Acell and PRP

[socates123]

Assuming that the HT surgeon recommends me on Acell + PRP for graft survival - where can I learn more about it? I've read Dr. Cooley - but is there any iron clad guarantee there is a credible track record?

[GreatPelo]

No doctor will give you a 100% guarantee on. PRP results because there is no data confirming its results yet. Go to ISHRS.org and click on articles and find the article on PRP...interesting read.

[mahhong]

Unfortunately, there isn't a huge amount of cases out there to look at, let alone any full studies. You can find some cases on this site and some reputable doctors are convinced they're seeing good results with the PRP.

 

So no iron clad guarantee, unfortunately. There isn't much data at all, though that doesn't mean the technique isn't useful. It doesn't really have much of a track record outside of a few handful of cases.

[GreatPelo]

To me...it's a HUGE pill to swallow to do PRP and pay about $1000-1200 for each session without a guarantee....I rather save more money and have a transplant while reducing future loss with Propecia/Rogaine.

[300yardsplus]

for what it's worth have been emailing all the so called top ht docs re: current use prp (+-acell) and so far general concensus is not good. not good for me cuz i really wanted to try but not now and going to save my money. the following is just a sample email reply i rec'd which pretty much sums up the general feelings among majority of other top ht docs who replied back to me. buyer beware is basically what they are all emailing me. at least the docs who took the time to email me back were honest and ethical.

 

Email from Robert Haber, MD

"Jerry Cooley and Gary Hitzig are both friends of mine, but I am not aware that either of them are claiming that ACell and PRP are reliable treatments for hair loss. Unfortunately, there are no reliable unbiased studies that support the use of either of these treatments at present, so all results and claims are anecdotal. There are also a variety of methods of producing and administering PRP, so there is no standard protocol that all surgeons use.

The only two products that have passed FDA scrutiny for hair growth are finasteride (Propecia) and minoxidil (Rogaine.) LLLT is very likely to grow in popularity as clinical evidence of effectiveness is reported. We are hoping to achieve FDA 510(k) clearance in the near future for the LaserCap.

The most effective treatment to date is finasteride (which I've been taking myself for 12 years without a problem) and while I certainly respect your decision not to use the drug, you will most likely experience a slow progression of your hair loss over time. Ongoing treatments with ACell and PRP over many years would far exceed the cost of LLLT as well as surgery.

Each doctor will have slightly different methods of obtaining and administering PRP. ACell is the same for everyone, but administration techniques may vary.

Most ACell is use at the time of surgery in cases where there is a concern about hair growth. It is gone very quickly, and would be prohibitively expensive to use for ongoing hair loss treatments.

There is no formal training for ACell or PRP. These techniques are discussed at our meetings, and sometimes a doctor will arrange to visit a colleague to learn a particular technique.

Some doctors offer PRP purely to make money. If you choose to undergo these treatments, choose a doctor recommended by *both *the IAHRS and the Hair Transplant Network, making it more likely to end up in the hands of an ethical practitioner.

I use ACell during surgery in selected cases. I personally do not offer PRP, as I have seen no data whatsoever to support its use.

Sincerely,

Robert Haber, MD