PRP Injections at 1 Month Post Hair Transplant
Yes, you should absolutely receive PRP injection at 1 month post-transplant—this is the exact timing recommended in the standard three-injection protocol (month 0, month 1, and month 3) that has demonstrated significant improvements in follicle retention and hair density. 1
Evidence-Based Treatment Protocol for Post-Transplant PRP
Standard Three-Injection Schedule
The established protocol specifically calls for PRP administration at three critical timepoints following hair transplantation:
- First injection: At the time of transplant surgery (month 0) 1
- Second injection: One month after transplant (month 1)—this is where you are now 1
- Third injection: Three months after transplant (month 3) 1
This split scalp injection protocol has been validated to produce statistically significant improvements in follicle retention, with clear differences observed at 6 months post-transplant (p=0.005) 2
Clinical Benefits You Can Expect
Hair follicle survival and density improvements:
- Greater retention of transplanted follicles compared to transplant alone 2
- Hair density increases by 1.74 times baseline 2, 3
- Hair diameter increases by 14.3 times baseline 2, 3
- Initial improvements become visible at 2-3 months, with full results at 6 months 3
Technical Administration Details for Your Month-1 Injection
Your provider should administer the PRP using these specific parameters:
- Volume: 5-7 mL PRP per session 1
- Needle: 30-gauge × 4 mm 1
- Technique: Point-by-point injection at 90-degree angle, 2-4 mm depth, spacing injections 1 cm apart across the transplanted areas 1
- Preparation: Manual double-spin method targeting 1.0-1.5 million platelets per microliter 1
- Critical detail: Use nonactivated PRP—activation reduces efficacy by 31% 1, 3
Essential Concurrent Therapies for Optimal Results
PRP alone is not sufficient—combination therapy produces significantly superior outcomes: 3
Topical Minoxidil (Required)
- Apply minoxidil 5% solution, 1 mL twice daily to the transplanted area 1, 3
- Continue indefinitely to maintain results 1, 3
- Combination therapy (PRP + minoxidil) is significantly more effective than either treatment alone 2, 3
Oral Finasteride (Strongly Recommended)
- Ideally should have been started 1 month before transplant, but start now if not already taking 4
- Protects miniaturizing native (non-transplanted) hairs from ongoing androgenetic alopecia 4
- The triple combination (PRP + minoxidil + finasteride) represents the most effective evidence-based approach 1, 3, 4
Long-Term Maintenance Plan
After completing your third injection at month 3, you will need ongoing maintenance:
- Maintenance PRP injections every 6 months indefinitely to sustain results 1, 3
- Continue topical minoxidil 5% twice daily indefinitely 1, 3
- Continue oral finasteride indefinitely (if tolerated) 4
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Do not allow your provider to activate the PRP before injection—nonactivated PRP demonstrates 31% greater increases in hair count and total hair density compared to activated PRP 1, 3. This is a critical technical detail that many providers get wrong.
Do not skip the month-3 injection—the protocol requires all three initial injections for optimal follicle survival 1. Incomplete protocols produce inferior results.
Do not use PRP as monotherapy—the evidence clearly shows combination therapy with topical minoxidil produces significantly better outcomes than PRP alone 2, 3. Without concurrent minoxidil, you are leaving substantial benefit on the table.
Expected Timeline and Monitoring
- 2-3 months: Initial improvements in hair density become visible 3
- 6 months: Full assessment of transplant success with 1.74-fold increase in density and 14.3-fold increase in diameter 2, 3
- Ongoing: Maintenance injections every 6 months to preserve results 1, 3
Your provider should use trichoscopy to objectively measure hair density and diameter at 2,3, and 6 months, along with standardized photographs 3