PRP for men: temples, crown and combining it with finasteride

What does male pattern balding look like, and where does PRP fit in?

Hereditary balding in men progresses in a predictable pattern: the temples, the crown, and then the two areas joining up. The follicles in these areas are sensitive to the hormone DHT; they gradually shrink and produce thinner, shorter hairs until they stop⁷. The Norwood scale describes the stages, from stage 1, with almost no change, to stage 7, where only the fringe on the sides and the back of the head remains⁵.

PRP delivers growth factors from the platelets in your own blood to the follicles. It can strengthen a follicle that has shrunk, but it cannot create a new one. That is why it belongs to the stages in which there is still something to strengthen. What each stage means is explained on the Norwood scale page.

At which stage does PRP suit? A table by the Norwood scale

The table is a general guide. The decision is made at the examination, because what matters is how many active follicles there are in each area, not just the number on the scale⁴³.

Temples or crown: where is more change seen?

Usually in areas where there is still thin hair, not along a hairline that has already receded. At the crown the thinning is usually diffuse, with many follicles that have shrunk, so there is usually something to strengthen. At the temples the hairline recedes, and its edges have weak follicles. PRP can strengthen the edges, but it cannot bring the hairline back to where it was ten years ago. If your goal is a lower front hairline, it is worth learning about the options on the transplant at the temples and hairline page.

What did studies find about PRP in men?

Controlled trials in men found an improvement on the treated side. In a half-head trial of 23 men who received three treatments one month apart, an increase in hair count and density was measured on the PRP side, with no similar change on the control side¹. In another double-blind trial, density on the PRP side rose more than on the control side, and the improvement was associated with being male, age 40 or younger and a family history of balding².

A meta-regression of PRP trials found that efficacy was higher when there were more treatments and shorter intervals between them⁸, and in a randomized trial a series of three monthly treatments with a booster gave a better result than a more widely spaced series⁹. At the same time, PRP preparation is not standardized, and studies use different protocols¹⁰.

PRP and finasteride: instead, or together?

Usually together. Finasteride reduces the conversion of testosterone to DHT, the hormone that shrinks the follicles. In the large trials it slowed balding and improved hair counts in men, and the European guideline recommends it as a baseline treatment, together with minoxidil⁶³. PRP works through a different mechanism, delivering growth factors to the follicle without affecting the hormone, so the two complement each other. The European guideline relies on medical treatment as the foundation in hereditary balding³, and PRP comes alongside it, not instead of it.

Some men do not want to take finasteride because of concern about side effects. A systematic review found an increased risk of sexual dysfunction with finasteride and dutasteride¹¹, and in 2025 the European Medicines Agency added a warning about mood changes and suicidal thoughts¹². The decision is made in conversation, after an explanation of the benefits and risks. For those who choose not to take finasteride, PRP together with minoxidil is one of the options, with the understanding that it is a different plan and not an equivalent substitute.

Young men: why start early?

Because at an early stage there are more follicles to strengthen. When balding starts in your twenties, it usually progresses over years. Treatment at a stage when there is still hair preserves more of it. At a young age it is also common to postpone a transplant, because it is hard to know how far the balding will go, and in the meantime the existing hair is strengthened⁴. What is important to know at this age is covered on the hair restoration or transplant page.

PRP after a hair transplant

Transplanted hair is resistant, but the hair around it continues to be affected by balding. That is why, after a transplant, it is common to keep strengthening the native hair. A systematic review of PRP as an add-on to hair transplantation reported faster healing and improved growth in some of the studies¹³. More details on the PRP after a hair transplant page.

How is it done at Dr. Dana Buchbut's clinic?

Examination and measurement first, then a plan. At the clinic, the treatment is performed by Dr. Dana Buchbut herself, physician (M.D.). Most of her patients are men aged 20 to 40 with thinning hair who want to keep their hair, and sometimes to postpone a transplant. Before the series, a computerized trichoscopic examination of the temples, the crown and the back of the head is performed, and at follow-up the same areas are compared. PRP is usually given as part of a combined plan with medical treatment, and sometimes with mesotherapy and phototherapy (LED) at the end. Dr. Dana also performs hair transplants using the FUE and DHI methods, so when the stage calls for a transplant, you will be told so at the consultation. The clinic is in Beit HaRofim (medical building), 11 HaBarzel St., Ramat HaHayal, Tel Aviv.

The information on this page is general educational information only and is not a substitute for an examination, diagnosis or personal medical advice. The decision on treatment is made only after an examination.