FUT with PRP sessions afterwards

[living_tribunal]

First time posting on here.

I have been dealing with hair loss for about a decade (since I was 17). I acted quick and have been on fin & minox for a decade at this point which has allowed me to keep most of my hair.

It has continued to thin however, just very slowly. I have slowly become a norwood 2 - 3 at this point. While my hair isn't terrible by any means it's getting pretty hard to hide and I just want to act now before it gets worse.

After researching the subject and thinking about it for the last two years, I have decided that I am committed to having an FUT transplant soon. I have a consultation setup next week with Dr. Arocha that I'm very excited for.

One thing I have been reading up on are people who have a PRP session a week after the initial transplant and then another about a month afterwards. The studies I have come across have displayed amazing results with a very rapid dormant/loss period followed by new hair growth in just 1-2 months time. 

It's one of the main things I wanted to discuss with Dr. Arocha but I also wanted to see if anyone here has done the same thing with their transplant? Did it work as expected? Any considerations? Would you do it again?

Thanks.

Edited October 20, 2020 by living_tribunal

[Melvin- Admin]

I believe prp may improve the growth time, meaning the hair may grow quicker. One of our members had prp with Arocha and had excellent results perhaps he can chime in @Mycroft

[Mycroft]

Okay, so I will preface my post with the fact that my PRP was a standalone and not an adjunct to surgery. Having said that, I did a fair bit of research on it prior to my first treatment and obviously have seen its impact on my native hairs.

Early growth is indeed something that clinics usually talk about when offering PRP with their surgery. I could definitely see this being a possibility because PRP at its core is a growth promoter. It can kickstart resting hairs into a growth phase and expedite healing of sounds, so you can see how this could be beneficial to your surgical results. There's a very good chance that it could shorten the "downtime" between your initial shed and the growth of new hair. It may also improve survival of grafts and the healing of your strip scar which I would also view as an upside.

If memory serves Dr. Arocha has shared a few early early growth cases here where PRP seems to have induced earlier than average growth in his surgical patients. You should ask if he can show you some case examples of this during your consult.

For me personally I would say the PRP was definitely worth it. If I was going in for surgery I'd almost certainly opt for that add-on if only to hedge my bets in every way possible. I'm happy to answer any questions based on my experience though it's obviously a little different than what you're going in for.

[living_tribunal]

13 minutes ago, Melvin-Moderator said:

I believe prp may improve the growth time, meaning the hair may grow quicker. One of our members had prp with Arocha and had excellent results perhaps he can chime in @Mycroft

It looks very promising. I came across this post of someone who did 2,500 grafts & a follow up prp session with Dr. Arocha last year: 

He had excellent results. 

I also came across this study of PRP treated hair transplant patients vs. non prp that was telling: "In PRP treated group, after 1 month 60% of the patients (n = 12) showed >75% density in comparison to none in non-PRP group." ... "After 6 months of hair transplant, all the patients (n = 20) had more than 75% follicle growth, wherein non-PRP group only 20% (n = 4) of patients showed more than 75% growth and rest 80% of the patients had follicle growth in the range on 50–75% [Figures [Figures33 and and4].4]. "

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5064679/

If all goes well with my consultation next week, I'm hoping to have the procedure done in November so I can look good by Spring. Even though this is my first time posting here, y'all have been amazing for advice/guidance during my two year research period.

[living_tribunal]

2 minutes ago, Mycroft said:

Okay, so I will preface my post with the fact that my PRP was a standalone and not an adjunct to surgery. Having said that, I did a fair bit of research on it prior to my first treatment and obviously have seen its impact on my native hairs.

Early growth is indeed something that clinics usually talk about when offering PRP with their surgery. I could definitely see this being a possibility because PRP at its core is a growth promoter. It can kickstart resting hairs into a growth phase and expedite healing of sounds, so you can see how this could be beneficial to your surgical results. There's a very good chance that it could shorten the "downtime" between your initial shed and the growth of new hair. It may also improve survival of grafts and the healing of your strip scar which I would also view as an upside.

If memory serves Dr. Arocha has shared a few early early growth cases here where PRP seems to have induced earlier than average growth in his surgical patients. You should ask if he can show you some case examples of this during your consult.

For me personally I would say the PRP was definitely worth it. If I was going in for surgery I'd almost certainly opt for that add-on if only to hedge my bets in every way possible. I'm happy to answer any questions based on my experience though it's obviously a little different than what you're going in for.

