Is PRP an option for Alopecia Areata Treatment?

Is PRP an option for treating alopecia areata?

I’ve selected this question below for this week’s question of the week. It allows us to review some concepts in treatment for alopecia areata.

Question

I have had patches of alopecia areata for the past few months. I’d like to use something natural rather than medications and things. I am afraid to use steroid injections or topical steroids given their side effects. Is PRP an option for alopecia areata?

Answer

Thanks for your question. I would encourage you to take your time and ask lots of questions. Your views on the safety of steroid injections and topical steroids may or may not be accurate. In general, the first line treatments for ‘patchy’ alopecia areata are steroid injections, topical steroids and topical minoxidil. For small patches, the safety is quite good with these three treatments. Side effects are uncommon but of course mild temporary ones can occur.

Here are typical treatments to consider for alopecia areata in the patchy stage. You can see that PRP is a second line option rather than a first. That means that we don’t typically turn to it first as a treatment but it may be an option IF first line options don’t work or a patient does not wish to use the first line options.

Alopecia is unpredictable. I would need to know a lot more information about your story to advise what I would recommend in your specific situation. For some patients, treatment is short term and recurrences uncommon. For others treatment is lifelong. Many patients with alopecia areata regrow their hair spontaneously even without treatment within 1 year. Steroid injections is far more effective and efficient as are all the first line options. That’s why they are called first line options. Many clinics do a wonderful job scaring patients out of the first line options so that patients can start whatever the clinic offers. ( A clinic that offers laser therapy or PRP or sells other remedies may say “Oh you wouldn’t want to do injections that’s so dangerous!).

In summary, PRP is an option - yes! But it’s not usually the first step for most.