PRP at home?

[Rockinlove]

I am wondering about a few treatments that we may be able to test on ourselves. Thinking about making prp at home. Does anyone here know how to go about it? I imagine that things we need would be cost effective and not too expensive.

 

[no bald plz]

I am wondering about a few treatments that we may be able to test on ourselves. Thinking about making prp at home. Does anyone here know how to go about it? I imagine that things we need would be cost effective and not too expensive.

OK you can collect your own blood..but how to separate plasma?

 

[jake_b]

It's not PRP, but dermarolling is about as close as most people are going to get at home without a centrifuge etc etc.

 

[Swoop]

OK you can collect your own blood..but how to separate plasma?

redneck way;

http://www.popsci.com/diy/article/2013-07/how-build-your-own-diy-centrifuge

Or yeah, actually buy a centrifuge.

 

[wilson2]

redneck way;

http://www.popsci.com/diy/article/2013-07/how-build-your-own-diy-centrifuge

Or yeah, actually buy a centrifuge.

Not sure if hair loss has driven me to the level of madness to buy a centrifuge.....yet

 

[I.D WALKER]

You'll do fine so long as you observe proper safety instructions.
Only start to worry when you find yourself shopping for this model.

 

[no bald plz]

redneck way;

http://www.popsci.com/diy/article/2013-07/how-build-your-own-diy-centrifuge

Or yeah, actually buy a centrifuge.

Come on man,how to inject the plasma in the scalp?

 

[Swoop]

Come on man,how to inject the plasma in the scalp?

31G 0,26 x 2,5mm needle would probably do (intradermal).

 

[alscarmuzza]

31G 0,26 x 2,5mm needle would probably do (intradermal).

...and whiskey... lots and lots of whiskey.

 

[dantan33]

I'm trying it

I did a google search looking for people that have done this. NOT injecting it, but applying it to the scalp after dermarolling. The benefits of microneedling have already been established, and PRP is well established in the medical field but for hair growth it is still new. But so far it is showing promising results and many of the local hair loss doctors do it here.

I'm not here to give medical advice but simply to answer you question. I used to work in a lab and obtaining plasma is easy. The hard part is getting your own blood. Luckily for me my wife is a nurse so she can draw it into a 15-20 ml tube for me. Next, buy a centrifuge from amazon, it's $80 which is cheap. I ordered mine the other day. Next you put your tube of blood in the centrifuge and you put a tube of water (or blood) just across from this in the same amount to "balance" out when it spins. Next you press the on button and the tube spins like crazy and 15 minutes later the blood will separate from the plasma. The plasma is the yellow layer on top. You suction this out with a pipette and voila, you have plasma.

Now from here I am a bit unsure exactly what to do but I do have a plan to try. First, I don't know how long this plasma can last in room temperature or a fridge, but it can last a year if frozen. So maybe thaw it out the night before you use? Second, I plan on microneedling my balding parts of my scalp weekly, then applying the PRP after I do this. Again, I’m not sure how often and for how long it should be done but I’ve read microneedling weekly is typical for the scalp and once every 4-6 weeks for the face.

Thoughts?

 

[existence]

I have been doing it myself. But i am reluctant to write a guide about it, for certain reasons.
I am going to write about principles and salient points

1. Blood taking - this is probably the most rate limiting step for most people, it's actually possible to take blood from yourself with a butterfly needle
2. You need an anticoagulant
3. You need to centrifuge twice and you need to know a) how many Gs to spin it at b)how long

First spin - separates the plasma with the platelets from the red and white cells
Spin too little, not enough separation, spin too hard the platelets will sediment making it hard to extract

Extract the plasma

Second spin - Sediments the platelets, spin too hard the platelets will get activated or the fibrinogen will get activated and it will trap some of the platelets and you lose yield
Spin too little, you don't get most of the platelets to sediment

After that is just throwing away the platelet poor plasma and suspending the platelets in whatever you decide to use

 

[Rockinlove]

Why would you throw away the platelet poor plasma? Since even PPP consists of growth factors.