Excellent information, thank you! It seems like prp is a quick and painless injection. I'm kind of working out the logistics of having these post op PRP treatements (would have to drive down to Houston from Dallas).

Was this your experience that it was pretty quick? How soon after they take blood samples were they ready to inject the plasma into your head? Also, if you don't mind me asking, how much was each session?

[Melvin- Admin]

How could I have forgot @Steeeve yes of course he’s the best person to speak too.

[Mycroft]

4 minutes ago, living_tribunal said:

Excellent information, thank you! It seems like prp is a quick and painless injection. I'm kind of working out the logistics of having these post op PRP treatements (would have to drive down to Houston from Dallas).

Was this your experience that it was pretty quick? How soon after they take blood samples were they ready to inject the plasma into your head? Also, if you don't mind me asking, how much was each session?

I'm in Dallas myself. I had actually been thinking about going in for another treatment but I've been dragging my heels because of the whole Covid situation.

The treatment is very quick. It takes about ten minutes to "spin" in the machine they use and then it will get injected into your head. While you wait they'll inject your scalp with a little anesthesia. It was quick enough that I was able to pop over to his satellite office in Dallas 5 minutes away from my workplace during unch and go back to work like nothing happened. If you're going for a surgery I believe Doctor Arocha can give you the PRP during the same sitting as your procedure.

Cost of the procedure may actually be less for you than it was for me because mine was standalone. It may be discounted if it's part of a surgery, so @Steeevemight be able to give you a more accurate reading on this. 

 

[living_tribunal]

Just now, Mycroft said:

I'm in Dallas myself. I had actually been thinking about going in for another treatment but I've been dragging my heels because of the whole Covid situation.

The treatment is very quick. It takes about ten minutes to "spin" in the machine they use and then it will get injected into your head. While you wait they'll inject your scalp with a little anesthesia. It was quick enough that I was able to pop over to his satellite office in Dallas 5 minutes away from my workplace during unch and go back to work like nothing happened. If you're going for a surgery I believe Doctor Arocha can give you the PRP during the same sitting as your procedure.

Cost of the procedure may actually be less for you than it was for me because mine was standalone. It may be discounted if it's part of a surgery, so @Steeevemight be able to give you a more accurate reading on this. 

 

Oh that's great to know. So does Dr. Arocha travel to Dallas from time to time? If so, that works out great. I could get the follow up injections here in Dallas. Do you think there's the possibility that PRP will help my existing hair as well? Also, I've always wondered if PRP is permanent or if you you need to do follow up treatments (not talking about the first 3-4 sessions as apart of the initial treatment) every couple of years or so? I'm sure it's different for transplants but it might be something to consider to maintain what I do have.

Lastly, does finestaride maintain hair re-grown/thickened up from PRP as it does hair normally? finestaride has done an amazing job of effectively slowing down the MPB process by about 80% for myself. I'm curious if the gains made by PRP would hold up that well. If so, it might be something I only have to do every 5 years or so with my current hair.

[Mycroft]

Just now, living_tribunal said:

Oh that's great to know. So does Dr. Arocha travel to Dallas from time to time? If so, that works out great. I could get the follow up injections here in Dallas. Do you think there's the possibility that PRP will help my existing hair as well? Also, I've always wondered if PRP is permanent or if you you need to do follow up treatments (not talking about the first 3-4 sessions as apart of the initial treatment) every couple of years or so? I'm sure it's different for transplants but it might be something to consider to maintain what I do have.

Lastly, does finestaride maintain hair re-grown/thickened up from PRP as it does hair normally? finestaride has done an amazing job of effectively slowing down the MPB process by about 80% for myself. I'm curious if the gains made by PRP would hold up that well. If so, it might be something I only have to do every 5 years or so with my current hair.

He hasn't had a visit since Covid issues started as you might imagine, but prior to all that he was coming up to Dallas once or twice a month.

There is absolutely a chance PRP can help your existing hair. I had pretty significant results and I've had about two treatments in about two years. For me it thickened existing hair, giving it more body and color, and it even gave me some growth in areas where I had no visible hair. I'm actually still seeing small Improvements but it's a slow process.

