Microneedling Paired With PRP for Thinning Hair

Microneedling pen in a stand beside a tube of plasma on a tray

When hair is thinning, a plan that pairs microneedling with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) sounds like more than either treatment alone. Published comparisons are the right place to test that idea before you pay for it.

What one comparison reported

A comparison on pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov found that a greater proportion of patients in the microneedling group achieved a negative hair-pull test and improved perception of hair loss than in the PRP-alone group (82.1% vs. 51.9% and 88.0% vs. 73.9%, respectively). The two measures are a test result and the patient's own view of their hair.

The question the study asked

PMC lists a study that aims to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of PRP injections and microneedling techniques for treating androgenetic alopecia (AGA) in clinical practice. That framing matters, because it names the condition the comparison is about.

Reading about PRP itself

The Cleveland Clinic has a PRP therapy page that explains the treatment in general terms. Read it before a consultation so that the provider's description has something to be compared with.

A different article, Excessive hair loss in women: evaluation of scalp therapy using injectable platelet-rich fibrin, looks at women's hair loss and a related platelet-rich preparation. It is a reminder to check which preparation a given study actually used.

Reading the comparison itself

The full paper is titled Comparison of Efficacy of Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) With PRP Microneedling in Androgenetic Alopecia. Its title tells you the two arms being compared, which is the first thing to check against your own plan.

Questions to settle before you agree

Is my hair loss the kind these comparisons studied?
Will my plan pair microneedling with PRP, or use PRP alone, and why?
How will we measure change, and when will we review it?
Who performs the treatment, and what are my options if the result disappoints me?

If the answer to the first question is vague, the numbers above may not apply to you.