What is PRP treatment for hair loss?

PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) treatment for hair loss uses your body's own natural growth factors to revive thinning hair, strengthen follicles and boost new growth. The London PRP Clinic offers doctor-led PRP treatments for hair, scalp, and beard growth with proven results.

Does PRP work for beard growth?

Yes, PRP beard growth treatment is highly effective for filling patchy areas, enhancing beard density, and promoting thicker facial hair. Our doctor-led PRP beard treatment at £450 per session uses platelet-rich plasma to stimulate dormant hair follicles in the beard area.

How much does PRP treatment cost in London?

PRP treatment prices at The London PRP Clinic is £450 per session for PRP Hair or Beard PRP. We offer package discounts - for example, 3 PRP Hair sessions cost £1,215 (save £135).

What PRP services are available at The London PRP Clinic?

We offer PRP treatments for hair loss, beard growth, facial rejuvenation, under-eye treatment, knee joint pain, and scalp health. All treatments are doctor-led and evidence-based, delivered at our Marylebone clinic at 10 Portman Square, London.

How much does PRP cost for hair loss in London?

At The London PRP Clinic, PRP hair treatment costs £450 per session including clinician recommended aftercare. Most patients need 3-4 initial sessions (3-session course available at £1,215, saving £135). ExoRevive exosome treatment is £445 per session.

Does PRP really work for hair loss?

Yes, clinical studies show PRP is 70-90% effective for androgenetic alopecia. At our clinic, 87% of patients report significant improvement with an average 32% increase in hair density after 3-4 sessions. Results are best for Norwood stages 1-4.

What's better PRP or hair transplant?

PRP is ideal for early-stage hair loss (Norwood 1-4): non-surgical, no downtime, £450 per session. Hair transplants suit advanced loss (Norwood 5-7): permanent but surgical, 2-week recovery, £3,000-15,000. Many combine both for optimal results - PRP strengthens existing hair and enhances transplant survival.

How long do PRP results last?

PRP results typically last 12-18 months with proper maintenance. After initial 3-4 sessions, maintenance treatments every 6 months sustain results. Some patients using our combined protocol (PRP + supplements) report results lasting up to 2 years.

Is PRP painful for hair?

PRP involves minimal discomfort. We use topical numbing cream 30 minutes before treatment. Most patients rate pain as 2-3/10, describing it as 'mild pinching.' The entire procedure takes 60 minutes with no downtime - you can return to work immediately.

Can I wash my hair after PRP?

Wait 24 hours before washing your hair after PRP. Use lukewarm water and gentle shampoo for the first wash. Avoid swimming pools, saunas, and intense exercise for 48 hours. We provide detailed aftercare instructions and organic hair oil for optimal healing.

What are the newest hair loss treatments in 2025?

The newest effective hair loss treatments in 2025 include low-dose oral minoxidil (2.5-5mg daily), topical finasteride (0.25%), platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, and low-level laser therapy devices. Emerging treatments like JAK inhibitors and topical androgen receptor antagonists are showing promising results in clinical trials.

Does oral minoxidil work for hair loss?

Yes, low-dose oral minoxidil (2.5-5mg daily) has proven highly effective for both male and female pattern hair loss. Studies show it's particularly effective for overall thinning, with manageable side effects primarily limited to mild hypertrichosis (extra hair growth).

Is PRP effective for hair restoration?

Yes, PRP therapy has demonstrated significant improvement in hair count and thickness in clinical trials. Most patients see noticeable results after 3-4 sessions, using the body's own growth factors to stimulate dormant hair follicles.

What's the best hair loss treatment in London?

The best hair loss treatment depends on your specific condition, but combination therapy often yields optimal results. The London PRP Clinic offers personalised treatment plans combining PRP therapy with other evidence-based treatments. Book a free consultation to determine the best approach for your hair loss pattern.

How much does PRP hair treatment cost in London?

PRP hair treatment costs vary based on the number of sessions needed. The London PRP Clinic offers competitive pricing with free initial consultations. Contact us via WhatsApp for a personalised quote based on your specific treatment needs.

