cent. Then the big question is will they get
regrowth. The question with regrowth is
dependent on the type of hair loss they
have, the genetics and also how long the
hair has been lost for. If the hair has been
lost for more than 5 years, it’s difficult to
get all the hair back. Usually, you can get
the hair back from the last 3-5 years, but
longer, it’s difficult.”
The treatment works through the multiple
mechanisms of actions. Platelet-rich
plasmas, said Dr. Rapaport, contain
growth factors that work to two main
things: stimulate hair growth and block
the shift that usually happens when people
begin to lose hair where their hair starts to
miniaturize.
The risks have been minimal. Localized
bruising and soreness of the scalp
have been the most common side effects
seen. Overall, the benefits have been overwhelming.
“It works much better than the other
treatments available,” Dr. Rapaport said.
“The benefits are tremendous because you
see people who are totally concentrated on
their hair and they’re disappointed in how
they look and they become different people.
They become happy, and it’s one of
the most enjoyable parts of my practice
because you have such a happy group of
patients.”
Dr. Rapaport has been working with
this procedure for the last 3-and-a-half
years after discovering the treatment in an
article he was reading in a dermatology
journal. Working as a cosmetic dermatologist
in his Bergen County-based practice,
his work had focused on acne scars and
work like that. With what he found on the
platelet-rich plasma treatment, however,
the focus of the practice shifted.
“Prior to this, we only had Minoxidil,
which is Rogaine, and we had Propecia,”
said Dr. Rapaport. “We didn’t really have
very many treatments. So, when I read
this article, I couldn’t believe that there
was a treatment that actually works for
hair loss that most dermatologists had
never heard of, I hadn’t heard of it, that
we were not using. Once I read that, I
thought, ‘This is fantastic. If it works like
it says in the article, then it’s going to be
something really special for my patients
to use.’ So, I started treating a couple patients
and friends of the practice and I noticed
it was true, this treatment really
helps with hair loss. So that’s what got my
interest and once I started with it, it started
taking over my practice. There were very
few doctors that had ever done this. The
patients were so happy that they told all
their friends and it became a big part of
my practice.”
The practice still does the standard cosmetic
dermatology, but Dr. Rapaport also
travels to do lectures to help educate other
doctors on the platelet-rich plasma treatment.
He has also been involved in studies
on further advancing the treatment.
“We’re trying to isolate which of the
growth factors are the ones that are the
best, that’s Number 1,” he said. “So, we’re