Acell,PRP - Input please

[pcg]

I am planning to get Acell,PRP done from Dr Prasad (New York).

Can anyone share their experiences with Acell, PRP in general and about Dr Prasad's experience in particular?

They claim Acell,PRP can actually regrow hair from dead follicles even.

[voxman]

Spend a week here using the 'search' feature.

[gillenator]

The initial intention and application of both ACELL and PRP treatments were for facilitating wound healing, certainly not growing hair. That still is the primary purpose of each treatment.

 

What's happened since then was a buzz that started in these forums several years ago and suddenly everyone was talking about it (PRP) and wanting it done. Some docs were pushing PRP as a treatment for slowing down the progression of MPB, growing or stimulating new growth, yaddy, yaddy. There was and still is no clinical proof to substantiate those claims.

 

IMHO, these treatments as stand alone isolated injections without any surgery involved is a complete waste of time and money...:confused:

 

But and I do say "BUT", both treatments are indeed advantageous to those patients having HT surgery because again, anything that does have clinical proof of facilitating wound healing is a good thing. Both items have clinical substantiation for wound healing and so does the newly presented Liposomil ATP.

 

Keep in mind that everyone is going to respond differently. ACELL primarily works to minimize scar tissue in the healing process along with a few other benefits. PRP is simply your own blood platelets injected back into an area that has a wound. Professional athletes have been doing this for years. And especially wounds that involve knees, shoulders, things like that. The platelet rich injections advance the rate of healing in many individuals. That's a quick synopsis of both treatments in layman terms.

 

But to think it will grow any new hair is absurd IMHO. The theory is that PRP will bring resting (telogen phase) hair follicles into the growth (anagen phase) and POOF, new hair growth. Sounds believable right? You would IMHO have better results using minoxidil (5%) such as Rogaine Foam to stimulate new hair growth!

 

Well that was the hype and yet not one patient who had these treatments has come forward with any testimonial of it growing new hair. Nor is there any clinical proof...:rolleyes:

 

And as a result, PRP as a stand alone treatment without surgery has virtually died in forum dialogue...:confused:

[pcg]

Thanks for the detailed informative response.

I did have a hair transplant surgery (FUE) about 10 years back. But the density is very poor as the surgeon tried to cover too much of bald space with less transplants. As a result my hair is very thin near the hairline and extremely thin on my crown.

Based on the case studies available on the internet, I was wondering if Acell,PRP would help increase the thickness of hair as well as promote some hair regrowth on the bald spots.

The before/after pictures available on Dr Prasad's website looks promising - assuming they are genuine.

[gillenator]

Well we have to recognize that there are absolutely no comprehensive empirical studies or clinical trials that confirm that PRP grows any hair. Same for ACELL for the reasons that I stated before. Neither product was developed for the purpose of growing hair, period. That's why I stated that using them as a stand alone treatment without surgery is a waste of money IMHO...:confused:

 

And that's also why the FDA for example requires clinical trials and other means of substantiation for various products like these classified as medications.

 

Pictures do not carry any weight IMHO when it comes to substantiating medications. Apart from showing surgical results, photos are so subjective and many times used more for marketing purposes than anything else.

 

IMHO, you would potentially have better results by simply using 5% minoxidil for the purpose of regrowing hair...

 

When there is that much hair loss within any zone, only transplants are going to give you any cosmetic improvement. That's scientific and not subjective or wishful thinking.

 

I hope you are not offended by my direct and truthful remarks. I am sure you work hard for your money and why part with it when there is really no clinical merit to support "stand alone" or isolated treatments like these...:confused:

[pcg]

Thanks for your input. I was carried away by Dr Prasad's reviews and testimonials. Probably they are scam. I certainly don't want to waste $5,000 of my hard earned money knowing that these won't work.

 

I will probably muster some courage and get FUE done, which seems to be the only genuine option available right now, with 100%.

 

Do you have any suggestions for the best surgeon who does FUE, preferably in California or India?

[pcg]

Thanks for your input. I was carried away by Dr Prasad's reviews and testimonials. Probably they are scam. I certainly don't want to waste $5,000 of my hard earned money knowing that these won't work.

 

I will probably muster some courage and get FUE done, which seems to be the only genuine option available right now, with 100%.

 

Do you have any suggestions for the best surgeon who does FUE, preferably in California or India?

[gillenator]

$5,000 - Five thousand dollars?! Are you serious???...:eek:

 

Honestly, this has to be one of the worst things that I have ever heard in this industry in over four decades...:confused:

 

At least now you are thinking reality in using your hard earned money for grafts and not wishful thinking.

 

If you live in the US, simply do a word search on FUE surgeons and start researching them. I want to encourage you to do this yourself because only by doing your homework will you develop a sense of what to ask, and to educate yourself on what the risks may be with FUE as compared to FUHT.

 

There are a number of HT surgeons in North America who are becoming more skilled with FUE with the results to show it. Three to five years ago, there was only a few with proven yields but now things have progressed up to current day...

[voxman]

PCG, I am thinking your $5000 is for the Hair Transplant and *includes* the Acell/PRP, correct? A number of respected Top Doc's here do offer it as a part of the HT treatment (Graft Bath for example), but bear in mind that reported results are mostly anecdotal. It's important that you do your homework and decide for yourself.

[pcg]

PCG, I am thinking your $5000 is for the Hair Transplant and *includes* the Acell/PRP, correct? A number of respected Top Doc's here do offer it as a part of the HT treatment (Graft Bath for example), but bear in mind that reported results are mostly anecdotal. It's important that you do your homework and decide for yourself.

No. Dr Prasad's office quoted $5,000 just for PRP as a standalone treatment,

I am curious. What's the standard cost of a standalone PRP?

[hair1978]

$5000 for just the ACell injection is a rip-off and a steep price. I paid 10 times less than that price.

Two months ago, I did my 2nd FUE procedure along with the ACell injection. During the procedure being half awake, I did feel sharp pitching as I was being injected with ACell. Whether or not the ACell will help me remains to be seen. But I'm not too worried over a few hundred dollars for the injections.

[voxman]

:eek: That's ridiculous - the time I have seen posters discuss their treatment, it was like a $500 add to a FUT or FUE, or it was just built in the cost of the HT.

[pcg]

:eek: That's ridiculous - the time I have seen posters discuss their treatment, it was like a $500 add to a FUT or FUE, or it was just built in the cost of the HT.

 

May be they offer a steep discount if combined with HT. Even then, 10 times doesnt' make sense for a standalone Acell/PRP treatment especially when everyone knows that this won't work (as a standalone).