Stem cell therapy may soon be the gold standard for treating – are you ready? – hair loss. Hundreds of thousands of men and women suffer from hair loss due to various causes. Each year, thousands of them opt for hair transplant procedures, which are invasive, don’t always work and often result in scarring. Stem cell therapy for hair regrowth, on the other hand, doesn’t have these same drawbacks. It is far less invasive and leaves no scars, and the early reports are that it is quite successful for a number of types of hair loss.
According to one specialist in treating hair loss, stem cells are especially helpful for women dealing with female pattern hair loss – hair thinning that leaves scalp shining through. For patients dealing with thinning hair, stem cells can promote thicker hair and regeneration of dead hair follicles.
Why Stem Cells Work for Hair Regrowth
Stem cells are the body’s natural healing engine. They are undifferentiated body cells that have the capacity to specialize into particular cell types, like the cells that produce hair. Thinning hair is the result of hair follicles dying off. Stem cells have the potential to regenerate the lost cells and produce more hair follicles, and thus, more hair growing from the scalp.
How Hair Regrowth with Stem Cells Works
The procedure for re-growing hair with stem cells starts with taking a small amount of the patient’s blood. The doctor then uses a special type of centrifuge to separate out platelet-rich plasma and stem cells. That mixture is combined with special nutrients and healing factors, and injected into the scalp. The doctor then triggers a healing response by using small needles to create tiny wounds in the scalp.
Does Hair Regrowth with Stem Cells Work?
According to doctors who work in the field and have been using the procedure, they typically see about 80 percent hair regrowth in their patients.
A number of clinics and hair loss facilities around the country offer stem cell hair regrowth treatments. In addition, similar stem cell treatments are being used for other cosmetic procedures, including lip plumping, breast enhancement, acne scar treatment and wrinkle reduction. The stem cell treatments are less expensive, less invasive and carry fewer risks than surgical procedures used for the same purpose. Stem cell treatments are also often offered for general rejuvenation and renewal purposes, and may be helpful in treating many disorders and diseases.