Yes, Finasteride will help maintain any hair on your head and may very well prolong the cosmetic efficacy of the PRP treatments. Generally you'll probably want to "renew" your treatment periodically but my how often this may need to be done can vary from person to person (though again I think medication helps). Think of it kind of like fertilizing your lawn. Eventually you want to fertilize again but how often probably depends on a bunch of other factors.

[Steeeve]

I’m happy to answer any questions I’m able to.

I believe that the PRP helped my existing hair to wake up, for sure. I had quite few (thousand) hairs that were slowly quivering away and PRP brought them back from the brink. It was my observation that finasteride was doing really well to help maintain what I had but there were still a lot of hairs that just wouldn’t quite come back with it and PRP really helped to fluff those hairs up. I believe it also helped the newly implanted grafts to not only avoid a shed but to grow back a bit faster than they would have otherwise. I personally feel like they are still hanging in there for the most part.

My understanding is that you need to get PRP injections once a year but as Mycroft said it really depends on the way the individual’s body processes that. The injections would hurt without the use of local anesthetic but the cost of that is included in the price. I believe I did receive a small discount for the PRP since it was included with the transplant but I couldn’t tell you exactly what that was anymore. I also couldn’t tell you if it was in conjunction with the transplant or if it was another deal Dr. Arocha had going on at the time. It’s definitely worth asking about, though.

I would pay full price for the PRP, just saying. It was a game changer for me.

Dr. Arocha believes that the use of finasteride, minoxidil, and a laser cap really help to keep your PRP results alive for much longer than if you were just doing it by itself. I haven’t bought the laser cap yet but I plan to when I go for my next transplant. I’ve read from users on reddit that derma rolling also helps to elongate the life of their PRP results. I’ve never read a single report in that, though, only a lot of user experience. Like I said, I feel like my results are still hanging in there for the moment without the use of the cap...but I also plan to get the cap because if I can get them to hold out even longer that would be ideal.

To throw another name into the mix ,if @LaserCap is hanging around and happens to see this he is a wealth if knowledge on the subject. He used to work with Dr. Arocha and, like I said, his knowledge is vast.

And thanks for the kind words. I really appreciate it.

[Mycroft]

I know Dr. Arocha recommends every 12 months just as a rule of thumb, but I recall a particularly striking case from Dr. Cooley where a patient was still maintaining his results two years after a single treatment. I'm actually a little past the 12 month mark right now myself and I haven't noticed a reduction in hair quality, so it's not like you hit 12 months and instantly regress. Worth noting I'm also on a Finasteride and Minoxidil at this point, so I'm sure those add longevity.

[Steeeve]

15 minutes ago, Mycroft said:

I know Dr. Arocha recommends every 12 months just as a rule of thumb, but I recall a particularly striking case from Dr. Cooley where a patient was still maintaining his results two years after a single treatment. I'm actually a little past the 12 month mark right now myself and I haven't noticed a reduction in hair quality, so it's not like you hit 12 months and instantly regress. Worth noting I'm also on a Finasteride and Minoxidil at this point, so I'm sure those add longevity.

I agree; I believe those add longevity. My hair hasn’t shown any sign of fall from PRP and it’s been a little over 18 months, however, I know it won’t last forever. I’m hoping to go in for my next procedure prior to noticing it thin out.🤞🏻🤞🏻

Is that Cooley case on his website or the forum?

[Mycroft]

21 minutes ago, Steeeve said:

I agree; I believe those add longevity. My hair hasn’t shown any sign of fall from PRP and it’s been a little over 18 months, however, I know it won’t last forever. I’m hoping to go in for my next procedure prior to noticing it thin out.🤞🏻🤞🏻

Is that Cooley case on his website or the forum?

I believe he had it on his site back when I was doing my initial research. It's likely still there because it's a noteworthy result.

Right now my hair is looking stronger than ever and I'm actually still seeing revived baby hairs here and there which may or may not grow to more cosmetic significance. I've been meaning to email the doc and ask about driving down for another treatment since I doubt he's coming to Dallas any time soon, but I may also use this time just to test how long I can truly maintain the results.

[Sean]

PRP is beneficial if it is done right with proper amount of injections.  Dr Cooley may be a good person to ask as he has done them since they first were used for hair enhancement.  He has had some promising results from what was presented online.  See if you can reach out to prp patients with your hair texture and caliber.  That may help gauge.  Best of luck.

