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 £395 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 range from £395 for PRP Hair Signature or Beard PRP single sessions, to £545 for comprehensive treatments. We offer package discounts - for example, 3 PRP Hair sessions cost £1,085 (save £100).

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, Canary Wharf, and Belgravia London locations.

How much does PRP cost for hair loss in London?

At The London PRP Clinic, PRP hair treatment costs £545 per session including Viviscal™ supplements and organic oils. Most patients need 3-4 initial sessions (package available at £1,500, 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, £545 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.

Does PRP Work for Ankle Arthritis and Ankle Sprains

11 Sept

Written By Guest User

For ankle osteoarthritis, the only placebo-controlled trial found PRP no better than saline, and its authors donot support its use. For ankle sprains and ligaments there is no good trial evidence either way. We say thisplainly because most clinics do not. The useful answer for an ankle is usually a diagnosis, a brace, aphysiotherapist or a surgeon.

Key points

A 2021 randomised trial in JAMA, the PRIMA study, gave 100 patients with ankle osteoarthritis 2 injectionsof PRP or saline 6 weeks apart and found no difference in the American Orthopaedic Foot and AnkleSociety score at 26 weeks. The authors concluded the results do not support PRP for ankle osteoarthritis.
Ankle osteoarthritis has a prevalence of around 3.4 percent and is more common than hip or kneeosteoarthritis in young active people, because most cases follow injury rather than wear.
NICE guideline NG226 says do not offer hyaluronic acid injections for osteoarthritis in any joint, and thatcorticosteroid injections give 2 to 10 weeks of relief with no evidence of benefit beyond 3 months.
Ultrasound-guided joint injections reach the target around 96 percent of the time against 78 percent bylandmarks, and the ankle joint space is narrow, so any injection here should be guided whatever is in it.

If you have ankle pain and want an honest answer on whether PRP has a role, message us on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com and a doctor will look at your history before saying anything.

Why the ankle is different from the knee

Knee and hip osteoarthritis are mostly wear conditions of later life. Ankle osteoarthritis is different. It has aprevalence of around 3.4 percent, it is more common than hip or knee osteoarthritis in young active people,and most cases follow a specific injury, a fracture, a bad sprain or years of instability, rather than gradual wear.The patient is often in their 40s or 50s, active, and with a joint that has been damaged rather than worn.

That matters for PRP in two ways. First, the biology of a post-traumatic joint with damaged cartilage andaltered mechanics is not the biology of a gradually thinning knee, so knee evidence does not transfer. Second,the ankle joint is small and its cartilage is thin and stiff, which is one reason ankle arthritis is less forgiving ofinjury and less responsive to injections in general. Anyone offering ankle PRP on the strength of knee trials isextrapolating, and the one trial that tested the extrapolation directly found it did not hold.

message us on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com

The trial that settled the question for now

The Platelet-Rich plasma Injection Management for Ankle osteoarthritis study, PRIMA, was published in JAMAin October 2021. It was a Dutch multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, which is the design thatmatters, because most positive PRP studies lack blinding or a placebo arm. It randomised 100 patients withsymptomatic ankle osteoarthritis to 2 injections of PRP or 2 injections of saline, 6 weeks apart. The primaryoutcome was the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society score at 26 weeks, and secondary outcomesincluded pain, function and activity scores with follow up planned to 5 years.

There was no difference between PRP and placebo. The authors concluded that the results do not support theuse of PRP injections for ankle osteoarthritis, and an accompanying editorial in JAMA drew the sameconclusion. The centrifuge used was loaned by a manufacturer, which is disclosed in the paper and did notchange the result. One trial of 100 patients is not the last word on anything, but it is a well-designed trial in theright direction with a clear answer, and until a better one contradicts it, we treat it as the evidence.

Send your ankle X-ray or MRI report on WhatsApp and a doctor will tell you what the options are for yourstage of disease.

What about ankle sprains and ligament injuries

Lateral ankle sprains are among the commonest sports injuries, and a proportion go on to chronic instability.PRP is offered for both, and for the ligaments of the ankle the honest position is that there is no good trialevidence either way. The studies that exist are small, mostly unblinded, and inconsistent, and none reach thestandard of the PRIMA trial. The closest strong evidence is from other ligaments, where a systematic review of16 randomised trials and 1,025 patients found PRP added nothing to ACL reconstruction outcomes.

