Tired of Hair Loss? Growth Factor Concentrate (GFC) Therapy For Hair Loss

Understanding the type of hair loss that you're suffering from is important to get the ideal treatment for the same. Read on to know who is the best candidate for Growth Factor Concentrate Therapy or GFC Therapy.

Hair loss continues to be a growing problem, with cases increasing significantly post-Covid-19. Finding hair on your pillow or brush can be stressful and while stress adds to hair fall, hair fall can lead to stress as well. To break this vicious cycle, it's best to analyse which type of hair loss you suffer from and get the ideal treatment for the same. Fortunately, medical science has made advancements towards bringing in the best treatment for each type of hair fall. Growth Factor Concentrate (GFC) Therapy is considered as a safe and effective hair loss treatment.

Here,Dr. Akanksha Sanghvi, Aesthetic Dermatologist, Founder, Oprava Aesthetics, tells you all about GFC Therapy, including it benefits, side effects as well as the best candidates for this type of hair loss treatment.

Q. How to identify your type of hair loss?

Hair loss in men and women is multifactorial and is categorized into many types. Androgenetic alopecia and Telogen Effluvium are the two most common causes of hair loss. Androgenetic alopecia is a condition where the hair follicles are sensitive to androgens that further leads to strand thinning and eventually hair fall. This is mainly genetic and occurs due to increased sensitivity to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which causes the hair to become thinner and weaker in each hair cycle. This leads to a common patterned hair loss seen as receding hairlines, temporal and vertex loss of hair, and overall thinning of hair in men. In women, androgenetic alopecia presents as a gradual widening of the hair partings and sparser hair.

Telogen effluvium is a phase of temporary hair loss that is characterized by non-patterned generalized thinning of the hair due to disturbance in the hair cycle. This is mainly due to shock or trauma to the hair follicles commonly due to smoking, stress, recent illness, infections, recent surgery/hospitalization, certain medications, thyroid, dieting for weight loss, etc.

Q. What are Growth factors?

Blood contains various forms of cells and growth factors, the important ones include platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), Basic fibroblast growth factor (BFGF), platelet-derived endothelial growth factor (PDEGF), transforming growth factor (TGF), insulin-like growth factor (IGF), and many more.

These growth factors help promote the survival, formation, division, and maturation of cells in the body as well as help in the repair and healing mechanisms required for their growth and existence.

Growth factors have been implemented in therapies for the biological regeneration of cartilage, bones, skin, collagen, and hair. Regenerative medicine is an interesting science that studies the regeneration of biological tissues using cells from one's own body, which have the ability to heal and grow new tissue.

Q. What is Growth Factor Concentrate (GFC) Therapy?

In the Aesthetic industry, the use of platelets and growth factors from one's own blood has successfully helped in wound healing, collagen stimulation, antiaging, scar tissue revision, acne scar treatments, and hair regeneration. The process involves the extraction of blood from the vein and after processing it for about 35-45 minutes with special techniques, kits, and equipment, a concentrate rich in growth factors and platelets is formed. The process ensures a sterile, platelet-rich, and growth factors-rich solution that is ready to be injected and infused into the scalp for hair growth. This is one of the most advanced techniques for hair regeneration and requires 3-6 sessions, once every month for best results. These growth factors in the solution have different roles and help in hair regeneration with different mechanisms.

• PDGF

Increases hair growth

• TGF-B, EGF

Promotes Hair cell division multiplication

• VEGF

Increases blood flow to follicles during the hair growth (anagen) phase

• IGF

Maintains hair growth

• FGF

Stimulates hair growth by inducing anagen phase

Q. What to expect during the procedure?

1. The procedure involves extracting blood like a simple blood test and processing it.
2. After processing the blood, the growth factor concentrate is obtained as a light yellow solution.
3. The solution is collected in syringes to get the maximum retrieval of the Growth Factor Concentrate
4. The solution is then injected into the scalp in a series of microinjections which are quite bearable.
5. After the procedure, you can resume your usual activities.

Q. What are some of the positives of Growth Factor Concentrate Therapy?

1. Promotes hair growth
2. Promotes thicker hair strands growth
3. Reduces hair fall
4. An increase in hair count noticed after 3 sessions
5. Strengthening of hair
6. Improves hair texture in some patients

Q. What are the side effects of Growth Factor Concentrate Therapy?

GFC is a safe procedure as it involves using one's own blood. It is one of the most advanced and natural treatments one can do for effective hair restoration and growth.

Q. How is Growth Factor Concentrate Therapy different from PRP?

PRP is also derived from one's own blood, however, it is a concentrated plasma solution rich in platelets. This platelet-rich plasma helps in hair regeneration over 6 sessions spaced one month apart.

GFC is a modified and advanced form of PRP, which involves the removal of unwanted cells from the concentrate and deriving all growth factors within the concentrate for better results and increased hair growth.

Q. Benefits of GFC over PRP?

• Rich in growth factors
• Absence of unwanted cells, therefore lesser pain during injection
• No platelet wastage
• Better stability of the concentrate at room temperature.

Q. Who is the best candidate for GFC?

• Men and women with diffuse hair loss or hair thinning
• Men and women with early grades of androgenetic alopecia
• Post-hair transplant to maintain and support non-transplanted hair follicles.

Growth Factor therapy is also used for treatment of chronic, non-healing wounds, such as diabetic foot ulcers and chronic venous leg ulcers. Additionally, it is known to be effective in treating chronic pain, degenerative diseases such as arthritis, cartilage defects, knee ligament injuries, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, and many other conditions. Researchers have also highlighted the potential of Growth Factor Therapy for treatment of Parkinson's Disease, a brain disorder caused by degeneration of nerve cells in the brain. What else! Growth factor therapy can benefit your skin in many ways, from reducing fine lines, hyperpigmentation spots, and acne scars to boosting collagen production in the skin, which can make your skin look younger and glowing.