Is a PRP Hair Revitalization Painful?

PRP hair treatments are well-tolerated, and most patients describe the sensation as mild pressure or tiny pinches rather than pain. Because Dr. Kolstad uses advanced scalp cooling to numb the area before injections, discomfort is kept to a minimum. You might feel a little soreness or tightness in the treated areas afterward, but this fades within a day or two. Compared to other hair restoration methods, PRP is one of the least invasive options, requiring no incisions or downtime.

How Many Appointments Will I Need?

Dr. Kolstad has developed several treatment protocols depending on the severity of alopecia and the use of PRP hair treatment in San Diego. For most patients with thinning hair, Dr. Kolstad recommends four treatments spaced 4 weeks apart, followed by maintenance treatments every 4-6 months. For patients looking to enhance their hair transplant, Dr. Kolstad recommends one session at the time of the hair transplant, followed by a second session at 3 months and a third at 6 months.

How Long Until I See Results?

Most patients start noticing less shedding and subtle thickening within about 2 to 3 months. Visible new growth typically appears around the 4- to 6-month mark, with full results continuing to improve for up to a year as new hairs grow in and existing ones strengthen. Since hair grows in cycles that can vary from person to person, a series of treatments is usually recommended for the best outcome, followed by occasional maintenance sessions to maintain your results.

Can I Combine a PRP Hair Revitalization with Other Procedures?

Absolutely, many patients combine PRP with hair transplant surgery to boost graft survival and improve overall results, or with laser hair therapy to enhance follicle stimulation. Dr. Kolstad will tailor your treatment plan to your needs, helping you decide what combination will deliver the best, most natural-looking improvement.

What Are the Risks Associated with a PRP Hair Revitalization?

PRP hair revitalization is considered extremely safe since it uses your own blood, meaning there’s no chance of allergic reaction or rejection. The most common side effects are minor swelling, tenderness, or redness at the injection sites. Bruising can occur, but it is rare and temporary.

Does PRP Hair Restoration Really Work?

Individual results vary from patient to patient. No guarantees of success can be made, and PRP cannot restore hair follicles that have died and are lost completely. PRP hair treatment is an emerging non-surgical-based therapy, and preliminary PRP studies indicate that patients can respond to PRP therapy. Larger case-control clinical studies are pending, but the current medical literature contains numerous reports of optimistic results. PRP for hair loss is a relatively new treatment, with limited scientific evidence of its efficacy. The long-term benefits of PRP treatments for hair loss are not yet known. The FDA is still pending final approval of PRP treatments for hair loss. For more information about the PRP hair restoration treatment in San Diego, CA, call our office today!

What Types of Hair Loss Can Be Treated Using PRP Hair Injections?

Androgenic vs Non-androgenic Hair Loss Androgenic alopecia (genetic balding) is the most common cause of hair loss for both men and women. Topical agents containing Minoxidil (for men and women) and oral Finasteride (men only) have been mainstays of treatment for over 20 years. Both Minoxidil and Finasteride are designed specifically for male pattern baldness. Before PRP, non-androgenic (genetic) alopecia had limited options for treating hair loss. Non-genetic causes of alopecia include stress, menopause and perimenopause, traction, and normal age-related thinning. PRP can be used to treat both androgenic and non-androgenic hair loss. Hair restoration experts use PRP to stimulate the growth of follicles and reverse the process of hair miniaturization

San Diego & La Jolla, CA

PRP Hair Revitalization

Name: Kolstad Facial Plastic Surgery
Brand: Kolstad Facial Plastic Surgery
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Rating: 4.8 (95 reviews)

PRP Hair Restoration San Diego

Is your hair thinning? PRP is a new, state-of-the-art medical treatment for hair loss designed for both men and women.

One of the hottest trends in hair restoration is the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to stimulate hair growth, increase density, and enhance scalp coverage. PRP utilizes your body’s ability to heal and regenerate to encourage hair growth at a cellular level. If the hair follicles and hair matrix are healthy, hair growth is healthy. Growth factors in PRP are a safe, natural option for hair restoration. Platelet-rich plasma therapy has been used for years to facilitate wound regeneration in sports medicine, orthopedics, and oral surgery. PRP has recently been found to promote hair regeneration.

PRP hair treatment in San Diego can be used for alopecia due to a variety of causes, not just male pattern baldness.

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What is a PRP Hair Revitalization?

Platelet-rich plasma is an exciting, nonsurgical way of treating hair loss, hair thinning, and many types of balding. PRP is a high concentration of platelets and the associated growth factors in a small volume of plasma.

