What is hair PRP?
Hair PRP is platelet-rich plasma taken from your own blood, infiltrated into the scalp to stimulate weakened follicles. The procedure has three steps: a blood sample is drawn from the arm, it is centrifuged to separate and concentrate the platelets, and that concentrated plasma is infiltrated into the areas of miniaturisation. The platelets release growth factors that act on the follicle that still works, but works at a decline.
It is worth being clear about what it does and does not do. PRP can slow shedding, thicken miniaturised hair and improve apparent density in early or moderate androgenetic alopecia. What it does not do: it does not make hair where the follicle has already died, it does not on its own halt the progression of androgenetic alopecia —a chronic disease— and it does not replace a hair transplant once an area is bald. It is a supportive treatment, and it gives its best result combined with medical management and with objective measurement of the loss.
Techniques Dr. Arístides Arellano uses
PRP is applied following a protocol, not a fashion. Dr. Arístides Arellano’s principle is the same one that governs all of his hair medicine: measure first, treat second. These are the elements of the approach:
- Prior diagnosis of the loss — before the first session the type of alopecia is studied, because PRP only makes sense when there are living follicles to rescue. See HairMetrix hair analysis.
- Plasma preparation by centrifugation — the blood sample is centrifuged to separate and concentrate the platelets; the quality of the concentrate depends on the protocol and the handling, not on a branded machine.
- Targeted scalp infiltration — the plasma is applied with superficial micro-injections distributed over the areas of miniaturisation, not scattered randomly across the whole head.
- PRP as a complement, not a substitute — it is indicated alongside supportive medical therapy and, where the case allows, around a hair transplant to support healing of the treated area.
How is it done?
A hair PRP session takes 30 to 45 minutes and is performed in the consulting room, without an operating theatre. First a blood sample is drawn from the arm, exactly as in a laboratory test. It is centrifuged for a few minutes to concentrate the platelets, and that plasma is then infiltrated into the scalp with micro-injections; topical or infiltrative anaesthesia can be used for comfort. It needs no downtime: you leave the same day. PRP is worked in a series —usually several sessions a few weeks apart— and then maintained with booster sessions, because its effect is not permanent.
All surgery carries risk and requires a prior medical assessment. Results may vary according to each patient, their anatomy and their individual healing process.
Who is a good candidate?
- People with early or moderate androgenetic alopecia, with follicles that are still alive though weakened and miniaturised.
- Patients whose goal is to slow shedding and thicken existing hair, not to create hair where the follicle is already gone.
- Those looking to complement supportive medical therapy or to accompany the result of a hair transplant.
- It is not the right treatment in cicatricial alopecia, active alopecia areata, advanced baldness with no follicles left to rescue, or in people with clotting disorders or certain medical conditions; this is decided at the consultation.
Recommended post-treatment care
Hair PRP has no surgical recovery: you can return to your routine the same day, protecting the scalp from direct sun and harsh washing for the first hours. To understand the general principles of care after a procedure, See the full guide: Post-surgical recovery and care.
Before and after
Most patients want to see before-and-after photographs before deciding. Out of respect for each person’s privacy, Dr. Arístides Arellano shows real cases —always with documented consent— during your in-person consultation, where you can review results from patients with a starting point similar to yours. Results may vary from patient to patient.
Approximate price
Hair PRP costs approximately $3,000 MXN per session. Because it is a treatment done in a series and then maintained with boosters, the total cost depends on the number of sessions your case requires, which is defined at the consultation according to the degree of loss. Approximate price — the definitive cost is set at your private consultation with Dr. Arístides Arellano. See the price list.
