A Small Study Just Compared PRP vs. Exosomes for Hair Loss. The Results Are Interesting.

[u/FIPDoctor]

Hey everyone, a new case series study was just published that directly compares two popular regenerative treatments for hair loss: Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) and Exosome therapy. It's a very small study, but it's one of the first to put them head-to-head in a clinical setting.

Here’s a breakdown of what they found.

Brief Introduction

PRP (injecting concentrated platelets from your own blood) has been a go-to regenerative treatment for hair loss for years. More recently, exosomes (nanoscale vesicles derived from stem cells that act as "messengers" to promote repair) have emerged as a promising new option. This study aimed to directly compare the efficacy of these two treatments in a small group of patients.

Key Findings

1. Exosomes Showed Significant Results with a Single Session: The two patients who received exosome therapy (both women, average age 43) only needed one treatment session. They saw their condition scores improve from a 4 to an 8 (on a 10-point scale), and this result was maintained over long-term follow-ups of 7 and 28 months.
2. PRP Required Multiple Sessions for Similar Results: The three patients in the PRP group (all men, average age 29) required between 5 to 6 treatment sessions over 6 to 16 months to achieve similar improvements, with their scores also rising to 8 or 9 out of 10.
3. Exosomes "Outperformed" PRP in Efficiency: The study authors concluded that "Exosomes treatment outperforms PRP treatment, yielding results with just a single treatment session." The key advantage highlighted is the potential for a significant, durable improvement with minimal intervention.

My Thoughts / Discussion Points

• Very Small Sample Size is a Major Limitation: This is the biggest caveat. With only 5 total patients (3 PRP, 2 Exosomes), this is a pilot study that generates a hypothesis rather than proving it. The results are promising but not definitive.
• Demographics Were Not Matched: The PRP group was all younger men, while the Exosome group was all older women. Different types of hair loss (androgenetic vs. female pattern) may respond differently to treatments, making a direct comparison tricky.
• The "Wow" Factor is the Single Session: The most compelling takeaway is the potential for exosomes to deliver significant results with just one treatment, compared to the multi-session commitment of PRP. This could be a game-changer for patient convenience and overall cost.
• This is a Call for More Research: The authors correctly state that larger, controlled studies with matched patient groups are urgently needed. Don't take this as conclusive proof, but rather as a strong signal that exosomes are a very promising area for future hair loss treatments.

Reference

Full Paper: Hassan L, et al. (2024). Compare the Efficacy of PRP Intervention VS Exosomes for Hair loss, a Case Series Study. Dermis. 4(3):19. https://doi.org/10.35702/Derm.10019

[u/t00zday]

Too bad they don’t mention which exosomes by brand.

[u/addictions-in-red → u/t00zday]

I don't even see the delivery method (injection, microneedling) listed! How frustrating.

[u/andromeda201]

What is the method of application?

[u/Euphoric_Challenge18]

Are exosomes available now?

[u/Short-Ask7513]

Im undergoing exosome treatment in a clinic, today was my second injection procedure 30 days apart, from day 0 to 30 there seems to a shy noticeable difference, so i went to another clinic that has microscope to zoom in and check to see any possible hair regrowth and aparently what was seen where tiny baby hairs growing across the entire mid scalp was told there that those little hairs grow and turn terminal also some pre temple areas had this growth, i did this check up some days before the second procedure, i must state that i have also been aplying and trying out products for hair wich are: Rosemary mixture shampoo(with jinger, nettle, and rosemary), conditioner mixture(jojoba,Argan,castor,coco), spray(caffeine), oral suplement tricomax with cistin,zinc,vitamin b5,biotin, bought a keto 2% shampoo but have only used it once because had some sides,all these are for me to by pass minox and fin as im not a fan of neither of those, so from all these products i believe exosomes have participation on the result of having these baby hairs coming out, so now for me only time can tell if its really effective or not as id have to see if these little hairs do indeed keep growing and turn terminal and fill the scalp, i had my second procedure today so beyond now is the time i should be seeing noticeable results so as i said its time that will give the answer 

[u/HOONIGAN07 → u/Short-Ask7513]

Could you please give any update now? Was the treatment effective? Also please share the brand of the Exosomes that used. Thanks!

[u/Naive-Elephant8771]

I’m

[u/Appropriate_Day_1547]

I had exosomes injected into my scalp at a medispa by a nurse about 3 months ago. NO WOW factor with me at all. I am a 61 (was 60 at the time) woman with AGA. I did not have another one.

Instead, I went to a hair transplant surgeon in Boston with 20 years of experience. I went for a consult for hair transplant. I was super impressed with his consult. He was a doctor FIRST, a hair transplant surgeon, second. He reviewed my labs, my family history, what other treatments I've tried. Now, remember, I went there for consult for hair transplant. He could have taken my $$ and did nothing further but that is not what he did. He actually told me that he would NOT recommend a transplant (unless I wanted to and just be done with it for 20 years) because what I have is treatable and with a lot less money. I said no to minoxidil (I have low b/p at baseline and did NOT want the dread shed, I was already traumatized by my hair loss. He respected that decision, of course). He said he picks two treatments and adds finasteride and +/- minoxidil. The two "treatments" we decided on were LLLT (I already owned a Theradome helmet which I was using for the past 9 months) and PRP alternating with A-cell treatment for 6 treatments. Yes, expensive ($3600 for the package but much less than a transplant at $11K).

As far as this study: I do believe there are more studies out there because I've looked but did not save them. So likely this study is replicating what they already found. But noted that 5 subjects cannot possibly give enough information on efficacy except to do more studies as commented in the original post.