People struggle with thinning hair these days and they push hard to gain healthy hair. Doing this naturally takes ample time and effort but getting it clinically is possible now. Yes, achieving healthy and fuller hair is no more a dream! There are two major treatments that are adopted for hair restoration nowadays, namely GFC vs PRP.
Both the techniques use our blood, so what’s the difference? Well, Growth Factor Concentrate (GFC) uses a concentrated solution that is drawn from own blood derived from growth factors. On the contrary, the PRP treatment draws the blood but only the part containing platelet-rich plasma is ultimately used.
Both the treatments work amazing for hair growth these days and both have their strengths and weaknesses. So, which one to go for? Let’s take a glance at all the relevant features of GFC and PRP so that you can have a clear insight into these treatments.
Table of Contents
- Hair loss and its impact on individuals
- Let’s understand what are GFC and PRP treatments?
- GFC vs PRP Comparison Chart
- Difference between GFC vs PRP – In-depth Analysis
- Which is better: GFC vs PRP?
- Consult a doctor
- Conclusion
Hair loss and its impact on individuals
Scalp hair has importance in one’s life a lot more than a mere biological one. It is a mark of social image that affects a person psychologically as well. A person with more hair always stands out in the crowd and is recognized and remembered by the public. Healthy and good scalp hair is no less than a status symbol these days.
People try different hairstyles, colours, and cuts, and experiment with their looks to look and feel good. All this would happen only when they have hair on their scalp, of course! A person with baldness or thinning hair faces a lot, including numerous feelings, mixed emotions, societal pressure, and psychological stress, specially when they meet another person with more hair or see any advertisement on hair loss or hair growth, pushing them to explore options for hair restoration such as gfc vs prp.
It is a perception amongst people that any type of hair loss makes a person less appealing that gradually and eventually brings their morale down. They develop a feeling that they are not liked by people anymore. This may lead to a sense of loneliness and sometimes, depression too. This is not a case of just men. In fact, women are more possessive of their hair as compared to men.
Women feel beautiful and graceful and take immense pride in their long and healthy hair. The moment they see a bunch of their hair falling, they get stressed and feel a loss of confidence at whatever age it is! In fact, the lesser the age, the more the stress. They become unsocial, avoid facing people, and become more conscious of their thinning hair. They feel embarrassment, inferiority complex, anxiety, depression, and whatnot! In many cases, such women as well as men, are being observed with diminished productivity at work. They eventually start looking for ways of hair restoration, considering treatments like GFC vs PRP to address their concerns.
Let’s understand what are GFC and PRP treatments?
What is GFC?
GFC hair treatment is a newer method of treating hair loss that uses growth factors from the blood. Unlike any other treatment, under this procedure, the medical healthcare provider injects these growth factors directly into the scalp or hair roots. This procedure is totally safe as it uses its own blood, and most effective as it uses growth factors only.
Now what are these growth factors? Well, our platelets consist of numerous things and these growth factors are one of them. Thanks to advancements in Science and technology, it is now possible to draw these growth factors from our blood in a highly concentrated form. This form is known as Growth Factor Concentrate which is kept in a specially designed kit.
This Growth Factors Concentrate not only reverses hair loss but also increases the thickness of hair follicles, stimulates hair growth, and ultimately enhances the density of hair on the scalp.
What is PRP?
Platelet-rich plasma is a substance in the blood that consists of two elements, namely plasma and platelets. Plasma is the liquid part of the blood whereas platelets are a type of blood cells like white blood cells and red blood cells. We all know the benefits of platelets for blood clotting but these also contain growth factors that stimulate the regeneration of tissues and reproduction of cells.
Platelet-rich plasma is a house of special proteins that trigger the healing process and cell growth. This is nothing but blood containing more platelets than usual. The PRP treatment uses the body’s proteins, growth factors, and stem cells. Hence, this helps in growing new healthy cells and repairs the damaged tissues on injection. In order to create platelet-rich plasma, the blood is placed on a machine to separate its components, then concentrated platelet-rich plasma is chosen for the treatment.
This concentrated solution is injected into the required area, whether it’s for any injury or hair loss. This can be injected normally or after doing an ultrasound. It has been observed in numerous studies that these concentrated growth factors help in reducing pain, wound healing, hair growth, acne scar reduction, improving skin tone, etc. This leads to an overall improvement in one’s appearance.
