Patient Guide: PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) for Skin Rejuvenation and Hair Restoration

Platelet-rich plasma is one of the more biologically elegant treatments in aesthetic medicine. It doesn’t introduce a foreign substance into the body. It concentrates something the body already produces, specifically the growth factors carried by platelets, and delivers them in a targeted way to tissue that would benefit from the regenerative signals those growth factors provide. The result is a treatment that works with the body’s repair mechanisms rather than substituting for them.

At The London Road Clinic, I use PRP for two primary indications: skin rejuvenation, often combined with microneedling, and hair restoration, as part of a programme alongside polynucleotides. This guide covers both, because while the source material and the mechanism are the same, the clinical application, the evidence base, and what patients can realistically expect differ between the two.

What PRP Is and How It’s Prepared

Blood is not a simple fluid. It contains red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma, and each of these fractions has distinct functions. Platelets are small, disc-shaped cells whose primary role in normal physiology is to aggregate at the site of injury and initiate clotting and tissue repair. To do this, they release a concentrated payload of growth factors from granules within the cell.

These growth factors, including platelet-derived growth factor, TGF-beta, vascular endothelial growth factor, epidermal growth factor, fibroblast growth factor and insulin-like growth factor, signal to surrounding cells: recruit more repair cells to the area, begin building new collagen and matrix, stimulate new blood vessel formation, and initiate the proliferative phase of healing.

PRP is prepared by drawing a small volume of the patient’s own blood, typically 10 to 20 millilitres, and centrifuging it at controlled speed to separate the components by density. Red blood cells are densest and settle at the bottom. Plasma sits at the top. Between them is the buffy coat, a fraction rich in platelets and white blood cells. The platelet-rich plasma is extracted from this layer and may undergo a second centrifuge cycle to further concentrate the platelets. The resulting preparation contains several times the normal platelet concentration of whole blood.

Because it comes from the patient’s own blood, there is no risk of allergic reaction to a foreign protein. The preparation is made immediately before treatment and used on the same day.

PRP for Skin Rejuvenation

When injected intradermally into the face, or applied topically to skin that has been treated with microneedling, the growth factors in PRP stimulate the fibroblasts in the dermis to produce new collagen and elastin, promote tissue repair, and improve the local vascular supply to the skin.

The outcomes patients notice are: improvement in skin texture and tone, a reduction in fine surface lines, improved luminosity, and a more rested appearance overall. The effect is gradual, unfolding over weeks to months as the collagen response matures, rather than immediate. This is a regenerative treatment; it takes time.

At LRC, we most frequently use PRP in combination with SkinPen microneedling. The microneedling creates thousands of micro-channels in the dermis, and the PRP is applied immediately after, allowing the growth factors to penetrate into the dermis where they can work directly at the site of the wound-healing response. This combination is sometimes colloquially called the “vampire facial”, a term that stuck from its moment of popular press and has remained in patient vocabulary since. The mechanism is straightforward, even if the name is dramatic.

PRP can also be delivered by intradermal injection alone, in a fine-needle mesolift technique across the face, without prior needling. This is appropriate for patients who want the regenerative benefit without the more intensive stimulation of microneedling, or who are maintaining a result achieved with a combination course.

What PRP for skin treats well:

• Early skin ageing with a texture and tone component
• Dull, fatigued skin with reduced luminosity
• Fine surface lines
• Post-acne scarring, particularly in combination with microneedling
• Periorbital skin quality

What PRP for skin is less suited to:

• Structural volume loss, which requires filler
• Deep dynamic lines, which require a different approach
• Pigmentation as the primary concern, where Lumecca or peels are more targeted
• Advanced laxity, where Fractora or injectable bioremodelling is more appropriate

A standard course for skin is three sessions, spaced four to six weeks apart. The result builds through the course and continues improving for up to six months after the final session. Many patients maintain with an annual session thereafter.