By evaluating wound healing at the cellular level, several blood-derived growth factors have been identified. Growth factors are chemicals circulating in your blood that encourage cellular regeneration and proliferation. Platelets are cell fragments that help form blood clots, stop bleeding, and promote cellular repair after an injury. Inside platelets are many intracellular structures and molecules that promote wound healing.

What Are the Benefits of a PRP Hair Revitalization?

PRP hair revitalization taps into your body’s natural ability to heal and regrow, making it one of the most innovative, natural-looking solutions for hair thinning and loss.

The growth factors in platelet-rich plasma stimulate dormant follicles, increase the blood flow to the scalp, and encourage stronger, thicker, healthier hair. Over time, patients notice less shedding, improved density, and fuller coverage in thinning areas.

Why Choose Dr. Kolstad?

The cost of PRP hair revitalization in San Diego will depend on the extent of your hair loss, the number of sessions you will need, and whether you choose to combine it with a hair transplantation.

During your consultation, Dr. Kolstad will provide a detailed cost estimate and treatment timeline so you know exactly what to expect before getting started.

Who Are the Best Candidates For a PRP Hair Revitalization?

The best candidates for PRP hair restoration are men and women in the early to moderate stages of hair loss who still have active hair follicles. It’s ideal for those with thinning hair rather than complete baldness, since PRP strengthens and reactivates existing follicles rather than creating new ones.

Candidates should be in good health, free from certain blood or autoimmune conditions, and not currently on medications that affect platelet function. PRP can also help patients looking to enhance or maintain results after a hair transplant procedure.

What’s the First Step?

Your PRP Hair Revitalization Journey with Dr. Kolstad

Customize your rhinoplasty!

Your PRP hair revitalization journey begins with a personal consultation at Kolstad Facial Plastic Surgery in San Diego.

Dr. Kolstad will review your medical history, assess the degree and pattern of your hair loss, and determine if your follicles are still. Active enough to respond to treatment. He will also discuss your goals with you, explain how PRP works, and design a treatment plan tailored to your hair type and scalp condition.

If you’re a good candidate, your first treatment session can sometimes be scheduled right after your consultation.

What to Expect on the Day of a PRP Hair Revitalization

PRP hair restoration is an in-office treatment that lasts about 30-45 minutes and typically requires no significant downtime. PRP is prepared by drawing a small amount of blood from your arm or hand, typically 10-35 mL, depending on the treatment area.

In comparison, a typical donation to the Red Cross amounts to about 300-500 mL of blood. The blood is collected and placed in a sterile, FDA-approved container designed to process out the platelets and growth factors.

The blood samples are placed into a centrifuge and spun at high speed until they separate into three layers based on density: platelet-poor plasma (PPP), platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and red blood cells (RBCs). PRP is isolated from the other components and prepared for injection. Because PRP comes from your body, there is no need for blood typing or risk of rejection.

Dr. Kolstad injects the PRP into the scalp where thinning has occurred. Typically, a couple of dozen injections are required to distribute PRP throughout the frontal, temporal, and occipital regions. For some patients, these injections may be uncomfortable.

Dr. Kolstad prefers scalp cryocooling, a technology that delivers cold air (43-60°F) to the scalp to minimize discomfort from injections by numbing the area.

Many of our patients ask whether it would be easier to apply PRP to the skin’s surface rather than undergo injections. Topical application of PRP has been shown to improve healing after micro needling and CO2 laser treatments.

Topical PRP may be successful in hair regeneration, but Dr. Kolstad believes that injecting PRP beneath the skin allows a greater concentration of plasma to reach the hair follicles. The hair matrix lies in the deepest layer of the skin, just above the subcuticular fat, and topical application of PRP may not penetrate this deep.

How Long Does It Take To Recover From PRP Hair Revitalization?

Most patients experience mild redness, tenderness, or swelling in the treated areas for a day or two, but this subsides quickly.

But there’s really no need for downtime. Most of our clients can return to their normal activities immediately after treatment. Dr. Kolstad does recommend avoiding hair dye, harsh styling products, and strenuous exercise for the first 48 hours to allow the scalp to recover. In about a day or two, you can gently wash your hair with mild shampoo.

How Much Does a PRP Hair Revitalization Cost in San Diego, CA?

The cost of PRP hair revitalization in San Diego will depend on the extent of your hair loss, the number of sessions you will need, and whether you choose to combine it with a hair transplantation.

During your consultation, Dr. Kolstad will provide a detailed cost estimate and treatment timeline so you know exactly what to expect before getting started.