PRP Success Rate 2026. What The Research Shows
PRP does not have a single success rate, because it works well for some conditions and not at all for others. The strongest evidence is for pattern hair loss and tennis elbow, where large meta-analyses of randomised trials show clear benefit. Evidence is favourable for rotator cuff tendinopathy, frozen shoulder and plantar fasciitis, contested for knee osteoarthritis, and negative for ankle and thumb-base arthritis, where placebo-controlled trials found no benefit. This page sets out the headline figures for each.
Key points
Hair loss has the largest evidence base. A 2025 meta-analysis of 43 randomised trials and 1,877 participants found PRP increases hair density.
In a 2024 double-blinded trial of 100 patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy, treatment failure at 12 months was 12 percent with PRP and 30 percent with steroid.
Placebo-controlled trials found PRP no better than saline for ankle osteoarthritis in 2021 and for thumb-base osteoarthritis in 2025.
Across our own work, The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness reports an 87 percent patient success rate and a 32 percent average density increase at 6 months in hair restoration.
Want to know what the evidence says for your condition? Message our doctors on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com.
How to read a success rate
A success rate only means something if you know what was compared and how success was defined. The most reliable evidence comes from randomised controlled trials, where patients are allocated by chance to PRP or another treatment, ideally with neither patient nor assessor knowing which they had. A meta-analysis pools many such trials. Single-clinic figures, including ours, are useful but are not a substitute for trials. PRP is also not standardised, so results depend on how it is prepared and where it is injected. We explain preparation in PRP vs PRF and grade every condition in does PRP actually work.
Hair
Male and female pattern hair loss. Strong
A 2025 meta-analysis in Dermatology and Therapy pooled 43 randomised trials with 1,877 participants and found PRP increases hair density. In women specifically, a 2024 meta-analysis in Skin Research and Technology found PRP improved hair thickness and density and reduced shedding compared with control treatment, with a mixed effect on hair count. PRP works best on follicles that are still producing hair, and after deficiencies such as low ferritin are corrected. See PRP hair treatment London and PRP for women's hair loss.
Scarring alopecia. Not a primary treatment
PRP is not the treatment for scarring alopecias, which need a dermatologist.
Tendons
Tennis elbow. Strong
A 2025 meta-analysis of 26 randomised trials found steroid better for short-term pain but PRP clearly better beyond 6 months.
Rotator cuff tendinopathy. Favourable
In a 2024 double-blinded trial of 100 patients in the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, PRP outperformed steroid at 12 months for pain and function, with treatment failure of 12 percent against 30 percent. A 2025 meta-analysis of 15 randomised trials found better shoulder function with PRP at 12 and 24 weeks. A 2026 trial of 107 patients with partial-thickness tears favoured steroid at 3 and 6 months. See PRP shoulder injection.
Plantar fasciitis. Favourable
Pooled trials show PRP gives better long-term function than steroid injection, without the risk of thinning the heel fat pad.
Joints
Frozen shoulder. Favourable
A 2026 meta-analysis of 13 randomised trials and 1,056 patients found similar pain relief to steroid at 1 and 3 months, and better pain relief and function with PRP at 6 months.
Meniscus tears. Favourable but early
A 2024 systematic review of 10 studies and 686 patients found PRP for degenerative tears without surgery improved pain and function for at least a year. A 2025 meta-analysis of 18 randomised trials and 1,143 patients found PRP cut treatment failure when used with meniscal repair surgery. See PRP for meniscus tear.
Facet and sacroiliac joint pain. Favourable but limited
A 2026 meta-analysis in Pain Medicine of 10 trials and 392 patients found PRP reduced pain more than steroid at 3 and 6 months, with limited certainty. See PRP for back pain.
Knee osteoarthritis. Contested
Meta-analyses favour PRP over hyaluronic acid at 6 and 12 months, but a 2021 randomised trial in JAMA found PRP no better than placebo. See knee injections London.
Ankle osteoarthritis. Not supported
A 2021 randomised trial of 100 patients in JAMA found PRP no better than saline placebo at 26 weeks.
Thumb-base osteoarthritis. Not supported
A 2025 double-blind trial of 90 patients in JBJS Open Access found a single PRP injection gave no meaningful short-term pain relief compared with placebo.
Want an honest answer for your joint? Ask our doctors on WhatsApp.
Skin
Acne scars. Strong
A 2026 meta-analysis of 17 studies and 1,111 participants in Archives of Dermatological Research found that adding PRP to microneedling made an excellent result about 3 times more likely, with a risk ratio of 3.05. See PRP facial London.
Skin quality and the under-eye area. Promising
Studies show improvement in texture and tone, but trials are smaller. PRP does not add volume or lift loose skin.
Our own results
Across our work, The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness reports an 87 percent patient success rate and a 32 percent average density increase at 6 months in hair restoration, measured against each patient's starting point with standardised photographs and trichoscopy. We report more than 187 five-star reviews.
These figures reflect careful patient selection. We decline treatment when the evidence or the diagnosis does not support it, which is one reason our results are higher than an unselected average. How we choose is set out in our clinical standards.
What improves the chance of success
A correct diagnosis before treatment. Correcting deficiencies such as low ferritin, vitamin D or thyroid problems before hair treatment. Image guidance for joints and tendons. A consistent, validated preparation. A full course rather than a single session where trials support it. Rehabilitation alongside joint and tendon treatment. If PRP has not worked for you before, these are usually where the answer lies, as we explain in why didn't my PRP work.
What it costs
At The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness, PRP for hair is from £450 per session or £1,200 for a course of 3, with a hair consultation and trichoscopy from £300 included at the first session of a course. Joint and tendon PRP is from £595 to £995 per treatment, and the diagnostic package is from £695.
Ask what your plan would cost. Message us on WhatsApp.
Why people choose The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness
Every treatment is performed by a GMC-registered doctor, and no clinician treats a patient here until they have completed 100 supervised treatments. We treat only where the evidence supports PRP, we publish where it does not, and we tell you when another treatment will serve you better. We see patients at 10 Portman Square in Marylebone and the Light Centre in Belgravia.
Book your free suitability review. Message us on WhatsApp, email team@thewellnesslondon.com, or call +44 20 3951 3429.
Frequently asked questions about PRP success rates
What is the success rate of PRP?
It depends on the condition. Evidence is strong for pattern hair loss, tennis elbow and acne scars, favourable for rotator cuff, frozen shoulder and plantar fasciitis, contested for knee osteoarthritis, and negative for ankle and thumb-base arthritis.
Does PRP work for hair loss?
Yes, for pattern hair loss. A 2025 meta-analysis of 43 randomised trials and 1,877 participants found PRP increases hair density.
Does PRP work for knee arthritis?
The evidence is contested. Meta-analyses favour PRP over hyaluronic acid, but a 2021 JAMA trial found it no better than placebo.
Where does PRP not work?
Placebo-controlled trials found no benefit for ankle osteoarthritis and thumb-base osteoarthritis. It is also not a primary treatment for scarring alopecia.
What is The London PRP Clinic's success rate?
The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness reports an 87 percent patient success rate across its work and a 32 percent average hair density increase at 6 months in hair restoration.
How can I improve my chance of PRP working?
Get a diagnosis first, correct deficiencies, choose image-guided injection for joints, complete the full course and continue rehabilitation.
This article is for information and does not replace personal medical advice. Evidence for PRP differs by condition and preparation is not standardised. All treatments at The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness are performed by GMC-registered doctors. Reviewed by a GMC-registered doctor at The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness. Last updated October 2026.
