considered the next generation of PRP.
PRF vs. PRP: The Key Differences Explained
PRF and PRP have many things in common. They are used for similar purposes, derived in a similar way, administered in a similar procedure and have similar ingredients.
The differences are where the "magic" (or, more accurately, the science) happens. Let's break it down:
- Processing Speed: PRP and PRF are both prepared by spinning the patient's blood in a centrifuge. The speed used when preparing PRP is higher than the speed used to create PRF.
- Composition: PRP contains platelets and growth factors. PRF contains both of these components, as well as white blood cells and stem cells.
- Additives: PRP is mixed with anticoagulants to prevent the blood from clotting during preparation. PRF does not require artificial additives.
- Duration of Action: PRP releases its growth factors almost immediately upon injection, creating a powerful but short-lived burst of regenerative activity. PRF releases its growth factors gradually.
Now we get to the most important part: what does this mean for you?
Why PRF Is the Superior Choice for Hair Restoration
In our opinion, PRF is the clear frontrunner for hair restoration. The differences explained above translate to big benefits for patients:
- Processing Speed: The high-speed centrifugation used to make PRP can damage delicate cells. PRF's slower spin cycle preserves these valuable cellular components, resulting in a robust healing matrix.
- Composition: PRF contains a richer concentration of beneficial components, including some PRP does not have. These additional components amplify its regenerative potential.
- Additives: PRF is a more natural solution because it contains no artificial additives. Only your own blood components are required to make the treatment effective.
- Duration of Action: The extended release mechanism through PRF's fibrin matrix structure provides longer-lasting benefits. Rather than experiencing a brief surge of growth factors that quickly dissipates, your scalp receives sustained stimulation that supports ongoing hair follicle regeneration.
Clinical evidence increasingly supports PRF's superior efficacy. While both treatments typically require multiple sessions, PRF often achieves better results with fewer treatments.
Who Makes a Good Candidate for PRF Hair Restoration?
Men experiencing male pattern baldness often see significant benefits from PRF treatment. The therapy can help combat a receding hairline, crown thinning and general loss of hair density.
Women dealing with female pattern hair thinning, characterized by an overall loss of volume or a widening part line, also respond well to the treatment.
Early intervention is the key to success. Although PRF can have benefits at various stages of hair loss, it is most effective if your follicles still have some level of activity. Revival becomes much more challenging once a follicle has completely stopped producing hair.
For the best results, seek treatment in the earlier stages of hair loss, and be sure to complete the full number of sessions recommended.
Choose Advanced Hair Restoration With PRF in Tampa
PRF is a fantastic advancement in achieving thicker, healthier hair without surgery. We love bringing the world's most innovative solutions to our patients, and PRF fits right in with that mission.
The future of nonsurgical hair restoration is here at Bespoke Rx. Contact us today at 813-203-6196 to get started.