PRP for Hair Restoration

The application to hair is based on the same growth factor mechanism, now directed at the scalp and the hair follicle unit. When injected into the scalp at the follicular level, PRP growth factors stimulate dormant follicles, improve blood supply to the follicular bulb, and reduce the miniaturisation that characterises androgenetic alopecia (AGA).

The evidence base is most robust for androgenetic alopecia, the pattern hair loss that affects both men and women. Multiple controlled studies have demonstrated measurable increases in hair count, hair thickness, and the ratio of anagen (growth phase) follicles following a course of scalp PRP. For patients in the earlier stages of AGA, where follicles are miniaturising but not yet fibrosed, PRP produces clinically meaningful results.

The evidence for PRP in other hair loss conditions is less settled. It may have a role in alopecia areata, though that condition is primarily autoimmune and its response to PRP is more variable. It can support recovery from traction alopecia where follicles haven’t been permanently damaged. For scarring alopecias, where the follicle has been replaced by scar tissue, no regenerative treatment including PRP can restore hair to that area.

Before starting a hair restoration course, we require blood tests to rule out systemic causes of hair loss that should be addressed first: thyroid function, serum ferritin and iron studies, vitamin D, vitamin B12, and full blood count. Treating hair loss without identifying and addressing nutritional or thyroid deficiency produces poorer results. This applies to all hair restoration courses at LRC, including polynucleotides.

At LRC, we use PRP and polynucleotides as complementary tools for hair restoration. PRP delivers the growth factor stimulus directly. Polynucleotides (Croma Polyphil) support the extracellular matrix around the follicle and promote fibroblast activity and tissue remodelling. The two can be used in sequence or alternated in a programme. The PRP vs polynucleotides for hair guide covers the comparison in detail.

What PRP for hair treats well:

• Early to moderate androgenetic alopecia in men and women
• Generalised hair thinning with preserved follicles
• Post-partum hair loss (once the initial shedding phase, typically 3 to 6 months postpartum, has settled)
• Supplementing other hair loss treatments including topical and oral medications

What PRP for hair cannot do:

• Cannot regrow hair in areas where follicles have completely ceased function or have been replaced by scar tissue
• Cannot substitute for pharmaceutical treatments (topical minoxidil, oral finasteride, dutasteride) in patients with significant androgenetic alopecia. PRP works best alongside these, not instead of them
• Cannot stop progressive AGA permanently; results require maintenance

A standard course for hair is three sessions, spaced four to six weeks apart. Results become apparent at three to six months, and most patients return for maintenance sessions every six to twelve months thereafter.

The Treatment Experience

The process begins with the blood draw: a small volume from the arm, straightforward and brief. The blood is then centrifuged in the room over approximately ten minutes while the treatment area is prepared.

For scalp treatment, a topical anaesthetic is applied and left for 30 to 45 minutes before injections begin, making the process significantly more comfortable. The injections are made with fine needles across the scalp at the follicular zones of concern. Most patients tolerate this well once the anaesthetic has taken effect.

For face treatment, either topical anaesthetic is applied before injection or, when combined with microneedling, the standard microneedling protocol applies. The PRP is applied and worked into the skin immediately after needling while the channels are open.

After scalp PRP, the treated area is mildly red and slightly swollen for 24 to 48 hours. Some pinpoint bruising is possible. There’s no significant restriction on activity, though intense exercise and direct sun exposure to the scalp are avoided for 24 hours. Hair should not be washed on the day of treatment to allow the growth factors time to absorb.

After facial PRP with microneedling, the skin is red and sensitive for 24 to 48 hours, settling to mild pinkness by 48 to 72 hours. The microneedling patient guide covers the recovery in full.

