PRP for hair is the separation of the platelet- and growth-factor-rich fraction of your own blood by centrifugation in a closed kit, and its injection into the scalp. It does not involve cell transplantation; no drug or vitamin is added. Among the injection methods I use for hair loss, PRP is the one whose randomised trials have been assessed in meta-analyses; the certainty of that evidence is low 12. I do not present PRP as a treatment that stops hair loss on its own, and I do not sell a number of sessions up front; I decide according to the response to the first session.
I am a specialist in anaesthesiology and reanimation; blood sampling, sterile technique and injection safety are core areas of my training. I perform hair treatments within this framework, carrying out every step of preparation and application myself. The types of hair loss and the steps of treatment are on the hair loss treatment page.
How is it prepared?
Blood is drawn and centrifuged inside a closed single-use kit; the red cells are separated and the platelet-rich plasma is delivered into the scalp using mesotherapy technique. Blood draw, preparation and application together take about 30 minutes. I work with closed-system kits assessed under CE and TİTCK; because the kit’s method determines platelet concentration, the name “PRP” does not describe a single product.
I do not fix the number of sessions in advance. I decide at consultation according to the type of hair loss, the condition of the scalp and the response to the first session. Once the course is complete, I plan one maintenance session per month to preserve what has been achieved.
How is it thought to work?
PRP aims to deliver the growth factors carried by platelets to the scalp in concentrated form; these factors are intended to stimulate the hair follicle. The effect is not immediate; a reduction in shedding is reported in the weeks following the first sessions, and thickening and density within months; it varies from person to person.
Its relationship with drug treatment
In hereditary hair loss, the treatments with the highest level of evidence are topical and oral drug treatments. I plan injection methods alongside these treatments, not instead of them; we assess the suitability and follow-up of drug treatment together at consultation.
When do I consider it?
- Early-to-moderate hereditary hair loss: where the hair has thinned but the follicle is alive.
- Female pattern diffuse thinning: with a widening part line, once the diagnostic step is complete.
- The healing period in someone who has had a hair transplant: the timing is planned together with the team that performed it; injections are not given in the early period.
In areas where the follicle has been lost completely and the skin is smooth, PRP will not produce hair.
How it differs from the other methods
With injections into the scalp, the decision depends on the content: when replacing missing nutrients and building blocks is the aim, mesotherapy with vitamins, minerals and peptides comes to the fore; when stimulating the follicle with its own growth signals is the aim, platelet-rich plasma does. The final choice is made at consultation.
The vitamin- and peptide-based option is on the hair mesotherapy page.
In treatments prepared from your own blood, the decision depends on the goal: when scalp itching, sensitivity and inflammation are in the foreground, the serum enriched in anti-inflammatory proteins comes to the fore; when stimulating the follicle is the aim, platelet-rich plasma does. The final choice is made at consultation.
The option I consider when inflammation is in the foreground is on the Sanakin for hair page.
With hair treatments the decision also depends on time: when a regular schedule of visits can be arranged, injections given as a series come to the fore; when single-session completion is preferred, tissue-derived treatments or human-derived exosomes do. The final choice is made at consultation.
The single-session option is on the autologous micrograft hair therapy page. The skin and joint applications of PRP, and the mechanism in more detail, are on the PRP treatment page.
Being honest about the level of evidence
There is evidence, but it is not flawless. A meta-analysis of fourteen randomised trials reported an increase in hair density compared with placebo; the same publication rated the certainty of the evidence as low and noted high heterogeneity between studies and signs of publication bias 1. Another meta-analysis of nine randomised trials reported increased density at three and six months 2. Neither of these two meta-analyses showed a significant difference from placebo in hair thickness 12. The preparation methods used in the studies differ 1, which makes direct comparison of results difficult. This is why I do not describe PRP as a treatment that “stops hair loss”, and why I give no percentages without a source.
The procedure and pain management
Because I am an anaesthesiologist, I treat pain management as a separate part of the procedure.
Topical anaesthetic cream is not used routinely on the scalp; for very sensitive people it is applied before the treatment. What you feel is a brief sting. The blood draw is a standard venous access; what you feel is a brief sting.
Aftercare
First 24 hours
- Do not wash your hair (you can wash it the next day)
- No hot showers, sauna, hammam or steam
- Avoid heavy exercise
- No alcohol
- Do not touch the injection points; do not squeeze or massage the bumps
First 48 hours
- Avoid direct and prolonged sun exposure; wear a hat outdoors
Expected findings Mild redness and tenderness at the injection points are expected and settle the same day. Small bruises may last 1–2 days.
