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Plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia

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Abstract

Background

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a common hair disorder that affects both men and women all over the world. Although it is far from being a life-threatening disease, the psychosocial impact of AGA can provoke stress and a significant decrease in life quality. The objective of this retrospective study is to investigate the safety and efficacy of autologous plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) for the treatment of AGA.

Methods

One hundred patients were included in this study. They followed two intradermal cycles of PRGF every 4 weeks. Macrophotographs and trichograms were performed at baseline and at 4 months after the first treatment in order to evaluate the overall improvement and determine the anagen/telogen hair ratio, respectively.

Results

Patients showed an overall increase in hair density. Trichogram analysis showed that anagen hair follicles increased significantly at 6.2 percentage points (p < 0.05) comparing to baseline levels, while a decrease of 5.1 points (p < 0.05) was observed among telogen ones. No adverse effect was reported by any patient.

Conclusions

Although more randomized clinical studies are needed, our data suggest that PRGF has a positive therapeutic effect on androgenetic alopecia showing no adverse effects related to the treatment protocol.

Level of Evidence: Level III, therapeutic study.

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Conflict of interest

Eduardo Anitua and Ander Pino are scientists at BTI Biotechnology Institute. This biotechnology company has developed the technology of plasma rich in growth factors. Navarro MR, Asín M, Martínez AM, Molina C, Navarro V, and Orive G declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

This is a retrospective study, so for this type of study, formal consent is not required.

Patient consent

Patients provided written consent for the use of their images.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro Dermatológico-Estético de Alicante, C/ Alonso Cano 51, 03014, Alicante, Spain

    M. R. Navarro, M. Asín, A. M. Martínez, C. Molina & V. Navarro

  2. Foundation Eduardo Anitua, Jacinto Quincoces, 39, 01007, Vitoria, Álava, Spain

    A. Pino, G. Orive & E. Anitua

Authors
  1. M. R. Navarro
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  2. M. Asín
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  3. A. M. Martínez
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  4. C. Molina
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  5. V. Navarro
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  6. A. Pino
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  7. G. Orive
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  8. E. Anitua
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to E. Anitua.

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Navarro, M.R., Asín, M., Martínez, A.M. et al. Plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia. Eur J Plast Surg 38, 437–442 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00238-015-1116-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00238-015-1116-z

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