Americans spend between one and four billion dollars a year treating hair loss. Now, four doctors in the U.S. are testing a stem cell treatment in a non-surgical procedure. Kenneth Williams, D.O., a hair restoration surgeon at Orange County Hair Restoration in Los Angeles, California, is running a clinical trial that uses stem cells and platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, to treat baldness.
Dr. Williams explained, “The study is taking cells that are in our body that help to regenerate or stimulate inactive or dormant hair follicles. That is the theory behind what we’re doing this procedure on.”
He takes fat from the abdomen, emulsifies it and separates the stem cells, mixes it with the patient’s own plasma which has been spun down to be super concentrated. Then with 300 shots, injects the mixture into the scalp, twice over a three-month period. The trial has five participants so far. Dr. Williams already does the procedure for paying patients who’ve had promising results.
Dr. Williams detailed, “Those patients are seeing some differences in the density of the hair. We’re waiting for the final results, which take nine to 12 months after the administration. We look to see the final results of what we’re doing.” He hopes to publish results in two years.
Dr. Williams’ trial is supported by NIH, but not by a major pharmaceutical company yet. That means his trial is patient-funded, meaning they’ll pay a reduced cost of the $2,500 to $5,800 procedure, depending on which arm of the trial is chosen.