PRF hair treatment
Enhanced growth factor release for superior results - 100% natural approach with your own healing factors - Advanced solution for stubborn hair loss
WHAT IS PRF HAIR TREATMENT?
PRF (Platelet-Rich Fibrin) takes hair restoration to the next level. Consider PRF as the more potent counterpart to PRP. The key difference? When we take a small blood sample, we don’t add any chemicals. Your blood naturally forms a golden gel full of healing factors. This gel creates a structure that slowly releases growth factors for up to 10 days, not just a few hours like standard PRP. It’s like comparing a slow-release vitamin to a quick energy drink. One gives you a brief boost, while the other keeps working day after day.
This makes PRF particularly good for people who’ve tried other treatments without much success. Many of our patients who didn’t respond well to standard options see significant improvement with PRF.
THE PRF TREATMENT PROCESS
Simple, comfortable, and effective
COMPREHENSIVE CONSULTATION
First, we’ll chat about your hair loss and medical history to see if PRF is right for you. We’ll take some detailed images so we can track your progress over time.
BLOOD COLLECTION
We take a small blood sample on treatment day, just like a regular blood test. We use special tubes without any additives to keep everything completely natural.
QUICK PROCESSING
We process your blood immediately to create the PRF. We use a gentler spinning method than regular PRP, which helps preserve more of the beneficial elements that make PRF so effective.
PRF PREPARATION
After spinning, your blood separates into layers. We extract the golden middle layer – that’s the PRF with all its healing factors. This natural golden gel is what we’ll use for your treatment.
COMFORTABLE TREATMENT
We’ll numb your scalp first, so you stay comfortable. Then we inject the PRF precisely where your hair is thinning. Most patients just feel a bit of pressure rather than pain. The whole thing takes about an hour.
EASY RECOVERY
Unlike surgery, there’s virtually no downtime. You can go right back to your normal activities afterwards. You might notice some mild redness for a few hours, but that quickly fades.
YOUR TREATMENT PLAN
Most people need 3-4 sessions about a month apart, with occasional top-ups to maintain results. We’ll create a plan that works best for your specific situation.
PRF VS. PRP: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
Both PRF and PRP use your body’s own platelets to boost hair growth, but PRF has some key advantages:
Natural Process
With PRF, we don’t add any chemicals to your blood sample. This creates a purer form that your body responds to more effectively.
Slow-Release Action
PRP gives your follicles a quick boost for a few hours. PRF forms a natural matrix that gradually releases growth factors over 7-10 days, providing continuous stimulation.
More Healing Factors
PRF contains higher levels of white blood cells, stem cells, and other regenerative elements than standard PRP. This gives a more comprehensive approach to hair restoration.
Treatment Plan
You’ll typically need 3-4 initial sessions for both treatments, but many patients achieve better results with fewer PRF sessions. Maintenance treatments might also be needed less frequently.
Best For
PRF is particularly good for people who haven’t seen enough improvement with other treatments, including standard PRP. It’s also excellent for more advanced or stubborn hair loss.
During your consultation, we’ll help you decide which option makes more sense for your specific situation.
YOUR RESULTS TIMELINE
What to expect after PRF treatment
- WEEKS 1-2: HEALTHIER SCALP
Many patients first notice their scalp feels better – less irritation, less flaking. While you won’t see visible hair changes yet, things are already improving beneath the surface.
- WEEKS 3-4: LESS SHEDDING
This is typically when you’ll first notice you’re losing less hair. Check your shower drain or hairbrush – you should see less hair coming out. This is a good sign that the treatment is working.
- MONTHS 2-3: HEALTHIER HAIR
Your existing hair starts looking healthier – more shine, strength, and resilience. Many patients tell us their hair feels thicker and looks noticeably better around this time.
- MONTHS 3-5: THICKER HAIR
This is when most people notice their hair becoming visibly thicker. Individual hairs grow with greater diameter, immediately creating an impression of fuller hair, even before new growth appears.
- MONTHS 5-7: NEW GROWTH
Now those sleeping follicles start producing new hairs. These begin fine and short but gradually become thicker and longer as you continue treatment. You’ll notice this new growth especially in areas that were thinning.
- MONTHS 8-12: CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT
As you complete your initial treatment series, the results keep getting better. Most patients see their best results after the third or fourth treatment, and improvement continues for months afterwards.
- MAINTENANCE
We recommend occasional top-up treatments every 6–12 months to maintain and enhance your results. These help keep the environment healthy for your hair follicles.
The Science Behind PRF Hair Restoration
How PRF Works to Restore Your Hair
PRF represents a major step forward in hair restoration. It uses your body’s healing mechanisms to revive your hair follicles.
When we take your blood for PRF, we process it without adding chemicals. The process allows a natural scaffold to form, containing concentrated platelets, white blood cells, and stem cells.
Think of this structure as a time-release system – a bit like a slow-release vitamin tablet. Rather than dumping all its beneficial factors at once, it gradually releases them over 7-10 days. This extended release gives your follicles continuous stimulation instead of just a brief boost.
This natural matrix contains powerful healing factors that stimulate cell renewal, improve blood flow, and revitalise hair follicles. PRF has higher concentrations of white blood cells and stem cells than standard treatments, which helps it address multiple aspects of hair loss simultaneously.
When injected into your scalp, this healing matrix interacts with the stem cells in your hair follicles. It extends the growth phase of your hair cycle, allowing hair to grow longer and thicker before naturally shedding. It significantly boosts blood circulation, delivering more nutrients to the follicles.
