People Are Injecting Blood Into Their Scalps for Hair Loss — and It Works

“It depends on the etiology and how long the hair has been gone from the area,” says Dr. Melissa Doft, a plastic surgeon in New York City. “For example, if you have alopecia caused by stress, pregnancy, or another trauma and treat it right away, there’s a greater chance that the hair follicles will be stimulated and the hair will grow back. However, I’ve had male patients who have had hair loss for a while and have seen some small hair regrowth when I’ve injected them. Also, the hair that they do have has gotten thicker.”

The hair growth cycle is also a factor. Hair has a dormant period, a fast growth period, and then sheds. These three stages repeat themselves. “One of the many reasons you want to do a number of sessions that are spread out is because you want to hit all of the hair follicles when they’re coming out of the dormant stage and are ready to grow,” explains Dr. Doft.