It would be most splendid if someone could provide step by step instructions on forumating an effective PRP treatment at home. Being that it can be used for purposes beyond just hair loss.

I have been doing it myself. But i am reluctant to write a guide about it, for certain reasons.
I am going to write about principles and salient points

1. Blood taking - this is probably the most rate limiting step for most people, it's actually possible to take blood from yourself with a butterfly needle
2. You need an anticoagulant
3. You need to centrifuge twice and you need to know a) how many Gs to spin it at b)how long

First spin - separates the plasma with the platelets from the red and white cells
Spin too little, not enough separation, spin too hard the platelets will sediment making it hard to extract

Extract the plasma

Second spin - Sediments the platelets, spin too hard the platelets will get activated or the fibrinogen will get activated and it will trap some of the platelets and you lose yield
Spin too little, you don't get most of the platelets to sediment

After that is just throwing away the platelet poor plasma and suspending the platelets in whatever you decide to use

 

[Swoop]

Why would you throw away the platelet poor plasma? Since even PPP consists of growth factors.

It would be most splendid if someone could provide step by step instructions on forumating an effective PRP treatment at home. Being that it can be used for purposes beyond just hair loss.

There are quite some instructional videos on youtube.

 

[dantan33]

Just did my first treatment

I followed the same method as I posted earlier in this thread. Multiple sources recommend spinning it at 2000rpm for 10 minutes so this is what I did. While working in a lab in the past I don't remember ever spinning it twice. 10 minutes at 2000 and I put two of the lavender/blue vials (you need this specific kind for the anticoagulant) and they separated very nicely and I suctioned the yellow plasma into a container.

I showered earlier and washed my hair. Then I washed my face with with tea tree oil. I cleaned my dermarollers with alcohol. I then applied a thin layer of the PRP to my balding areas of the scalp and dermarolled it really good in multiple directions, then I immediately applied more PRP to the balding areas.It spread nicely.

I then applied a small layer to my face and dermarolled it, then again applied more PRP when I was done.
So far so good. I plan on doing the hair treatment every week, and the face treatment once a month. The only thing I'm unsure about is if I want get blood drawn every week, or if I should get a larger amount drawn and use it for the whole month. How to store this I am unsure and I'm not sure if it would lose potency.

 

[dantan33]

Really, does noone else on this forum do this?

 

[dantan33]

No because we are not that insane, yet.

Lol, I know it sounds intimidating but it's not rocket science! I'm not talking about INJECTING PRP. Simply dermarolling it on. As mentioned, drawing blood is the only "difficult" thing. My wife is a nurse, and I used to work as a phlebotomist so getting blood is absolutely simple. Then all you do is spin it and rub the yellow on. How easy is that? And safe! Especially when compared to propecia.
Results are promising, and this is the SAME procedure that is done by hair doctors for $500-$1000 and it's something you can just do in your home!

 

[Solomon]

Lol, I know it sounds intimidating but it's not rocket science! I'm not talking about INJECTING PRP. Simply dermarolling it on. As mentioned, drawing blood is the only "difficult" thing. My wife is a nurse, and I used to work as a phlebotomist so getting blood is absolutely simple. Then all you do is spin it and rub the yellow on. How easy is that? And safe! Especially when compared to propecia.
Results are promising, and this is the SAME procedure that is done by hair doctors for $500-$1000 and it's something you can just do in your home!

You will need Centrifuge. I think it impossible to extract platelets with just spinning.

 

[dantan33]

You will need Centrifuge. I think it impossible to extract platelets with just spinning.

Ofcourse, I mentioned in my previous posts you will need a centrifuge. You can get one on amazon for $80-90.

Well good luck drawing your own blood Count D. Joking aside, tell us how it goes.

Will do, I'm not gonna be overly optimistic but can't hurt.

