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PRP Therapy (Platelet-Rich Plasma)

PRP therapy, or platelet-rich plasma, is a medical aesthetic treatment that uses a small sample of your own blood to support hair thinning, skin quality and certain scars. A practitioner draws blood from your arm, spins it in a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets, then injects or micro-needles the plasma into the scalp or skin. The platelets release growth factors that are thought to stimulate hair follicles and encourage skin repair. Because PRP involves taking, processing and re-injecting blood, UK professional bodies including the JCCP treat it as a medical procedure rather than a beauty treatment, and 2024-2025 guidance has tightened around who may carry it out and how blood is handled. Results build gradually and are not guaranteed; a typical course is around three to six sessions with periodic maintenance. PRP is used for early androgenetic hair loss, skin rejuvenation and, in some clinics, alongside microneedling. It is not a cure for baldness and works best when expectations are realistic. Given the blood handling, infection-control and clinical-governance requirements involved, choosing a suitably qualified, insured and appropriately regulated medical practitioner matters more here than with most salon treatments.

A thorough, face-to-face consultation with a qualified medical practitioner comes first, covering your medical history, medications, the cause of your hair loss or skin concern and whether PRP is genuinely suitable for you. Tell the practitioner about blood-thinning medication, blood disorders, low platelet counts, autoimmune conditions, active infections, recent steroid use and whether you are pregnant or breastfeeding, as these can affect suitability. In the days before, it typically helps to stay well hydrated, eat beforehand so you are less likely to feel faint during the blood draw, and avoid alcohol. Many practitioners ask you to pause anti-inflammatory painkillers, fish oils and certain supplements for a short period beforehand, but only stop prescribed medication on your doctor's advice. Arrive with clean skin or scalp, free of heavy products, and skip smoking where you can. You should be given clear written information and a consent form, and have time to ask questions before agreeing to proceed.

A session usually takes around 45 to 60 minutes. The practitioner first draws a small amount of blood from your arm, much like a routine blood test, then places it in a centrifuge to separate and concentrate the platelet-rich plasma. Preparing the sample in a clean, controlled way is important, and current UK guidance treats this processing step as part of the medical procedure. While the blood spins, the treatment area is cleaned and, for comfort, a topical numbing cream or cold air may be used, particularly on the scalp. The concentrated plasma is then injected using fine needles across the area, or applied alongside microneedling for skin. You may feel small stings or pressure with each injection. The practitioner should follow strict infection-control and single-use needle practices throughout. Afterwards you can usually go home the same day, and the settings, depth and number of injection points can be tailored to your concern and comfort.

For the first day or two the treated area may feel tender, warm or slightly swollen, and this typically settles on its own. It usually helps to keep the area clean and to avoid touching, rubbing or picking at it. For scalp PRP, most practitioners suggest not washing the hair for several hours to around a day, then using gentle, non-irritating products. Avoid strenuous exercise, saunas, steam rooms, very hot showers and swimming for a day or two, as heat and sweat can aggravate the area. Skip alcohol for the first day and stay hydrated. For facial PRP, protect the skin from strong sun and use a suitable SPF once the skin has settled, and delay heavy makeup for a short period. Try to avoid anti-inflammatory painkillers immediately afterwards unless advised, as they may blunt the response. Follow the specific written aftercare your practitioner gives you, and contact them if you have concerns, spreading redness, increasing pain or any signs of infection.

Because PRP involves taking, processing and re-injecting your own blood, it carries more risk than a typical beauty treatment and should be treated as medical. UK professional bodies including the JCCP updated their guidance in 2024-2025 and take the view that PRP is best carried out by an appropriately qualified, insured medical practitioner working within proper clinical governance, often in a CQC-registered setting, with safe blood-handling, single-use equipment and robust infection control. The main concerns are infection, cross-contamination and blood-borne viruses if blood is mishandled, along with bruising, swelling and, rarely, nerve or tissue injury. A face-to-face consultation and full medical history are essential so contraindications can be identified. Ask about the practitioner's medical qualifications, training, indemnity insurance and the regulated devices and tubes they use. Making firm claims about reversing hair loss can amount to a medicinal claim, so be cautious of guarantees. If anything feels rushed, unhygienic or oversold, do not proceed.

PRP is not suitable for everyone, and a qualified medical practitioner should assess you first. It is generally avoided or approached with caution if you have blood or platelet disorders, are taking blood thinners or anticoagulants, have an active infection or skin infection in the area, certain autoimmune or chronic liver conditions, uncontrolled diabetes, active cancer, or are pregnant or breastfeeding. Some medications and supplements, including anti-inflammatories, steroids and fish oils, can affect the treatment, so share a full list and only change prescribed medicines on your doctor's advice. Hair loss and skin changes can have underlying medical causes, so if you have not already, it is worth seeing your GP or a dermatologist to understand what is driving the problem, as PRP may not be the right answer. PRP should be described as a treatment that may help, not a diagnosis or cure. Anyone under 18 should not be treated. If you have ongoing health conditions, discuss PRP with your GP before booking.