Most importantly, PRF can wake up sleeping follicles that haven’t been permanently lost. It also increases the diameter of existing hair shafts, creating an immediate impression of greater fullness even as new hairs begin to develop.
Getting the Best Results from PRF
While the treatment itself is important, how you care for your hair and scalp afterwards also matters. We’ll give you personalised advice to help you get optimal results.
After your session, avoid washing your hair for 24 hours to allow the growth factors to properly integrate. Staying well-hydrated helps support the cellular processes stimulated by the treatment, while avoiding alcohol for a few days prevents interference with the healing mechanism.
For long-term care, use gentle hair products that don’t strip your scalp of its natural oils. Eating a balanced diet with plenty of protein gives your body the building blocks it needs for optimal hair growth. Many patients benefit from supplements that support hair health, like biotin, zinc, and vitamin D.
Many people get even better results by combining PRF with complementary approaches, like specialised hair supplements, topical treatments, or laser therapy, between sessions. During your consultation, we’ll discuss whether a combination approach might work better for your specific situation.
The Evolution of Hair Treatment
PRF represents years of advancement in regenerative medicine. What began with basic platelet treatments has evolved through various forms of PRP and now reached its current sophisticated state with PRF.
This evolution reflects our deeper understanding of how hair growth works. While early approaches focused mainly on platelets, we now recognise the importance of the three-dimensional structure, the role of white blood cells and stem cells, and the benefits of prolonged growth factor release.
At Dr Cinik Hair Clinic London, we stay at the forefront of these developments, continually refining our techniques to offer the most effective hair restoration treatments available.
Frequently Asked Questions
The main difference is in how long the treatment works. Regular PRP releases all its growth factors within a few hours. PRF, on the other hand, forms a natural structure that slowly releases healing factors for up to 10 days. Think of PRP as a quick energy drink, while PRF is more like a slow-release vitamin that keeps working day after day. PRF is also 100% natural – we don’t add any chemicals to it. And it contains more white blood cells and stem cells than regular PRP. These extra healing elements help address multiple factors that contribute to hair loss. Many patients who didn’t see enough improvement with PRP get much better results with PRF. While the treatment schedule is similar (typically 3-4 sessions), the results are often more significant with PRF, especially for stubborn hair loss.
A typical PRF session at our Harley Street clinic takes about an hour. We start by taking a small blood sample, similar to a routine blood test. We use special tubes without any additives to keep everything completely natural. We process your blood right away using a carefully calibrated spin technique that preserves all the beneficial factors. Your blood separates into layers, and we extract the golden middle layer – that’s the PRF with all its healing elements. Before treatment, we apply a numbing cream to ensure your comfort. Then we inject the PRF into the areas where your hair is thinning using very fine needles. Most patients just feel mild pressure rather than pain. Afterwards, we’ll give you some simple aftercare tips and schedule your next session, usually 4-6 weeks later.
Most people find PRF surprisingly comfortable. We apply a good numbing cream before starting, which makes a big difference. The blood draw feels just like a regular blood test – a quick pinch that’s over quickly. The actual PRF injections use very fine needles, and most patients describe feeling pressure rather than pain. It’s a bit like someone pressing firmly on your scalp – not particularly pleasant, but definitely tolerable. After treatment, you might have some mild tenderness for a day or so, but this quickly resolves. Even patients who are nervous about needles usually find the process much easier than they expected.
PRF works best for people who still have hair follicles that have become dormant or are producing thinner hair than before. It’s ideal for: People with early to moderate pattern hair loss Those who haven’t seen enough improvement with other treatments People with stress-related or hormonal hair thinning Those looking to enhance results before or after hair transplantation PRF isn’t typically effective for areas that have been completely bald for many years, as those follicles may be permanently “lost”. But it can work wonders for areas that are thinning or have recently lost hair. The treatment works for both men and women and is suitable for all hair types and ethnicities. During your consultation, we’ll assess whether PRF is likely to help your specific condition. If we think another approach would serve you better, we’ll tell you straight.
Most people need 3-4 PRF treatments spaced about a month apart to see optimal results. This approach allows each session to build on the previous one. After your initial series, we typically recommend maintenance treatments every 6–12 months to preserve and enhance your results. People with more aggressive hair loss might benefit from more frequent top-ups. You’ll start noticing less shedding within 3-4 weeks of your first treatment. Visible improvements in thickness and coverage usually begin around 3-5 months after starting treatment, with continued enhancement over the following months. Results last differently for everyone, but many patients enjoy continued improvement for 1–2 years with proper maintenance. Factors affecting your outcome include your age, the cause of your hair loss, and your overall health. We’ll create a customised treatment plan based on your specific situation and adjust it as needed depending on how you respond.
PRF requires virtually no downtime, which makes it perfect for busy people. You can return to your normal activities right after treatment. After your session, you might notice: Some mild redness where we’ve treated (usually gone within a few hours) Slight scalp sensitivity (typically resolves within a day) Minor swelling (rare and resolves quickly) For best results, we suggest: Waiting 24 hours before washing your hair Avoiding heavy exercise, saunas, and swimming for 48 hours Staying well-hydrated to support the healing process Steering clear of alcohol for 72 hours Using gentle hair products when you resume washing These simple precautions help maximise your results. Most patients easily fit PRF sessions into their schedule without any disruption to their work or social lives.
Book a clinical assessment
Private consultation with a consultant surgeon.
Secure your appointment and receive a tailored graft estimate.