Objective:
To evaluate the effectiveness of regenerative therapies for hair loss and hair transplantation, focusing on platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and other emerging approaches.
Approach:
- Study Design: Structured narrative review of English-language studies from PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Google Scholar through February 2025.
- Eligibility Criteria: Included randomized controlled trials, prospective and retrospective clinical studies, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and translational preclinical studies.
- Outcome Measures: Assessed hair density, hair shaft diameter, graft survival, hair yield, wound healing, time to visible regrowth, shock loss, and patient-reported satisfaction.
Key Findings:
- PRP had the most mature evidence base among reviewed therapies.
- Randomized trials reported increases in hair density of approximately 10 to 30 hairs/cm² with PRP.
- Evidence specific to hair transplantation was limited and inconsistent.
- Exosome-based therapies had considerably less developed evidence, with no robust randomized trials.
- Low-level laser therapy showed moderate evidence for androgenetic alopecia, but transplantation-specific data was limited.
Interpretation:
PRP is currently the best-supported regenerative adjunct in hair transplantation, but higher-quality studies are needed for broader clinical application.
Limitations:
- Narrative design limited quantitative synthesis.
- Potential selection bias and heterogeneity in included literature.
- Variability in treatment protocols and outcome reporting.
Conclusion:
Standardized protocols and transplantation-specific outcome measures are essential for improving future evidence quality.
Sources:
This content is an AI-generated, fully rewritten summary based on a published scholarly article. It does not reproduce the original text and is not a substitute for the original publication. Readers are encouraged to consult the source for full context, data, and methodology.