- - - Updated - - -

Just called a hair loss doctor in the area. He only spins it ONCE and they inject the area. 3 treatments 6 weeks apart for $2500. Another doctor dermarolls it which is what I obviously recommend.

 

[Rockinlove]

Not only would doing it at home be cost effective in the long term but prp has other applications than just hair loss. It leads to interesting possibilities.

I intend to get my prp kit only after a year so as I still have to assess my results with my present regiment.

The idea is to get the most cost effective albeit efficacious treatment for hair loss.

Since we have no tenable treatments available apart from dht inhibitors, androgen inihibitors and minoxidil in the market just yet; we ought to take matter into our own hands.

I followed the same method as I posted earlier in this thread. Multiple sources recommend spinning it at 2000rpm for 10 minutes so this is what I did. While working in a lab in the past I don't remember ever spinning it twice. 10 minutes at 2000 and I put two of the lavender/blue vials (you need this specific kind for the anticoagulant) and they separated very nicely and I suctioned the yellow plasma into a container.

I showered earlier and washed my hair. Then I washed my face with with tea tree oil. I cleaned my dermarollers with alcohol. I then applied a thin layer of the PRP to my balding areas of the scalp and dermarolled it really good in multiple directions, then I immediately applied more PRP to the balding areas.It spread nicely.

I then applied a small layer to my face and dermarolled it, then again applied more PRP when I was done.
So far so good. I plan on doing the hair treatment every week, and the face treatment once a month. The only thing I'm unsure about is if I want get blood drawn every week, or if I should get a larger amount drawn and use it for the whole month. How to store this I am unsure and I'm not sure if it would lose potency.

 

[existence]

I followed the same method as I posted earlier in this thread. Multiple sources recommend spinning it at 2000rpm for 10 minutes so this is what I did. While working in a lab in the past I don't remember ever spinning it twice. 10 minutes at 2000 and I put two of the lavender/blue vials (you need this specific kind for the anticoagulant) and they separated very nicely and I suctioned the yellow plasma into a container.

I showered earlier and washed my hair. Then I washed my face with with tea tree oil. I cleaned my dermarollers with alcohol. I then applied a thin layer of the PRP to my balding areas of the scalp and dermarolled it really good in multiple directions, then I immediately applied more PRP to the balding areas.It spread nicely.

I then applied a small layer to my face and dermarolled it, then again applied more PRP when I was done.
So far so good. I plan on doing the hair treatment every week, and the face treatment once a month. The only thing I'm unsure about is if I want get blood drawn every week, or if I should get a larger amount drawn and use it for the whole month. How to store this I am unsure and I'm not sure if it would lose potency.

There is a few difference in spinning once compared to twice.
Spin it once, you have the whole plasma with the platelets in it and fibrinogen. Platelet concentration is lower.
Spin it twice and just extract the platelets and use the bottom part of the supernatant you get a higher platelet concentration and some fibrinogen. At times i just throw away all the supernatant and just use sterile saline to suspend the platelets.

If you are dermarolling, you need more volume than if you are injecting to cover the entire area. However if you are dermarolling, you need to add calcium to activate the platelets whereas if you inject it, the collagen in the tissue will activate the platelets.

Personally if I am injecting, 2mls is plenty for my scalp so spin it twice makes the most sense because I don't need volume and I get a concentrated product.
If I am dermarolling i will still spin it twice because there is just too much redundant volume with the entire chunk of plasma.

In essence, if you spin it once this is what you get (PRFM), platelet rich fibrin matrix. The fibrinogen will get converted to fibrin which will form a matrix and trap the platelets in it and this matrix of platelets release growth factors at a lower concentration for 1 week (the authors argued that this is physiological compared to the conventional highly concentrated PRP which does the release all at 1 time)
This only applies if you inject it only.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24810134
However the study did intradermal injections instead of dermarolling. I looked at all the PRP studies, I think this is the only (1 spin) study, the rest of the PRP studies are basically 2 spin types.