PRP Therapy Ann Arbor: Hair, Skin & Joint Treatment Guide

A patient came in with early hair thinning, three failed creams behind her, and a dermatologist who told her to “learn to live with it.” She was 42. Her labs were fine. The hair loss was real and getting worse - and easy to dismiss only if you were not the one living with it.

Here is the short answer. PRP therapy uses platelet-rich plasma (a small amount of your own blood, spun to concentrate the platelets and the healing signals they carry) injected into the area you want to repair. At Arbour Longevity in Ann Arbor we use it for three things: thinning hair, aging skin, and joint pain. The same biology drives all three, but the protocols differ.

What regular care often misses about tissue repair

Many of us were taught that once cartilage wears down or hair follicles shrink, the damage is permanent and you only manage symptoms. That made sense before we had tools to nudge the body's own repair.

But platelets hold more than clotting factors. They store growth factors - signals that tell nearby cells to build new blood vessels, new collagen, and new tissue. Concentrate those platelets and place them where the damage is, and you deliver a focused dose of the body's own repair signals. If you have been told to simply accept thinning hair or a bad knee, our post on why your labs look normal but you feel terrible speaks to that same gap in care.

Why we offer it. The same mechanism drives all three uses: concentrate the platelets from your own blood, place them where the tissue is struggling, and you deliver a focused dose of the growth factors that signal new blood vessels, new collagen, and tissue repair. For hair, a 2025 systematic review in Dermatology and Therapy covering 43 randomized trials and 1,877 participants found PRP improved hair density and reduced hair loss. For joints, a 2021 meta-analysis in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders pooled eight trials and 648 patients and found PRP outperformed corticosteroid injection for pain, stiffness, and function at 3, 6, and 9 months. One biology, three applications, and a research base that keeps growing.

How PRP works for hair loss

For hair, PRP is injected into the scalp at the level of the follicle. The growth factors can wake up resting follicles, lengthen the active growth phase, and improve the blood supply that a follicle needs to grow a thicker strand.

Most people do a series of three to four treatments spaced four to six weeks apart, with first changes around three months. This timing follows the hair cycle, not a delay in the treatment. PRP works differently from minoxidil or finasteride, so it can be added to them rather than replacing them. We go deeper in our guides to PRP hair restoration and hair loss in women. The full program, including protocols and what the first visit covers, is on our PRP hair restoration Ann Arbor page, and the regenerative options that sit alongside it are described under PRP and regenerative therapy.

Why platelet concentration matters

How the blood is spun changes the result. A single spin gives about two to three times the normal platelet level. A double spin gives roughly five to seven times. The published studies that show real tissue response generally used the higher range.

At Arbour Longevity we use a double-spin process for all PRP. It adds about twelve minutes of prep time, but the higher platelet yield is the whole point of the treatment. Checking the underlying drivers matters too - see the 5 blood tests your doctor is not ordering, because low iron or thyroid problems can blunt your response, and hormone and adrenal testing is often where the real answer sits.

PRP for skin and joints

For skin, we often pair PRP with microneedling (tiny controlled pin-pricks that help the growth factors absorb and signal new collagen). Studies suggest this combination can improve skin thickness and texture over a few months, though results vary from person to person. Details are on our PRP facial in Ann Arbor and microneedling pages. For more on the Vampire Facelift, see our guide to the Vampire Facelift.

For joints, several trials suggest PRP can reduce pain and improve function in mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis (“wear and tear” arthritis), often working as well as or better than other injections without the cartilage risk of repeated steroids. We use ultrasound to place it precisely. More detail is in our post on PRP joint injections as an alternative to cortisone, and on our PRP for joint pain in Ann Arbor page.

What I see in clinic

A common pattern I see for hair is a woman in her late 40s with a widening part, normal-looking labs, and ferritin (an iron-storage marker) that is technically “normal” but too low for good hair growth. When we raise her iron first and then run a PRP series, most patients notice less shedding by three months and steadier density by six. Most do not regrow a teenage hairline - they stabilize the loss and gain modest thickness. That level of change still matters a great deal to the person living it.

The Arbour Longevity PRP protocol

We do not sell PRP as a stand-alone product. For hair, we first check iron, zinc, vitamin D, thyroid, and sex hormones, because fixing those improves results. For skin, we pair PRP with microneedling at the right depth for your skin. For joints, we use ultrasound guidance so the PRP lands in the right tissue. Related options like the O-Shot use the same biology for sexual health. For more on regenerative medicine, see our guide to regenerative medicine.

All PRP at Arbour uses our double-spin, low-white-cell preparation, processed and injected the same visit - blood drawn, spun, and injected within about 45 minutes, with no storage that would weaken the platelets.

What to expect at your visit

We review your history, examine the area, and decide if PRP fits. It is not right for everyone - active infection, blood disorders, and blood thinners can rule it out. If you are a good fit, we lay out the number of sessions and the timing. The visit itself takes about an hour: draw, spin, numb, inject. Most people feel mild pressure or stinging, well controlled with numbing. You can return to normal activity right away, though we suggest avoiding anti-inflammatory pills for 48 hours, since they may blunt the healing PRP is meant to spark.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does PRP therapy work for hair loss?

PRP is injected into the scalp, where its growth factors can wake up resting follicles, extend the growth phase, and improve blood flow to the follicle. Most people do three to four treatments four to six weeks apart and start to see changes around three months, following the natural hair cycle.

Can PRP injections help with knee osteoarthritis?

Several trials suggest PRP can reduce pain and improve function in mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis, often comparable to or better than other injections, without the cartilage risk of repeated steroids. It works best for early to moderate wear, not bone-on-bone arthritis, which usually needs surgery. PRP may delay that timeline but cannot reverse complete cartilage loss.

How long does it take to see results from PRP?

It depends on the area. Joint pain often eases within two to six weeks. Hair changes start around three months because of the hair cycle. Skin collagen builds over about six to twelve weeks. PRP signals your tissue to repair itself, and that process runs on a biological timeline you cannot rush.

Is platelet-rich plasma therapy safe?

Because PRP uses your own blood, allergic reactions and disease transmission are not concerns. The most common effects are temporary: swelling, bruising, and mild soreness for one to three days. Infection risk is very low with clean technique. PRP has been used clinically for nearly two decades without a long-term safety signal.

What are the side effects of PRP injections?

Most people have minor bruising and swelling that fades in three to five days. Scalp injections can be tender; facial treatments may look pink for a day or two; joint injections sometimes cause a couple of days of achiness as the repair signals activate. We suggest acetaminophen rather than ibuprofen or naproxen right after treatment, since those may interfere with the healing response.

How much does PRP therapy cost in Ann Arbor?

Cost depends on the area treated, the number of sessions, and whether imaging guidance is used. At Arbour Longevity the first visit is $35, and we give you clear pricing for your specific plan during that consultation. Insurance rarely covers PRP for hair or cosmetic uses, though some plans cover joint injections for documented arthritis after other treatments have failed.

What is the difference between single-spin and double-spin PRP?

A single spin produces about two to three times your normal platelet level; a double spin produces roughly five to seven times. The higher concentration is the range used in studies that show real tissue response, which is why Arbour Longevity uses a double-spin process for all PRP.

Arbour Longevity - 2217 Packard St #15, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 - (734) 436-3357 - Hours: Thursday through Monday, 10am to 7pm.

References

1. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (OrthoInfo). Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP).
2. Gupta AK, Carviel JL. Meta-analysis of efficacy of platelet-rich plasma therapy for androgenetic alopecia. Journal of Dermatological Treatment.
3. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Osteoarthritis: In Depth.

This article is educational and does not replace individualized medical advice.