Which one is right for you? Five honest questions

1. Can you still see fine, short hairs in the thinning area? If yes, there are living follicles there. PRP and other medical therapy have something to work with.
2. Is there a completely smooth bald patch? If so, PRP alone is unlikely to bring it back. This is transplant territory.
3. How long has the hair loss been going on? Recent, noticeable shedding often responds better to early treatment. Loss that’s been stable for years usually means the follicles are gone.
4. Do you have enough donor hair? A transplant is only as good as what’s available to move. A scalp examination (and sometimes a trichoscopy) answers this in minutes.
5. What are you really after? Thicker, healthier hair? Or a different hairline and real coverage? Be clear about your goal, because it shapes the whole plan.

Can you combine PRP and a hair transplant?

Yes, and plenty of dermatologists do. PRP is often used before or after a transplant to support the scalp and healing. A 2025 systematic review of three clinical studies, two of them randomised controlled trials covering 217 participants, found that adding PRP to transplantation tended to give better outcomes than transplantation alone. That’s a small body of evidence, so it’s encouraging rather than conclusive.

It also makes practical sense. A transplant fixes the bald zones, while PRP and medication help protect the hair you already have around them.

What about cost?

We’d rather be upfront than throw out a number that doesn’t apply to you.

• PRP is charged per session, so the total depends on how many sessions your scalp needs.
• A transplant is usually priced by the number of grafts, which depends on how much area needs covering.

The cheapest option on paper isn’t always the cheapest in the end. A rushed, low-cost transplant that needs correcting, or a PRP course that was never going to work for your type of hair loss, costs more than getting the right plan the first time. That’s the real reason a proper consultation matters.

Is a hair transplant or PRP right for women?

Often, yes, but the pattern is different. Women tend to lose hair diffusely, with overall thinning and a widening part rather than a receding hairline. That makes the cause important: thyroid issues, iron or vitamin D deficiency, PCOS, postpartum changes and stress are all common culprits and need to be checked before any procedure. PRP is frequently a first step, and transplants are considered only when the donor area is stable and the thinning pattern suits it.

Other treatments worth knowing about

PRP and transplants aren’t the only tools. Depending on the cause and stage, a dermatologist may also recommend:

• GFC (growth factor concentrate): a similar concept to PRP, with a different preparation method
• QR678: a hair-boosting injectable formulation used in some clinics
• LLLT (low-level laser therapy): light-based stimulation of follicles
• Exosome therapy: an emerging option still being studied
• Medication and nutrition correction: often the unglamorous foundation that makes everything else work

Arna Clinic offers PRP, GFC, QR678, LLLT, exosomes and hair transplant under one roof, so the recommendation can be based on what your scalp needs rather than what a single machine can do.

What happens at a consultation at Arna Clinic?

A good hair consult shouldn’t feel like a sales pitch. Here’s what you can expect:

1. A conversation first. Family history, diet, stress, medications, recent illness, how long you’ve noticed the change.
2. A scalp examination. Looking at hair density, miniaturisation, and the donor area.
3. Investigations if needed. Blood work for thyroid, iron, vitamin levels and hormones when the picture suggests it.
4. A plan that fits. Which treatment, in what order, what results are realistic, and what you’ll need to do afterwards.

Dr. Mounika Ketha leads the clinic, which has locations around Hyderabad including Jubilee Hills. If you’d like a straightforward opinion on your hair, you can book a consultation through the clinic.