That absence of evidence is not proof it does not work, but it is a reason not to pay for it. What does haveevidence for an acute sprain is early protected movement, a short period of bracing, and a progressivebalance and strengthening programme, which reduces recurrence. For chronic instability the question iswhether the ligament has healed loose or torn, which an ultrasound or MRI shows, and the answer is eitherrehabilitation or surgical repair rather than an injection. A clinic offering PRP for a sprained ankle should beasked which trial they are relying on, and the answer will usually be a knee trial or none.

message us on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com

What actually helps an arthritic ankle

Ankle osteoarthritis is a condition with a real treatment ladder, and it is worth knowing it before anyone offersyou an injection. Footwear with a stiff rocker sole reduces the movement the painful joint has to make witheach step. A lace-up ankle brace or, in more advanced disease, a custom orthosis offloads the joint. Weightreduction changes the force through a small joint with every step. Physiotherapy for calf strength and balancehelps the joint that has become unstable.

For injections, NICE guideline NG226 applies to every joint. It says do not offer hyaluronic acid, and that acorticosteroid injection can be considered when other treatments have failed, with the patient told relief lasts 2to 10 weeks. A single guided steroid injection is a reasonable way to test whether the joint is the source of painand to get through a specific period. Beyond that, the surgical options are better developed for the ankle thanmost patients expect. Arthroscopic debridement for early disease with impingement, ankle fusion foradvanced disease in younger or heavier patients, and total ankle replacement in selected older patients allhave long track records. A foot and ankle surgeon, not an injection clinic, is where an advanced ankle belongs.

message us on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com

Five questions to ask before any ankle injection

Take these to whichever clinic you see, including ours.

What is the diagnosis, and is it the joint, a ligament, a tendon or a nerve. The ankle has all four closetogether and they are treated differently.
Has the joint been imaged, and what grade of arthritis or what ligament damage does the scan show.
Which trial supports this injection for the ankle specifically, rather than for the knee.
Will the injection be ultrasound guided, and can I see the needle in the joint on the screen.
If this injection does not help, what is the next step, and who would I see for it.

If the answer to the third question is a knee trial, or none, you have your answer.

Our doctors put it this way. The ankle is the joint where we most often say no. The one good trial of PRPwas negative, and the honest next step for most ankles is a brace, a physiotherapist or a surgeon, not us.

Message us on WhatsApp with how the pain started, what imaging you have, and what you have tried, and adoctor will give you a straight answer, including if that answer is a referral elsewhere.

What PRP does not do for the ankle

PRP does not improve pain or function in ankle osteoarthritis in the only placebo-controlled trial, does notrepair a torn ligament, and has no trial evidence for ankle sprains or chronic instability. It does not alter themechanics of a joint damaged by an old fracture, and it does not replace the brace, the shoe or the operationthat a damaged ankle may need. It is not routinely commissioned by the NHS for ankle conditions and privatemedical insurance rarely covers it. Where a tendon around the ankle is the problem, the peroneal tendons orthe tibialis posterior, the evidence is thin and a doctor should say so rather than borrow the Achilles or plantarfascia data.

message us on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com

What ankle injections cost in London, and what the money is better spenton

Specialist central London clinics commonly charge from around £780 to £900 or more per image guided jointor tendon PRP injection including assessment, with a course of 2 to 3 taking a plan past £2,000. Image guidedsteroid injections in central London are commonly quoted between £250 and £475. Outside central LondonPRP is advertised from around £250 to £500.

For the ankle the reframing is simple. The PRIMA trial used 2 injections, which at central London rates is£1,500 to £1,800 for a treatment that performed the same as saline. That money buys a specialist assessment,imaging, a custom orthosis and a course of physiotherapy with change left over, and every one of those hasbetter evidence for an arthritic ankle than PRP does.

Care at The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness is doctor-led and priced below flagship central London rates,but for the ankle the more likely outcome of the free suitability review is a referral, and we would rather tell youthat here than at the appointment.

