Are you considering hair growth injections for your hair loss treatment? Hair growth injections can benefit many people by enhancing hair growth and eliminating excessive hair loss. This great treatment can have some risks and side effects, especially if not performed by a skilled hair and skin specialist. Hair growth injections can have potential side effects from minor ones like inflammation to more serious ones like infection.
In this article, we help you have the best and safest hair loss treatment options by informing you of all the possible side effects and how to prevent them.
What Is Hair Growth Injection and How It Can Become Risky?
Hair growth injection is used in different hair growth techniques like Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP), Growth Factor Concentrate (GFC), and Mesotherapy. All of these techniques aim to boost hair growth and reduce hair loss by stimulating the hair follicles and providing enough nutrients for them. Here we explain how exactly these techniques work for hair growth and how they can become risky:
Platelet-Rich Plasma Injection (PRP)
In PRP, the hair and skin specialist or the beauty technician will draw a small amount of your blood and separate platelet-rich plasma out of it using special kits or a centrifuge. Then, they inject this enriched plasma into your scalp in order to boost hair growth. Platelets within the injected plasma contain different growth factors that can stimulate hair follicles and enhance hair growth.
This beneficial hair growth treatment can be risky if the scalp and the equipment are not sterilized. If not sterilized properly, it can lead to bacterial transmission and infection. Also, in rare cases, an allergic reaction can happen after a PRP injection.
Growth Factor Concentrate Injection (GFC)
Although GFC is a more complicated technique, it is very similar to PRP. In this hair growth technique, concentrated growth factors are separated from a small amount of your blood. Injecting these concentrated growth factors into your scalp stimulates hair follicles even more than PRP.
The risks of GFC injection are almost the same as PRP injection. This hair growth technique also involves injection into the scalp, so it can cause inflammation and infection without sterilization and if done by a poorly skilled person.
Mesotherapy
In mesotherapy, your hair and skin specialist injects specialized hair growth products into your scalp. These products contain many effective ingredients like nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in order to prepare a nutrient microenvironment around hair follicles and boost hair growth.
There are many different ingredients in mesotherapy products that can be allergic to a small percentage of people. Also, inflammation, necrosis, and infection are possible without proper sterilization and lack of skill from the specialist who performed the mesotherapy.
Common Side Effects of Hair Growth Injections
Although hair growth injections are considered an almost safe and highly effective hair loss treatment, they can have potential risks and side effects, especially if not performed by a highly skilled specialist. Here are some common potential side effects of hair growth injections:
Injections Pain
Minimal pain at the injection site is a common side effect. The amount of pain depends on the skills of the practitioner who performs the injections. If you have a very low pain tolerance, you can inform the practitioner to apply numbing products to your scalp. The probable pain is tolerable and will fade away after a few hours.
Redness
Redness at the injection site is a very common side effect as it is a natural response of your scalp to the injections. This side effect is very minor and usually won’t make people very uncomfortable. Natural redness should be mild and temporary, so if you have redness even several days after the procedure, you should contact your hair and skin specialist.
Swelling after Hair Loss Treatment
Swelling is also a response to injection, which can be uncomfortable for some people. Swelling happens due to inflammation caused by injections. Swelling after a hair growth injection is usually mild and will go away after a few hours to a few days.
Allergic Reactions
Allergic reaction is a rare but important side effect of hair growth injections. These side effects might occur especially after mesotherapy as the products contain many different ingredients that can cause an allergic reaction. Allergic reactions can appear as excessive and persistent redness and swelling, itching, and rashes. In rare severe cases, it can cause more serious issues like difficulty in breathing. That is why hair growth injections should be performed by a highly skilled practitioner who knows how to deal with potential side effects.
Scarring
If a poorly skilled person performs the hair growth injection, it can lead to scarring. Although scarring doesn’t happen a lot, it is important to minimize its risk by choosing a highly skilled hair and skin specialist. If you already have scars due to a hair growth injection, you can use repairing creams to treat them.
Crucial Factors to Consider Before Getting Hair Growth Injections
There are several crucial factors that you should consider before getting hair growth injections, such as PRP, GFC, and mesotherapy. The most important thing is to inform the practitioner of your medical history. Some underlying health conditions like blood disorders, immune diseases, or active infections can increase the risk of side effects after getting hair growth injections. Also, you must inform your hair and skin specialist about all the medications you are using. For example, some anticoagulant medications can become problematic for scalp injections. If your practitioner knows about your medical records, your history of allergic reactions, and your medications, potential risks can be prevented or controlled.
Another important thing to consider is choosing a highly skilled practitioner to perform scalp injections. A skilled and experienced specialist can customize the treatment according to your needs and special conditions. Choosing a professional practitioner can also minimize the risks and side effects, as the procedure will be performed by a person who is trained to do it.
Conclusion: Are Hair Growth Injections Safe?
Hair growth injection includes different techniques like PRP, GFC, and mesotherapy. These hair growth injections are considered safe but they can have potential minimal side effects and some rare risks, especially if performed by a poorly skilled practitioner. These side effects and risks include pain at the injection site, swelling, redness, and allergic reactions. An important thing to point out is to inform your practitioner about your medical history and underlying conditions, along with all the medications you are using.
If you want a safe hair injection, contact us at MHB Aesthetics, to have the best experience and results with your hair loss treatment. Our highly skilled and experienced staff ensure the safety of the procedure, along with great results.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hair Growth Injections Safety
Who should avoid hair growth injections for hair loss treatment?
People with certain health problems are not eligible for hair growth injections. For example, people with bleeding disorders can’t have PRP and GFC injections. If you have certain health conditions, tell your hair and skin specialist to choose the best hair growth treatment for you without concerning side effects and potential risks.
Are hair transplant risks the same as hair growth injection risks?
No, a hair transplant is way riskier than a hair growth injection because a hair growth injection is considered a very safe treatment compared to the other options. Hair restoration risks include bleeding, infection, scarring, and nerve damage, and these potential risks will occur especially if performed by an inexperienced person.
What should I avoid after hair growth injection to prevent side effects?
Do not wash your hair for at least 24 hours after the procedure. Avoid scrubbing your scalp and using intensive products for a few days. You should also avoid saunas and any other thing that can expose your scalp to heat for a few days. Also, you must stay away from heavy exercises for a few days after your treatment.
