Evaluating the Efficacy of Platelet-rich Plasma Therapy in the Treatment of Androgenic Alopecia

The study team will assess the efficacy of platelet-rich plasma therapy, a special blood product which is from the participant's own body, in the treatment of androgenic alopecia (also known as male pattern hair loss) in females.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Androgenic Alopecia
• Intervention / Treatment: Biological: Platelet-rich Plasma Left Side; Biological: Platelet-rich Plasma Right Side

Detailed Description

Androgenic alopecia, or male-pattern hair loss affects both men and women. This hair loss pattern is typically characterized by thinning at the crown of scalp and/or M-shaped hair line in males or diffuse thinning throughout in females. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy has recently been studied as a hair rejuvenation therapy in patients with non-inflammatory alopecia. Though the mechanism of action is not well understood, PRP is thought to promote angiogenesis and enhance blood flow around hair follicles via platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), transforming growth factor (TGF), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The primary objective of the study is to determine whether PRP, administered once monthly for 3 months improves clinical outcomes and quality of life in females with androgenic alopecia. This is a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, half-head, single center clinical study where sixteen subjects with androgenic alopecia will be recruited. Dermatology Life Quality Index will be assessed at several time points. Disease severity will be measured using the Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT), Alopecia Density and Extent Score (ALODEX); Trichoscan images will be captured to document participants' clinical progress. Adverse events will be recorded at each visit, treatment will be discontinued if any subject experience a serious adverse event. Treatment visits will take place at baseline, 4 weeks (1 month), 8 weeks (2 months), and 12 weeks (3 month). A follow-up, non-treatment visit will take place at 24 weeks (6 months). The study team hypothesizes that PRP will improve DLQI, SALT, ALODEX, hair count (number of hairs/0.65 cm2), hair density (number of hairs/cm2), hair diameter, anagen to telogen ratio, and vellus hair to terminal hair ratio in female subjects with androgenic alopecia.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 16
• Phase: Early Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Research Coordinator; Phone Number: 336-716-2903; Email: irichard@wakehealth.edu

Study Locations

• United States
  • North Carolina
    • Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States, 27104
      • Wake Forest University Baptist Health

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Female ≥18 years of age at baseline visit.
• Documentation of androgenic alopecia diagnosis as evidenced by one or more clinical features
• Not currently on any treatment for alopecia, or has undergone 2-week washout period if recently on medication(s) for alopecia
• Written informed consent obtained from subject and ability for subject to comply with the requirements of the study

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnant or breastfeeding
• Presence of a condition or abnormality that in the opinion of the Investigator would compromise the safety of the patient or the quality of the data.
• Have an infection, metastatic disease or certain skin conditions (ie. Psoriasis) which could worsen or spread with injections
• Diagnosed with a blood or bleeding disorder
• Diagnosed with anemia
• Currently on anticoagulant therapy

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Group A; At the baseline visit subjects will be randomized to either group A or group B. Group A will receive PRP on left side of scalp and placebo (saline solution) on right side of scalp.	Biological: Platelet-rich Plasma Left Side; Group A will receive PRP on left side of scalp and placebo (saline solution) on right side of scalp.
Experimental: Group B; At the baseline visit subjects will be randomized to either group A or group B. Group B will receive PRP on right side of scalp and placebo (saline solution) on left side of scalp.	Biological: Platelet-rich Plasma Right Side; Group B will receive PRP on right side of scalp and placebo (saline solution) on left side of scalp.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) from baseline	Change in Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) from baseline. SALT scoring - This calculation is based on a scoring system. The scalp is divided into the following 4 areas: Vertex: 40% (0.4) of scalp surface area. Right profile of scalp: 18% (0.18) of scalp surface area. Left profile of scalp: 18% (0.18) of scalp surface area. Posterior aspect of scalp: 24% (0.24) of scalp surface area. Percentage of hair loss in any of these areas is the percentage hair loss multiplied by percent surface area of the scalp in that area. SALT score is the sum of percentage of hair loss in all the above-mentioned areas. For e.g., if the percentage hair loss in vertex, right profile, left profile and posterior aspect is 20, 30, 40 and 50% respecively; then, SALT score = (20 ´ 0.4) = (30 ´ 0.18) + (40 ´ 0.18) + (50 ´ 0.24) = 8+5.4+7.2+12 = 32.6 Lower score denote better outcomes.	6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Hair Count (number of hairs/0.65cm^2)	Change in Hair Count (number of hairs/0.65cm^2), as assessed via Trichoscan	6 months
Change in Hair Density (number of hairs/cm^2)	Change in Hair Density (number of hairs/cm^2), as assessed via Trichoscan	6 months

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Hair Diameter	Change in Hair Diameter, as assessed via Trichoscan	6 months
Anagen to Telogen Ratio	Anagen to Telogen Ratio, as assessed via Trichoscan	6 months
Vellus Hair to Terminal Hair Ratio	Vellus Hair to Terminal Hair Ratio, as assessed via Trichoscan	6 months
Change in Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI)	Change in Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) 10 question are asked pertaining to symptoms and feelings, daily activities, leisure, work and school, personal relationships and treatment. The scoring of each answer is as follows: Very much scored 3 A lot scored 2 A little scored 1 Not at all scored 0 Not relevant scored 0 Question unanswered scored 0 Question 7: "prevented work or studying" scored 3 The DLQI is calculated by adding the score of each question. The maximum score is 30 and the minimum is 0. The higher the score, the more quality of life is impaired. Meaning of DLQI Scores 0-1 = no effect at all on patient's life 2-5 = small effect on patient's life 6-10 = moderate effect on patient's life 11-20 = very large effect on patient's life 21-30 = extremely large effect on patient's life	6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Wake Forest University Health Sciences
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Rita Pichardo, MD, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): April 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 15, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 15, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): March 22, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): November 21, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 20, 2025
• Last Verified: November 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: hair loss; scalp; platelet-rich plasma therapy
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathological Conditions, Anatomical; Skin Diseases; Hypotrichosis; Hair Diseases; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases; Alopecia
• Other Study ID Numbers: IRB00045844

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: Yes
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: Yes