Losing hair can be very depressing, but unfortunately, a very large percentage of the population does lose hair, so if it happens to you, at least you are not alone. However, that may not be much consolation.
According to a survey undertaken by the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery in 2014 (http://www.statisticbrain.com/hair-loss-statistics/) by the age of 35 around 40% of men in the US are suffering from visible hair loss and by the age of 60 that jumps to 65%.
A different survey found that among women aged 40, 40% of them were suffering hair loss, but by age 60 that rises to 80%.
In 2010 there were 101,252 hair restoration surgeries performed in the US (worldwide the figure was 271,381) and about 60% of patients were very happy with the results after a single surgery. A further 37% were happy after a second surgery, so almost everyone is happy after a maximum of two surgeries.
However, is a hair transplant the right choice for you? There is now an alternative procedure which is called PRP therapy. PRP stands for Platelet-Rich Plasma and is created using the patient’s own blood. A small amount of blood is taken and put into a centrifuge for about 15 minutes which causes the blood to separate. Plasma is the liquid part of blood and is mostly water and proteins. It provides a medium for red and white blood cells and platelets to circulate through the body. Platelets are blood cells that cause blood clots and other growth healing functions. Activating the platelets is key to the body’s natural healing process.
What the centrifuge does is to concentrate the platelets, forming PRP which contains up to five times the number of platelets in your normal blood. This is then injected into the scalp and helps hair to grow.
Then You Are Faced With A Decision
So you are then faced with a decision: PRP for hair loss vs. a hair transplant. Making such a decision on your own is not easy, but fortunately, in the Bay Area, we have Silicon Valley Hair Institute based in Foster City and Palo Alto. The director is Dr. Miguel Canales and he can assess your situation and advise on PRP therapy for hair loss vs. a hair transplant.
Dr. Canales was the lead inventor of the ARTAS robotic system of hair transplantation when he was Medical Director of Restoration Robotics Inc, so he knows more about it than any other hair transplant surgeon. While PRP therapy is a new treatment, Dr. Canales has also been getting some very satisfactory results with it.
If you are not sure about any aspect of PRP therapy for hair loss vs. a hair transplant, Dr. Canales is happy to provide all patients with a free consult. You can book an appointment by clicking on the Free Consult link at the top of the page.