Date of Award

2023

Document Type

Restricted Access Thesis

Degree Name

MS in Physician Assistant Studies (PA)

Department

Physician Assistant Studies

Abstract

Alopecia is a prevalent medical condition affecting both men and women that can heavily impact an individual's self-image and mental health. Research has begun to discover new and effective ways of permanent treatment options for those suffering from early onset hair loss. This systematic review investigates one promising treatment modality specifically; platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for the reduction and regrowth of hair loss due to alopecia. PRP therapy acts through multiple mechanisms, including the promotion of new blood vessel formation, improved blood supply to hair follicles, stimulation of dermal papilla cell proliferation, and enhanced production of extracellular matrix proteins. A systematic review was conducted to analyze current research available from specialists evaluating and utilizing PRP for the treatment of alopecia to determine the effectiveness of platelet-rich plasma for both the cessation of hair loss as well as the regrowth of said loss. Search engines used for data collection included Google Scholar and PubMed. The search included keywords “platelet-rich plasma + alopecia”, “alopecia treatment”, “alopecia”, and “platelet-rich plasma + dermatology”.

Inclusion criteria were studies with a p-value <0.05 and published between the years of 2017 through 2023. Exclusion criteria were studies including patients under the age of 18, those released longer than 5 years ago, and those which evaluated hair loss treatments not involving PRP. The analysis findings suggest that platelet-rich plasma treatment is an effective treatment for patients with alopecia, with limited adverse reactions or concerns.

Identifier

SC 11.PAS.2023.Althaus.M

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