[living_tribunal]

Thank you @Sean  @Steeeve   & @Mycroft . A ton of very helpful feedback.

From all that I’ve gathered, it seems like an excellent thing to do in tandem with my fut transplant. Steeeve, your transplant looks fantastic and was one of the catalysts that urged me to do prp with my fut. Looking at your pictures, you skipped over that dormant/fall out 1-4 month period and had hair coming in after month 2. 

Y’all have certainly gotten me excited. I’m hoping to have the procedure done next month as Dr. Arocha apparently has availability for November. Will know more after consultation.

Thanks again. 
 

@Mycroft, I’ll let you know if he is coming back to Dallas anytime soon. 

Edited October 21, 2020 by living_tribunal

[Steeeve]

@living_tribunalThanks man. The whole point of this forum is to help others find their way. It means a lot if we were able to help you.

I hope you’ll post your results on here once you’ve made the leap!

Good luck!!

[living_tribunal]

I'm officially booked for November 13th. Very excited and a little nervous. I decided to move forward with PRP alongside the FUT treatment.

[Steeeve]

Congratulations!! This next year is going to be sooo exciting!🙂👍🏻

[Mycroft]

Good luck. Although I can only speak to the non-surgical experience, Dr. Arocha and his team have always treated me well. You're in good hands.

[living_tribunal]

Alright, 1500 graft fut with prp injections completed with arocha! Two days post op now, and aside from the pain, I’m pretty excited to see what happens. Will try and post pictures once Apple lets me edit photos.

[living_tribunal]

So here is an update.

I must admit, the pain from the strip was not very enjoyable. Since this is my first procedure, I'm not sure how things went compared to an average cohort but I think it went well.

I got 1,500 grafts inserted. One thing that's tripping me up is that I don't have any of those black dots like most who get a hair transplant have. Arocha did a lot of work on my left temple which is where I had receded the most. Since there isn't much redness or black stubble in the right temple, I'm nervous that maybe the right side of my head didn't get filled in enough. I called Dr. Arocha regarding this and he assured me that he did fill in the right temple so I guess I just need to be patient. 

I've been trying to compare the initial transplant to others who have had 1,500 grafts and it might just be a testament to Arocha's work that there is a lack of black spots and redness. I'm hoping so at least.

Here are the pictures immediately after surgery:
 

Edited November 16, 2020 by living_tribunal

[Steeeve]

I think the work looks great! It definitely looks like you had more loss on that left temple. Very appropriate amount of grafts for your level of loss.

I know you’re already thinking this but try to stay away from comparing yourself to anyone. Everyone’s transplant grows in its own time. I think you’re going to be crazy happy this time next year! 

I didn’t have any overtly visible stubble either (the black dots you’re referring to).You’ll probably see quite a bit of stubble on that left temple once the scabs come off. You’ll definitely be able to feel what you’re not able to see when you run your fingers through your hair, though.

Congrats and Happy Growing!!

[living_tribunal]

@Steeeve I'd be curious to hear if you kind of noticed the same thing above? 

I suppose I'm in that paranoid phase where you're worried that maybe your pillow nicked a graft while you're sleeping and if anything has been messed up somehow.

Dr. Arocha didn't recommend spraying the grafts with a saline solution but I've been doing it anyway as it seems pretty common elsewhere. Living on pins and needles right now!

[living_tribunal]

Looks like you have a sixth sense or something @Steeeve! We posted nearly at the same time.

[living_tribunal]

1 minute ago, Steeeve said:

I think the work looks great! It definitely looks like you had more loss on that left temple. Very appropriate amount of grafts for your level of loss.

I know you’re already thinking this but try to stay away from comparing yourself to anyone. Everyone’s transplant grows in its own time. I think you’re going to be crazy happy this time next year! 

I didn’t have any overtly visible stubble either (the black dots you’re referring to).You’ll probably see quite a bit of stubble on that left temple once the scabs come off. You’ll definitely be able to feel what you’re not able to see when you run your fingers through your hair, though.

Congrats and Happy Growing!!

I can definitely see that he filled in the left side big time given the loss. I'm just hoping he still added quite a bit on the right side. I think since Dr. Arocha rightfully uses single hair grafts for the front layer, they are so microscopic and are harder to detect, especially if he only did a thin layer like he might have done on the right side. Just hoping my left side doesn't become my dominant side!