Contraindications

PRP uses the patient’s own blood, which removes the risk of foreign-substance reactions, but contraindications exist:

• Platelet dysfunction disorders, thrombocytopenia or haemophilia
• Anticoagulant medication including warfarin, heparin and direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs): requires individual clinical assessment and discussion with the prescribing clinician
• Active infection at or near the treatment site
• Active skin disease or significant inflammation in the treatment area
• Liver disease affecting coagulation
• Active malignancy
• Significant anaemia, as the blood draw adds to the haematological load
• Pregnancy: insufficient safety data; we take a conservative position and do not treat during pregnancy

Frequently Asked Questions

What is PRP and where does it come from?

PRP is platelet-rich plasma prepared from your own blood. A small volume is drawn from your arm, centrifuged to concentrate the platelet fraction, and the resulting plasma is used in your treatment. The growth factors carried by platelets, including PDGF, TGF-β, VEGF and EGF, stimulate collagen production, tissue repair and follicle activity when delivered to the target tissue. Because it comes entirely from your own blood, there is no risk of allergic reaction to a foreign protein.

Is PRP the same as exosomes?

No. PRP uses platelets from your own blood and delivers their growth factors to the treatment site. Exosomes, such as BLESKIN EXXO which we use at LRC, are nano-sized extracellular vesicles derived from cell culture rather than the patient’s own blood. They carry a different, laboratory-characterised payload of regenerative signals. Both promote tissue repair and collagen stimulation, but by different mechanisms and from different sources. At LRC, exosomes are applied topically after microneedling; PRP is applied topically or injected.

How many sessions will I need?

For both skin and hair, a standard course is three sessions, spaced four to six weeks apart. Results develop progressively, with the full effect visible at three to six months after the course. Maintenance varies: many skin patients return annually; most hair patients return every six to twelve months. We review at the end of the course and recommend based on the response.

Does PRP hurt?

The blood draw is the same as a standard blood test. For scalp PRP, topical anaesthetic is applied beforehand, making the injections significantly more comfortable, though not entirely sensation-free. Patients describe a mild pressure and occasional brief sting at some injection points. Facial PRP combined with microneedling follows the microneedling comfort profile, which most patients tolerate well.

Is it safe to inject my own blood back into my body?

Autologous blood products have been used in medicine for decades. Because the plasma comes from your own body, there is no foreign protein involved and no risk of an allergic or immune reaction to the plasma itself. The process is carried out under clinical conditions with sterile equipment and a closed centrifuge system. The primary risk factors relate to the injection procedure itself, principally bruising and, as with any skin puncture, a small infection risk that sterile technique minimises.

Can PRP regrow hair I’ve already lost?

PRP can stimulate dormant or miniaturising follicles and return them to the active growth phase. It cannot regenerate follicles that have completely ceased function or have been replaced by scar tissue. For patients with long-standing, significant hair loss where follicles are no longer viable, the realistic outcome of PRP is stabilisation and possibly modest density improvement rather than full regrowth. For patients in the earlier stages of hair loss with preserved but miniaturising follicles, the outcomes are more significant. We assess follicle viability at consultation.

Can I have PRP if I’m on blood thinners?

This requires individual assessment. Anticoagulant medications including warfarin and DOACs affect platelet function and blood clotting, which may influence both the quality of the PRP prepared and the healing response after injection. We discuss your current medications at consultation and, where necessary, liaise with your prescribing clinician before proceeding. We won’t ask you to stop anticoagulation without appropriate medical input.

How does PRP compare to polynucleotides for hair?

Both promote hair follicle health, but through different mechanisms. PRP delivers a concentrated payload of your own growth factors directly to the follicle. Polynucleotides (Croma Polyphil) provide a DNA-derived scaffold that supports the extracellular matrix around the follicle and stimulates fibroblast activity. The two work well in combination or as alternating treatments in a programme. The PRP vs polynucleotides for hair guide sets out the comparison in full.

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Related reading

• Regenerative treatments comparison
• PRP vs polynucleotides for hair
• Patient guide: polynucleotides
• Patient guide: microneedling
• Hair loss and thinning
• Acne scarring: types and treatment
• Collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid explained