Alopecia Areata Treatment London. JAK Inhibitors, Steroid Injections And PRP

28 Sept

Written By Omar Elalfy

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune condition in which the immune system attacks hair follicles, usually causing round, smooth bald patches. Because the follicles are not destroyed, hair can regrow. For patchy disease, steroid injections are standard, and PRP is a steroid-free option with comparable results in trials. For severe disease, new oral JAK inhibitors are available, and a third was approved in the UK in March 2026.

Key points

Alopecia areata does not scar, so the follicles remain and regrowth is possible, sometimes without any treatment.
A 2022 meta-analysis of randomised trials found no significant difference in scalp hair regrowth between PRP and steroid injections, and two trials reported lower relapse rates with PRP.
NICE recommends the JAK inhibitor ritlecitinib for severe alopecia areata, defined as at least 50% scalp hair loss, in people aged 12 and over.
The MHRA approved deuruxolitinib for severe alopecia areata in adults on 12 March 2026, and NICE's decision on NHS use is due in October 2026.

Patchy hair loss? Message a GMC-registered doctor on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com.

What alopecia areata is

The condition

The immune system mistakenly attacks the base of the hair follicle and pushes it into a resting state. Hair falls out, typically in round or oval smooth patches on the scalp, beard or eyebrows. Short broken hairs that narrow towards the scalp, sometimes called exclamation mark hairs, are a characteristic sign.

It can affect anyone at any age. It is more common in people with other autoimmune conditions, particularly thyroid disease, and in people with eczema or a family history of the condition.

How it behaves

Many small patches regrow on their own within months. Others persist, spread or recur. A minority progress to loss of all scalp hair, known as alopecia totalis, or all body hair, known as alopecia universalis. Severity is measured with the SALT score, the percentage of scalp hair lost.

Why diagnosis matters

Patchy hair loss is not always alopecia areata. Fungal infection of the scalp, hair pulling, traction and early scarring alopecia can all look similar. Scarring conditions destroy follicles permanently and need different treatment urgently. Dermoscopy, and occasionally a biopsy, settles the question. Our guide to the different types is what type of hair loss do I have.

Treatment by severity

Small patches

Waiting is reasonable for a few small patches, because many regrow on their own. Strong topical steroids are sometimes used.

The most established treatment for patchy disease is steroid injected into the patches, usually repeated every 4 to 6 weeks. It is effective for many people. Repeated injections can thin the skin at the injection site.

PRP as a steroid-free option

PRP uses growth factors from your own blood and is injected into the patches in the same way. A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis in Biomedicines pooled 4 randomised controlled trials covering 201 patients. It found no significant difference in scalp hair regrowth between PRP and steroid injections.

Individual trials pointed in PRP's favour on relapse. In one, relapse at 12 months was 31% after PRP against 71% after steroid. In another, relapse at 6 months was 5% after PRP against 25% after steroid. Skin thinning was reported with steroid, while PRP injections were more uncomfortable.

The authors called PRP a promising steroid-free option and said larger, high-quality trials are still needed. That is a fair summary. PRP suits people who have had skin thinning from steroid, want to avoid repeated steroid, or have relapsed after it.

Want to know which suits your patches? Ask our doctors on WhatsApp.

Severe or extensive disease

For widespread loss, oral JAK inhibitors have changed what is possible. They block the immune signals that attack the follicle.

Ritlecitinib is recommended by NICE, in guidance published in March 2024, for severe alopecia areata in people aged 12 and over. Severe means a SALT score of 50 or more.

Deuruxolitinib was approved by the MHRA on 12 March 2026 for severe alopecia areata in adults. In its trials, around 30% of people had 80% or more of their scalp hair after 24 weeks, and around 23% had 90% or more. NICE's decision on whether the NHS will fund it is due in October 2026.

Baricitinib is a third JAK inhibitor used for severe disease.

JAK inhibitors are specialist medicines. They need monitoring with blood tests and carry recognised risks, and hair loss often returns if they are stopped. They are initiated by consultant dermatologists. For severe disease, the right step is a dermatology referral, which we can write for you with the tests already done.

What to test

Free to take to any doctor.