Additional advice
- Wait 2–3 days before hair dye and similar chemical treatments
- If redness increases, or warmth or fever develops, contact the clinic
- A small bruise on the arm used for the blood draw may last 1–2 days
- After a hair transplant, the timing is planned in line with the team that performed it
Safety and anatomy
Because allergic reactions can occur rarely, treatments are carried out under medical supervision.
The plasma is prepared from your own blood in a closed single-use kit; no drug is added. Temporary redness, tenderness and small bruises may occur at the injection points; the expected durations are given in the aftercare section. The treatment is performed with sterile technique and is postponed if there is an active infection on the scalp.
Regulatory status: This product class consists of products assessed under CE and TİTCK frameworks for the relevant indications. The serum or plasma is prepared from your own blood; the kit used is a preparation system within the scope of medical devices. Approval belongs to a product and to a specific indication, not to a technique or to a physician.
Who is not suitable
Treatment is not performed, or is postponed, in the following situations:
- Active infection or inflammation in the treatment area
- Autoimmune disease in an active phase
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Known hypersensitivity to the product components
- Uncontrolled chronic illness
- Untreated bleeding disorder or unregulated anticoagulant use
I do not perform these treatments during active cancer treatment. For a person with a history of cancer, I make the decision together with the treating specialist.
Treatment is postponed if there is an open wound or an active flare of seborrhoeic dermatitis on the scalp, and in the early period after a hair transplant; injections are not given in alopecia areata during an active phase.
In treatments prepared from your own blood, treatment is also not performed in haematological disease or during a febrile illness; in PRP, a low platelet count is also a contraindication.
Without being a medical contraindication, I also consider expectation and treatment to be mismatched in these situations:
- People expecting hair to grow in an area where the follicle has been lost completely and the skin is smooth — a hair transplant is considered in that situation
- People expecting a marked change from a single session or within a short time
- People asking for PRP straight away for undiagnosed hair loss — the diagnostic step comes first
Suitability is determined by consultation in every case.
Pricing
Under the applicable regulations, price information cannot be published on our website. The cost of a treatment depends on the product used, the technique chosen and the extent of the treatment. You can call the clinic for detailed information.
Frequently asked questions
Does PRP work for hair loss?
In hereditary thinning, two meta-analyses report an increase in hair density compared with placebo; the certainty of the evidence is low, the studies are heterogeneous, and these publications showed no significant difference in hair thickness. I consider it in early-to-moderate stages alongside drug treatment; I do not claim that it stops hair loss on its own.
How many PRP sessions are needed for hair?
I do not give a fixed number up front. I decide the number of sessions at consultation according to the type of hair loss and the response to the first session; once the course is complete, I plan one maintenance session per month. Selling a package in advance would mean fixing a process that varies from person to person, so I do not do it.
When does PRP for hair work?
No immediate effect is expected. A reduction in shedding is reported in the weeks following the first sessions, and thickening and density within months; it varies from person to person, and some people report no marked difference.
Planning your visit
My clinic is in Nişantaşı, Şişli, on the European side of Istanbul, approximately 45 minutes from Istanbul Airport.
For PRP for hair I suggest planning a stay of two to three days: arrival, consultation and treatment, and departure. Because this treatment is planned as a series, it requires more than one visit. The first session takes place in Istanbul, and we plan the schedule of the following sessions together according to your travel arrangements, with remote follow-up in between. Flying is generally appropriate 24 hours after an injectable treatment.
Consultations are conducted in English. Follow-up after you return home is arranged remotely, and I remain reachable for any questions during the period in which the result develops.
Dr. Ömer Fatih Şahin — Specialist in Anaesthesiology and Reanimation Diploma Registration No: 113606
Published: 2026-09-21 · Last updated: 2026-09-22 This content has been medically reviewed by Dr. Ömer Fatih Şahin.
References
- Kieling L, Konzen AT, Zanella RK, Valente DS. Is autologous platelet-rich plasma capable of increasing hair density in patients with androgenic alopecia? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. An Bras Dermatol. 2024;99(6):847–862. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39013743/
- Zhang X, Ji Y, Zhou M, et al. Platelet-rich plasma for androgenetic alopecia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Cutan Med Surg. 2023;27(5):504–508. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37533146/