PURE HAIR GRAFTING – PURIFIED FAT GRAFTING ENRICHED WITH PRP
Adipose tissue with growth factors in hair loss treatment
Hardly a day goes by when we are not amazed by some newly-discovered possibility in regenerative medicine. The idea that we can treat certain disorders using our own tissues, cells and growth factors is bringing about something of a revolution in medicine. The technology has advanced so much that in the last decade medical equipment and devices have become available for doctors to easily isolate and use the patient’s own tissue to treat a range of illnesses. Regenerative medicine and the use of stem cells already has a huge range of applications in orthopedics, neurosurgery, dermatology, cardiology, in the treatment of various degenerative disorders and senility, and many others. In cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, fatty tissue was initially used as a natural filler for repairing defects. Later, lipofilling (transferring the body’s own fatty tissue) became a very effective method for augmenting the face (lips, cheekbones, eyelids) and the body (breasts, buttocks, calves). Today we are the point where the body’s own fatty tissue can play an important role in the treatment of hair loss.
Why this therapy?
PRP therapy, that is, platelet-rich plasma therapy (plasma rich in growth factors) has for several years now been available to us for hair loss treatment. PRP is easy to isolate and prepare, and the process of injection itself is extremely simple. This therapy is being successfully used both in women and in men. It is very often combined with a hair transplant. The idea of using the body’s own fatty tissue (fat grafting) in the treatment of hair loss came about as doctors began to gain experience in using this tissue and seeing that its benefits were much greater than merely adding volume. Some new discoveries suggested that this therapy could produce excellent results. The first thing we realised was that people who were losing their hair were also losing the fine layer of subcutaneous fatty tissue in the region affected by hair loss. This changes the entire structure of the skin, and its vascularisation (the supply of blood to the follicles). Furthermore, the adipose tissue itself has antiandrogenic characteristics and at the local level, in the small area in which it is injected, can block the enzyme 5α-reductase, which is the enzyme that catalyses the formation of dihydrotestosterone, a cause of hair loss. Blocking this enzyme is the same mechanism used by the medication finasteride – which is the only medication registered for hair loss therapy, but which has many side effects in systemic use. Using fat means we can avoid these unwanted effects of medication and positively affect the hair. Thirdly, but no less importantly, fatty tissues also contain stem cells, which can stimulate the growth of the hair and restore lost hairs. The last important fact to know is that fatty tissue stimulates a process at the point of injection called angiogenesis, that is the growth of new capillaries (blood vessels) – just what is required for proper nutrition of the follicles. These scientific discoveries have put fatty tissue firmly on the map as a new therapy in hair treatment.
What does the procedure itself look like?
To be a candidate for this procedure you need to have a little surplus fatty tissue. This can usually be found in the stomach, hip or knee regions. Mini-liposuction is carried out under local anaesthetic to draw off around 50-80 cc of fatty tissue. The latest technologies for processing fat after removal require that the fat be purified using a device called PureGraft. This way we obtain the highest quality of fat, fully purified, with maximum viability of the adipose cells, which is of great importance. At the same time plasma is isolated along the same lines as with PRP therapy. The prepared adipose tissue, together with the platelet-rich plasma, is injected into the zones affected by hair loss or thinning. The technique of injection is itself very important, and is done under local anaesthetic. The whole procedure takes around 45 minutes and the patient leaves the clinic the same day. The hair can be washed the following day, and there are no special limitations as regards everyday activities. There are no outward signs of the procedure having been done, and the patient can get straight back to their normal life.
In which cases can this therapy be used?
Pure Hair Grafting is used in the treatment of androgenetic (hereditary) alopecia in men and women. We have observed the best results in the treatment of alopecia in its early stages, and where hair loss is relatively slow. It also has an application in treating alopecia areata and scarring alopecia. It is sometimes used in scar correction, if the scar tissue itself is very rough, where before transplanting hairs Pure Hair Grafting is first done in the scar region. It can be combined with a hair transplant by injection of adipose tissue around three months before the procedure. This can improve the results of the hair transplant itself.
What can you expect from this treatment?
We hesitate to use a term like “revolutionary therapy” when we talk about hair loss treatments, since every treatment (minoxidil, finasteride, mesotherapy, laser therapy etc.) requires perseverance, constant application, and sometimes a combination of treatments just to achieve a small improvement. From our clinical experience we know that Pure Hair Grafting is a fairly simple procedure to carry out and has no undesirable side effects. Some 6 to 8 weeks are required for the first results to become apparent. The first thing we notice is reduced or arrested hair loss. Over time the hair itself becomes thicker and stronger, and in some cases grows more quickly too. The region affected by hair loss shrinks over time due to the new hair which grows in response to this therapy. From our research work we have seen improvements in density of 30% and even 40%. We have become convinced of the consistency of the results of Pure Hair Grafting, but because we take an individual approach to each patient, and because we track the results of our work, treatment can always be repeated if the need arises. We have also seen very positive effects in the treatment of alopecia areata and scarring alopecia.
Dr Gorana Kuka was a lead researcher in a clinical study into the use of this therapy in the treatment of various types of alopecia in the US. She is the author of this therapy and now, after a year, can make public the results she has achieved. These will soon be published in the professional literature. Because we cultivate an individual approach to each of our patients, you should look into what different hair loss treatments exist and which might suit you best, taking into account the extent of the hair loss and the lifestyle you lead. Pure Hair Grafting certainly has a very important role to play in the treatment of hair loss.
Results of Pure Hair Grafting therapy
Watch the video to see what the treatment itself looks like:
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