About Dr. Arístides Arellano
Dr. Arístides Arellano is a plastic surgeon holding a specialty licence: he practises under a Mexican medical licence (D.G.P. 1125959) and a specialty licence in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery (0002008), both issued by the Directorate General of Professions (DGP), which reissued his certificate of professional standing in 2025. His career began before Mexico’s present-day specialty-board system existed: he belongs to the founding generation of plastic surgery in Puebla, the second generation of a surgical tradition started in 1971 by Dr. Francisco Arellano Ocampo. Trust is verified, not promised: both licences are public and anyone can look them up in the DGP’s National Registry of Professionals.
Related patient guide
If you are weighing PRP as part of a wider plan for your hair, understanding when a transplant is appropriate helps you decide. Read How many grafts do I need? A guide to hair transplants.
Trust is verified, not promised. All 210 scanned documents —degree, licences, diplomas, publications and certificates, from 1977 to 2025— are open in Dr. Arístides Arellano’s credential archive, alongside an explanation of the difference between a specialty licence and a board certification.
Recovery · step by step
- Same dayThere may be mild redness and tenderness on the scalp, which settle within a few hours. Normal activity resumes with no downtime.
- First 24–48 hoursHarsh washing, direct sun, alcohol and intense exercise are avoided, so as not to irritate the freshly infiltrated area.
- Weeks 1–4No change is visible yet, and that is normal: growth factors act on the follicle’s cycle, which is slow. Patience is part of the treatment.
- Months 3–6The first objective signs appear: less shedding and thicker hair. This is the moment to measure and compare against the baseline, not to judge in front of a mirror.
- MaintenanceThe effect is not permanent. It is kept up with periodic booster sessions, the frequency of which is adjusted to each patient’s response.
Frequently asked questions
Does hair PRP hurt?
Discomfort is mild and tolerable. PRP is applied with superficial micro-injections into the scalp and, for comfort, topical or infiltrative anaesthesia can be used. Most patients describe a sensation of pressure or a brief prick, not significant pain.
How many hair PRP sessions do I need?
It depends on your case, but PRP is always worked in a series: it is not a single application. It is common to start with several sessions a few weeks apart and then maintain the result with periodic booster sessions. The exact number is defined at the consultation, according to the degree of loss and the response you show.
Does PRP grow new hair where I am already bald?
No. PRP stimulates follicles that are still alive though weakened; it does not create hair where the follicle has already died. That is why it works in early or moderate alopecia to slow shedding and thicken existing hair, and not on an already fully bald area, which should instead be assessed for a transplant.
Does hair PRP replace a transplant?
No. They are different and often complementary. PRP is a supportive treatment that keeps and thickens the hair you still have; a hair transplant relocates follicles into an already bald area. In many cases they are used together, and which one applies is decided by measuring the loss first.
When will I see results?
Not immediately. During the first weeks no change is visible, because growth factors act on the follicle cycle, which is slow. The first objective signs usually appear between the third and sixth month, and the best way to confirm them is to measure and compare against the starting point.
Is it safe? It uses my own blood.
PRP uses plasma obtained from your own blood, which reduces the risk of allergic reaction or rejection. Like any medical procedure, it requires a prior assessment and is not indicated in certain conditions, such as clotting disorders. Results may vary from one patient to another.
Does PRP work for alopecia areata or cicatricial alopecia?
It is not the right treatment in those cases. Active alopecia areata is autoimmune and cicatricial alopecia destroys the follicle, so there is no living structure for PRP to act on. Both require a different approach, defined after studying the type of loss.
Can I combine PRP with medication or a transplant?
Yes, and it is usually advisable. PRP gives its best result combined with the supportive medical therapy prescribed in consultation, and it can accompany healing around a hair transplant. The specific plan is built at the consultation, after measuring the loss.
Every case is different. Discuss yours in a personal consultation.
Book a consultation on WhatsAppEvery figure published on this site is approximate and is not a quote. Any procedure or treatment first requires a private assessment consultation with Dr. Arístides Arellano —$800 MXN, charged separately— and it is at that consultation that the definitive cost of your case is determined.
Educational content; it does not replace a medical consultation. Results may vary from person to person.