Compared
Hair transplant vs PRP therapy
These treat different problems. Confusing them is the most common and most expensive mistake patients make.
| Factor | Hair transplant | PRP therapy |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Moves permanent follicles into bald areas | Strengthens follicles that are still alive |
| Works on a fully bald area | Yes | No — there must be existing follicles |
| Invasiveness | Surgical, under local anaesthesia | Injections, no surgery |
| Sessions | Usually one, sometimes two | A course, then maintenance |
| Time to visible change | 3–12 months | 3–6 months, gradual |
| Permanence | Transplanted hair is permanent | Requires ongoing maintenance |
| Typical cost | Higher, one-off | Lower per session, recurring |
Which one you should have
If the follicles are gone, PRP cannot bring them back — no injection regrows hair from a scalp with no living follicles, whatever is claimed. Only a transplant adds hair to a bald area.
If you are thinning rather than bald, PRP and medical management often achieve more than surgery would, at far lower cost. Operating on an actively shedding scalp risks a result that looks patchy as surrounding hair continues to fall.
For many patients the right sequence is PRP and medication first to stabilise loss, then a transplant later if still needed. A clinic that recommends surgery to every enquiry is not assessing, it is selling.
Common questions
Can PRP regrow hair on a bald scalp?
No. PRP supports follicles that are still present but weakening. Where follicles are no longer viable, it cannot produce new hair.
Do I need PRP after a hair transplant?
It is sometimes used to support healing and to protect existing native hair around the transplanted area. It is not required for transplanted grafts to survive.
Which should I try first?
If you are thinning rather than bald, medical treatment and PRP first is usually the more sensible order.