PRP
4 min readPRP vs PRF vs Polynucleotides for Hair Loss
Educational reading for licensed practitioners — not clinical or injection guidance.
Injectable scalp treatments for thinning hair have multiplied, and three approaches now dominate the conversation: platelet-rich plasma (PRP), platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) and polynucleotides. They share a broad regenerative logic — stimulate the scalp environment to support the follicle — but they differ in what is injected, how it behaves and how much evidence sits behind it. Here is a sober comparison.
PRP: The Established Autologous Option
Platelet-rich plasma is made from the patient's own blood. A sample is drawn into a PRP tube, centrifuged to concentrate the platelets, and the resulting plasma is injected into the scalp. The rationale is that concentrated platelets release growth factors that support the follicle and prolong the growth phase.
Among the three, PRP has the largest body of clinical study for androgenetic (pattern) hair loss, and it is the most widely practised. That said, results are generally described as modest and maintenance-dependent, protocols vary between clinics, and it works best as part of a wider plan rather than a standalone cure. Because it is autologous, there is no product to stock beyond the tubes and an activator such as calcium gluconate.
PRF: The Newer Fibrin Evolution
Platelet-rich fibrin is a refinement of the same idea. It is prepared without anticoagulant and with a gentler spin, producing a fibrin matrix that traps platelets and white cells and is thought to release growth factors more slowly and over a longer period. Advocates argue this sustained release is an advantage over PRP.
PRF is genuinely promising, but the evidence base for hair specifically is younger and thinner than PRP's. It is best regarded as an evolving option with a plausible mechanism rather than a proven upgrade. Like PRP, it is autologous and prepared chairside from the patient's blood.
Polynucleotides: The Off-the-Shelf Regenerative Route
Polynucleotides take a different approach: rather than concentrating the patient's own platelets, they deliver purified DNA fragments that support fibroblast activity, hydration and the tissue environment of the scalp. Dedicated presentations such as Plinest Hair and the PDRN-based Rejuran are used in scalp protocols.
The practical appeal is consistency and convenience: an off-the-shelf, standardised product with no blood draw or centrifugation. The evidence for polynucleotides in hair is still emerging and should not be overstated, but the regenerative rationale is coherent and the product is CE-marked (not FDA-approved — a caveat that applies across this category, Rejuran included). Some clinics also use ready-made mesotherapy hair cocktails such as Dermaheal HL in a similar off-the-shelf role.
How to Choose
- Want the most-studied option and comfortable with a blood draw? PRP is the established starting point.
- Interested in a slower-release autologous variant? PRF is a reasonable, if less-proven, evolution.
- Prefer a standardised, off-the-shelf regenerative injectable, or want to combine approaches? Polynucleotides are a logical choice, alone or alongside.
None of these is a guaranteed cure, and all are maintenance treatments. Realistic counselling — modest improvement, ongoing sessions, and best results as part of a broader plan that may include medical therapy — matters more than the choice between them.
Combining Approaches
These options are not mutually exclusive. It is increasingly common to see autologous platelet therapy used alongside an off-the-shelf regenerative injectable, or either combined with scalp microneedling to assist delivery and add its own stimulus. The aim of combining is to address the follicular environment from more than one angle across a treatment course. What combination should never do is replace a proper diagnosis — pattern loss, telogen effluvium, nutritional or hormonal contributors and scarring alopecias are different problems, and injectables are only appropriate for some of them.
Contraindications and Honest Counselling
Standard exclusions apply across all three: active scalp infection or inflammation, bleeding or clotting disorders, pregnancy and lactation, and relevant allergy history (including fish allergy for polynucleotides). Certain medical conditions affecting platelets make autologous options less suitable. Above all, patients deserve honest counselling: these are supportive, maintenance treatments with modest, individually variable results, not guaranteed regrowth, and they work best within a broader, medically-informed plan.
The Takeaway
PRP has the deepest evidence for hair loss, PRF offers a plausible slow-release refinement, and polynucleotides bring a convenient, standardised regenerative option with a younger but growing rationale. Many clinics use them in combination. Choose based on the patient's preferences, the evidence you are comfortable citing, and honest expectations rather than marketing.
Explore scalp options in the hair growth range.