Ask us what would help your ankle on WhatsApp and we will explain what the review covers.

The free suitability review

Every enquiry here starts with a free, doctor-led suitability review rather than a booking. A GMC-registereddoctor assesses you and gives one of two answers. Either you are approved for treatment, which for the anklemeans a specific tendon or an unusual situation the evidence supports, with a clear plan and realisticexpectations, or you are not approved, with an honest explanation of what would serve you better, whetherthat is a brace and physiotherapy, a guided steroid injection, or a foot and ankle surgeon.

We decline a meaningful share of the people who enquire. For ankles that share is most of them, and wepublish this article so that fewer people pay elsewhere for what the evidence does not support.

message us on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com

Why people choose The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness

An 87 percent patient success rate across treatments.
More than 187 five star reviews.
Every treatment performed by a GMC-registered doctor.
100 supervised treatments completed by every clinician before they treat a patient here unsupervised.
A 32 percent average density increase reported in our hair restoration programme.

message us on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com

Frequently asked questions

Does PRP work for ankle arthritis

The only placebo-controlled trial, published in JAMA in 2021, gave 100 patients 2 injections of PRP or salineand found no difference at 26 weeks. The authors do not support PRP for ankle osteoarthritis. Knee trialresults do not transfer, because ankle arthritis is usually post-traumatic and the joint is structurally different.

Does PRP help a sprained ankle heal faster

There is no good trial evidence either way for ankle ligaments. The strongest related evidence, from ACLreconstruction, found PRP added nothing across 16 randomised trials. Early protected movement, bracing anda balance and strengthening programme have evidence for sprains and reduce recurrence.

What is the best injection for ankle arthritis

NICE advises against hyaluronic acid in any joint and limits steroid to 2 to 10 weeks of relief. A singleultrasound-guided steroid injection is reasonable to confirm the joint is the pain source or to get through aspecific period. PRP failed against placebo. Beyond that the options are orthoses and surgery.

Why is ankle arthritis different from knee arthritis

Ankle arthritis mostly follows injury rather than wear, affects younger active people, and involves a small jointwith thin stiff cartilage. Its prevalence is around 3.4 percent and it is more common than hip or kneeosteoarthritis in the young active population. Treatments proven in the knee have to be tested separately in theankle.

When should I see a surgeon for my ankle

When arthritis is advanced on imaging, when pain limits daily life despite bracing and physiotherapy, when theankle is unstable or gives way, or when a ligament is shown torn on a scan. Arthroscopy, fusion and anklereplacement all have long track records, and a foot and ankle surgeon is the right person to weigh them.

Is PRP for the ankle available on the NHS

PRP is not routinely commissioned by the NHS for ankle or other joint conditions, and private medicalinsurance rarely covers it. Steroid injections, physiotherapy, orthoses and surgical referral are available on theNHS, and for the ankle those are the treatments with evidence.

message us on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com

References

JAMA, 2021. Paget et al. Effect of platelet-rich plasma injections vs placebo on ankle symptoms andfunction in patients with ankle osteoarthritis, the PRIMA randomised clinical trial.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34698782/
BMJ Open, 2019. PRIMA study protocol, including the prevalence of ankle osteoarthritis.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6797250/
NICE, 2022. Osteoarthritis in over 16s, diagnosis and management, guideline NG226.https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng226/chapter/Recommendations
Australasian Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, 2024. Oo et al. Comparison of ultrasound guidance withlandmark guidance for symptomatic benefits in knee, hip and hand osteoarthritis.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11109994/
Orthopaedic Surgery, 2022. Cao and Wan. Systematic review of 16 randomised trials of PRP in ACLreconstruction, cited via https://www.jeremyburnhammd.com/prp-injections-what-they-actually-do-and-dont-do/ Primary paper to be confirmed before publication.
Central London clinic price lists for image guided PRP and steroid injections, accessed September 2026.

This article is for general information and does not replace a medical assessment. Speak to one of our doctors,or a foot and ankle specialist, before deciding on any ankle treatment.

Reviewed by [GMC-REGISTERED DOCTOR NAME, GMC NUMBER TO CONFIRM], The London PRP Clinic byThe Wellness. Last updated September 2026.

Guest User