STEM CELLS FOR
Hair
Regenerative hair growth offers patients a safe, effective, non-surgical method of hair restoration. At Docere Medical, we employ Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), stem cells derived from your own fat, Exosomes, and other growth factors to stimulate hair to move from …
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This simple, “lunchtime” procedure can dramatically improve hair density and
health in both men and women. While it will not grow new hair where there is
no growth at all, it can strengthen waning follicles to turn thinning hair shafts
into thick ones.
WHAT IS PLATELET
RICH PLASMA (PRP)?
PRP is essentially blood that has been centrifuged and has had the red and white blood cells removed. Produced in just a few minutes from a normal venous blood draw, PRP contains a powerful mix of growth factors that can enhance tissue regeneration, healing and hair follicle growth. PRP has been studied widely and has established itself to be effective and safe as a medical treatment in the fields of oral surgery, orthopedics, cosmetic surgery and wound healing. Its use in hair restoration is relatively new but several studies have shown it to be an exciting non-chemical, non-pharmaceutical alternative to surgery.
HOW ARE STEM CELLS FROM YOUR FAT, EXOSOMES AND GROWTH FACTORS BENEFICIAL IN HAIR RESTORATION?
Docere Medical is one of the early regenerative medicine clinics to offer you the option of using stem cells derived from your own fat tissue. After performing a lipoaspiration procedure (miniature liposuction), the stem cell-rich, Stromal Vascular Fraction (SVF) is extracted from the whole adipose and these stem cells can be added to PRP to further boost the regenerative process on a cellular level. Research has shown that adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC’s) have proteins that exert diverse skin rejuvenating effects, such as the stimulation of collagen synthesis, triggering the growth of new blood vessels, as well as hair growth stimulating effects. Exosomes and Growth Factors are also getting a lot of buzz in the hair restoration space. Although relatively new, these biologics have become an important additional tool in the toolbox for restoring hair.

Blood is drawn in the office and spun in a special centrifuge. The PRP is separated from the blood.
A lipoaspiration is performed, usually on the flanks (love-handles), and the fat is processed over the course of 45 minutes to isolate the SVF.
The scalp is cleaned then local anesthesia is administered to numb the treatment area. The highly concentrated platelet-rich plasma is then injected (alone or in combination with your own stem cells).
The patient may drive home. Usually, no sedation or medication is required. The procedure takes about 1 hour for PRP alone and 2 hours for PRP with SVF.



WHEN CAN I EXPECT
TO SEE RESULTS?
Improvements in hair growth typically become most evident between 4-8 months in conjunction with the typical hair growth cycle.

BEFORE AND AFTER
Six months of stem cell
REFERENCES
Fukuoka, H. Suga, H. Narita, K. et al. The latest advance in hair restoration therapy using proteins secreted by adipose-derived stem cells. Amer J of Cosmetic Surg. 2012; Vol 29, No 4: 273-82.
Miao, Y., et al. Promotional effect of PRP on hair follicle reconstitution in vivo. Derm Surg. 2013; 39:1869-1876.
Greco, J., and R. Brandt. Preliminary experience and extended applications for the use of autologous platelet-rich plasma in hair transplantation surgery. Hair Transplant Forum Int’l. 2007; 17:131-132.
Cervelli, S. Garcovich, A. Bielli, G. Cervelli, et al. “The effect of autologous activated platelet-rich plasma (AA-PRP) injection on pattern hair loss: clinical and histomorphometric evaluation,” BioMed Research International. Volume 2014.
Greco, J., and R. Brandt. The effects of autologous platelet-rich plasma and various growth factors on non-transplanted miniaturized hair. Hair Transplant Forum Int’l. 2009; 19:49-50.
Zheng, J. Choi H. Choi D., et al. “Autologous platelet-rich plasma: a potential therapeutic tool for promoting hair growth”. Derm Surg.2012: 38:1040-1046.
The following are the most commonly asked questions at Docere Medical. If, after reading, you have any additional questions that we did not cover here, please feel to contact us at any time!
FREQUENTLY ASKED
Questions

Is stem cell therapy a "miracle cure"?
No. While stem cell therapy shows promise in the rapidly growing body of scientific data, it has not been scientifically proven to be effective. Based on full-time stem cell therapy experience since 2014, we are very careful to only treat patients that we think we have a chance of helping. Namely; patients who are in overall good health who wish to improve the health of their skin, hair and sexual organs using the healing power of their own bodies. We do not treat any systemic disease at all. While we have helped many people, there are people we have treated that we have not helped at all. Our experience is that overall, we help more people than we don't help, but there is nothing about stem cell therapy that is either a "miracle" or a "cure".To add a new question go to app settings and press "Manage Questions" button.
What are the risks of the procedures?
There are very few risks involved. You are certain to be sore for a few days after the procedure, but that is a side effect, not a risk. Temporary bruising, redness and swelling are common after Dr Killen's procedures but generally improve within a week. Infection is a serious risk, but is extremely rare. The biggest risk of these therapies is that they won't help your condition, however, performed properly, they will not make your condition worse.
Does insurance cover these procedures?
Short answer: no. Long answer: stem cell therapy and PRP are considered experimental procedures. While some insurance companies will pay for platelet rich plasma or bone marrow aspirate concentrate when used by a surgeon in conjunction with certain orthopedic surgeries, they generally do not pay when used as an injection. For this reason, Docere Medical has a 'payment at the time of service' policy.
Do the Stem Cells come from my bone marrow, from my fat, or from both?
Do you have an Anesthesiologist so I can sleep through the whole thing?
Yes. We contract with board certified anesthesiologists to offer our patients 'deep sedation'. Deep sedation uses much gentler medications than general anesthesia, but you are very much asleep, you don't feel anything, and you don't remember anything afterward. It is the same type of sedation used for colonoscopies or dental procedures. It is our experience that we get better outcomes when people sleep through it. As such, our prices are structured so that sedation is included in the cost of treatment; you are not required to be sedated, but you are paying for it, so why not do it?
How many treatments will I want to do and how often will I receive them?
How soon might I notice improvement?
These therapies are intended to stimulate the growth and repair tissues. Typically, patients notice improvement after four to eight weeks and continue to notice continual improvement months after the treatment. Hair procedures often take longer to see results, as much as 6 months in some people.
How will I feel immediately after the treatment?
Are the results permanent?
What Guarantee do I have that will be satisfied with the results?
None. We are happy to report that our overall patient satisfaction rate is very high. We grow almost entirely by word-of-mouth referrals from satisfied patients. We help more people than we don't help, but we don't help everyone. We have found that the severity of the condition is much less of a predictor of the clinical outcome than is the overall health of the person being treated. If you're unhealthy, it is entirely possible that your stem cells don't function properly. We have observed that we tend to have inferior outcomes in people who are smokers, heavy drinkers, heavy narcotic users, diabetics, have uncontrolled hypertension, sleep apnea, lousy diets, and who have a negative outlook on life.
What recommendations do you make to optimize the outcome of Stem Cell Therapy?