A skin patch test is not usually relevant to PRP, because the material injected is your own plasma rather than a chemical or dye, so allergy is not the main concern. What matters far more is a proper face-to-face consultation and medical screening before treatment. Your practitioner should review your medical history, medications and the cause of your hair or skin concern, and check for contraindications such as blood disorders, blood-thinning medication, infection, pregnancy or autoimmune conditions. Some clinics also confirm you are fit for a blood draw. This screening protects you and, in UK terms, protects the practitioner too, since skipping proper assessment and consent could leave an insured professional found at fault in a claim if something goes wrong. Treat a thorough consultation, honest suitability check and written consent as non-negotiable, and be wary of any clinic that offers to inject on the day without them.

Be cautious if there is no face-to-face consultation or medical history taken, or if you are injected on the first visit with no time to consider. Warning signs include a non-medical practitioner or an unregulated, non-clinical setting, no visible indemnity insurance, and no clear infection-control or hand-hygiene routine. Blood being drawn or processed carelessly, reused needles or tubes, or equipment that is not proper regulated medical kit are serious concerns. Firm guarantees to reverse baldness, pressure to buy large courses upfront, prices that seem too good to be true, and reluctance to answer questions about qualifications or the centrifuge and tubes used should all give you pause. Any dismissal of your medications or health conditions is a red flag. If it feels rushed, unhygienic or oversold, walk away.

Good practice starts with an unhurried, face-to-face consultation and a full medical history, carried out by a suitably qualified, insured medical practitioner working in a clean, well-run clinical setting, ideally CQC-registered. Look for clear infection-control procedures, single-use needles, properly regulated centrifuges and tubes, and safe blood-handling throughout. A good practitioner explains realistically what PRP can and cannot do, avoids guarantees, gives you written information, consent and aftercare, and is happy to share their qualifications and training. They will screen you for contraindications, be honest if PRP is not right for you, and suggest seeing your GP or a dermatologist where an underlying cause needs checking. Transparent pricing, a sensible treatment plan and time to ask questions are all reassuring signs, as is a willingness to say no when treatment is not appropriate.

What are your medical qualifications and training in PRP, and do you hold current medical indemnity insurance?
Is this clinic registered with the CQC, and how do you handle and process the blood safely?
What equipment, centrifuge and tubes do you use, and are they properly regulated single-use medical devices?
Am I a suitable candidate given my medical history and medications, and are there any reasons I should not have PRP?
What realistic results can I expect, how many sessions will I need, and what is the total cost including maintenance?
What are the possible side effects and risks, and what should I do if I have a problem afterwards?

Most people describe PRP as uncomfortable rather than painful. The initial blood draw feels like a routine blood test, with a brief scratch. During the injections you may notice small stings, pinching or a feeling of pressure as the plasma goes in, and the scalp in particular can feel sensitive. Numbing cream or cold air is often used to make this more comfortable, and the intensity can be adjusted to suit you. Afterwards it is common to feel tenderness, warmth, tightness or mild throbbing in the treated area for a day or two, sometimes with slight swelling. These sensations usually ease quickly, but tell your practitioner if anything feels unusually painful or persistent.

PRP is generally low downtime, and many people return to everyday activities the same day. It is common to have some redness, mild swelling, tenderness or small bruises at the injection sites for a day or two, occasionally a little longer. Scalp treatments may leave the scalp feeling sensitive; facial treatments can look slightly flushed or puffy at first. Strenuous exercise, heat and alcohol are usually best avoided for a day or two while things settle. Most visible after-effects fade within a few days, though your practitioner should tell you what is normal for your treatment and when to seek advice.

PRP works gradually rather than instantly, and results vary from person to person. For hair, a typical plan is around three to six sessions spaced a few weeks apart, with many clinics suggesting maintenance treatments roughly every six to twelve months to sustain any benefit. Early on you may notice less shedding, then over several months some improvement in thickness, density or skin quality, though this is not guaranteed and PRP does not reverse advanced baldness or replace lost follicles. It tends to work best for early or moderate thinning and is sometimes combined with other treatments a doctor may recommend. Results are maintained through ongoing sessions, realistic expectations and looking after the underlying cause, which is why a proper diagnosis matters. If you see no benefit after a full course, discuss alternatives with your practitioner or GP rather than continuing indefinitely.