Full thyroid function with thyroid antibodies, because autoimmune thyroid disease is associated with alopecia areata.

Full blood count, ferritin and iron studies, vitamin D, B12 and zinc, since deficiencies are common and can slow regrowth.

HbA1c and other autoimmune screening where your history suggests it.

The full panel and why each marker matters is in the hair loss blood panel.

What you can do meanwhile

Take photographs of each patch in the same light every 2 to 4 weeks. It shows whether patches are regrowing, spreading or stable, and helps any doctor you see.

Look after the scalp. Bald skin burns easily, so use sun protection or a hat.

Look after your wellbeing. Alopecia areata can be distressing, and Alopecia UK offers support groups and information.

Be wary of expensive unproven treatments sold with guarantees. The honest position is that the condition is unpredictable, and nobody can promise regrowth.

What treatment costs in London

Flagship Harley Street and Mayfair clinics commonly charge £600 to £850 or more per PRP session, and London practices generally charge 50 to 70 percent more than clinics outside the capital. Patchy alopecia areata often needs several sessions spaced 4 to 6 weeks apart. JAK inhibitors are expensive specialist medicines. Where NICE recommends them, they are prescribed through NHS dermatology.

Our care is doctor-led and priced below flagship rates, with your plan and the figure confirmed after your free suitability review. Blood testing is run from the same clinic.

Ask what your plan would cost. Message us on WhatsApp.

The suitability review

Every enquiry begins with a free doctor-led suitability review rather than a booking. A GMC-registered doctor examines the patches with dermoscopy to confirm the diagnosis and exclude scarring or infection, arranges the relevant blood tests, and gives one of two answers.

Approved for treatment, with a plan for patchy disease, whether steroid injections, PRP or monitoring. Or not approved, with an honest explanation of what would serve you better. For severe disease that is usually a referral to a consultant dermatologist for JAK inhibitor assessment, with your results attached.

Why people choose The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness

The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness is a doctor-led, blood-test-first clinic at 10 Portman Square in Marylebone and the Light Centre in Belgravia. Every treatment is performed by GMC-registered doctors. No clinician treats a patient here until they have completed 100 supervised treatments.

Because we diagnose before we treat, the conditions that mimic alopecia areata are found rather than missed. Across our work we report more than 187 five-star reviews. Every treatment we offer is set out in PRP treatment London, and the newest hair loss drugs are covered in new hair loss treatments 2026.

Book your free suitability review. Message us on WhatsApp, email team@thewellnesslondon.com, or call +44 20 3951 3429.

Frequently asked questions about alopecia areata

Does hair grow back with alopecia areata?

Often, yes. The condition does not destroy the follicles, so regrowth is possible, and many small patches regrow on their own within months. It can recur.

What is the best treatment for patchy alopecia areata?

Steroid injections into the patches are the most established treatment. PRP is a steroid-free option that showed no significant difference in regrowth against steroid in a 2022 meta-analysis of randomised trials.

Does PRP work for alopecia areata?

A 2022 meta-analysis of 4 randomised trials and 201 patients found similar regrowth to steroid injections, and two trials reported lower relapse with PRP. Larger trials are still needed.

What are JAK inhibitors for alopecia areata?

Oral medicines that block the immune signals attacking the follicle. Ritlecitinib is NICE-recommended for severe disease in people 12 and over, and deuruxolitinib was approved by the MHRA in March 2026 for adults.

Is deuruxolitinib available on the NHS?

NICE's decision on NHS funding is due in October 2026. It was approved by the MHRA for severe alopecia areata in adults on 12 March 2026.

What blood tests should I have for alopecia areata?

Full thyroid function with antibodies, full blood count, ferritin and iron studies, vitamin D, B12 and zinc, plus other autoimmune screening where your history suggests it.

This article is for information and does not replace personal medical advice. JAK inhibitors are specialist medicines initiated by consultant dermatologists. Alopecia areata is unpredictable and individual results vary. All treatments at The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness are performed by GMC-registered doctors. Medically reviewed by the GMC-registered medical team at The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness. Last updated September 2026.

Omar Elalfy