I have been asked by several patients if PRP treatment for hair loss will help with hair re-growth after chemotherapy. Unfortunately, there is not significant data looking at PRP therapy in post-chemotherapy patients to give a conclusive answer. Most of the data that exists is related to more common hair loss conditions such as male or female pattern hair loss etc. These studies do indicate that PRP improves density and hair quality when injected into the scalp of a person with androgenic hair loss. Treatments are done every month for the first three months then every six months thereafter.
Several factors will contribute to whether PRP will improve hair loss in a person that has lost their hair after chemotherapy treatments. How long were they exposed to the chemotherapy? What type of chemotherapy regime was utilized? What were the doses and how long has it been since the last treatment? All of these variables will potentially have an impact upon how PRP may or may not help.
It is my opinion based upon the current understanding of PRP’s method of action and clinical results that it has a reasonable chance of improving the density and thickness of hair that fails to recover normally following chemotherapy. If the patient is far enough out from their chemotherapy treatments that it should be growing. And it is not responding favorably, it would certainly be worth a trial to see if PRP treatment for hair loss. I would recommend doing at least three treatments one month apart then assess the results of the PRP therapy. If there are positive results then a maintenance schedule can be established until the effects of the chemotherapy have resolved. Until further studies are done on patients following chemotherapy we will have to depend upon anecdotal reports and consider trial for hair loss restoration in individual cases.
Kent H. Webb MD FACS
Advanced Hair Restoration of Oklahoma
7316 N. Western Avenue
Oklahoma City, OK 73116