GFC vs PRP Comparison Chart
| GFC | PRP | |
| Procedure | The patient’s blood is collected, put in GFC tubes, and stood still for around half an hour. This would lead the platelets to release growth factors like VEGF, EGF, PDGF, and IGF-1. After centrifuging it for ten to fifteen minutes, GFC is collected and injected into the target area. | The required amount of blood is drawn from the patient’s body (majorly from the arm) and put in a special machine (centrifuge) for 10 minutes or so. This would separate the different densities of blood, namely platelet-poor plasma, platelet-rich plasma, and red blood cells. Out of this, just platelet-rich plasma is taken in a syringe and injected into the target area. In gfc vs prp, prp typically involves a shorter preparation time compared to GFC |
| Preparation process | Avoid taking aspirin, narcotic drugs, or any blood thinner for two to three days before the treatment. Provide all the necessary blood reports to your doctor beforehand. A numbing cream will be applied for 30-40 minutes before the procedure. | Avoid using any blood thinner for at least 10 days before your procedure. If you have to take aspirin for a heart condition, discuss the same with your service provider. Stop taking injections of corticosteroid at the required site for at least two months before the date of the procedure. Avoid nutritional supplements as well, as mentioned by your doctor. Avoid smoking and consuming alcohol for at least one week before and a few days after the procedure date. Share your medical history with your practitioner. Take a very good bath and wash your hair on the morning of your procedure. Remember, keep your hair raw and do not apply any hair styling products. Eat properly and drink a lot of water in the morning of your procedure. It is recommended to drink at least 16 ounces of water two hours before the procedure. You may not be able to drive post-treatment so either carry someone else along with you who can take you back home or call a taxi. |
| Active ingredients | Here, only the highly concentrated growth factors are drawn from the platelets and injected back into the scalp. | This procedure uses platelet-rich plasma to be injected into the affected area of the patient’s scalp. |
| Benefits | This procedure contains the most beneficial element in hair growth, ie, highly concentrated growth factors.It stimulates hair growth and improves scalp health. It does not involve any cells, hence, there is no risk of pain, infection, or inflammation. Since platelets are not divided on the basis of diversities, they are not wasted at all. There is no fear of serum getting spoiled as it has a shelf-life of 8 hours at room temperature. This is a hassle-free and simple procedure devoid of any risks and complications. The technology used is higher than that used in PRP, hence, provides better results. | This is either adopted during the initial stage of hair loss (in place of a hair transplant) or as complementary to some other treatment. It shortens the time required by hair to grow, hence, it improves the quality of hair and thickness of the hair shaft. It is widely beneficial for women who are struggling with hair fall in their postpartum period. Since the platelets used in this treatment belong to the patients themselves, there is no risk of infection or allergy. It is safe enough to be applied to people of any age. It is effective not just for hair growth but also in wound healing and gaining glowing and youthful skin. |
| Suitability for different hair loss types | GFC is suitable for alopecia areata, male pattern baldness, female pattern baldness, and hair loss caused by scarring or inflammation of the scalp. | It is a very good option for treating androgenetic alopecia and female pattern hair loss. It can be used as a standalone therapy or an additional one, depending upon the case. |
| Potential side effects | Mild discomfort, bruising, redness or swelling, infection (if aftercare instructions are not followed, and allergy (especially if you are already allergic to something). | Nausea, Dizziness, Pain in the scalp, A scar on the tissue at the treated site, irritation, and injury to nerves or blood vessels. |
| Cost | The cost of GFC ranges between INR 8,000 to INR 15,000, depending upon the area to be treated. | PRP treatment typically cost between INR 3,000 to INR 10,000, with multiple session often required for desired results. |
Difference between GFC vs PRP – In-depth Analysis
Let’s have a deeper look at both the hair restoration techniques.
Strengths
GFC
- More effective in hair growth, as concentrated growth factors are used.
- Less painful procedure than PRP.
- Recovery time is the shortest in this treatment.
- Side effects are far lesser than any other procedure.
PRP
- It is budget-friendly, as it requires less technicality than GFC.
- Increases the thickness of existing hair.
- No incisions are done on the scalp, hence, it is totally safe.
- No outside agent is used but own blood/plasma, hence there is least scope of allergic reactions.
- It starts showing results one month after the treatment.
Weaknesses
GFC
- More expensive than PRP, as it is a level-up.
- Pain or inflammation, usually due to injection but it also vanishes after 24 hours.
PRP
- Usually, it’s safe but whenever it punctures skin, it may cause infection.
- It may cause dizziness or nausea for some time.
Analyze these points to find the best hair restoration methos for you whether it is gfc vs prp.
Which is better: GFC vs PRP?
GFC and PRP have turned out highly effective in hair restoration. Both are safe and minimally invasive, then which one should be opted for? Well, it depends on numerous factors, like
- The level of hair loss
PRP for mild to moderate hair loss and GFC for extreme hair loss.
- Budget of individual
GFC is more expensive than PRP so this needs to be considered while choosing the option.
- Location and availability of efficient healthcare provider
Though both involve a similar kind of process, GFC requires more technicality. Such providers may not be available everywhere.
- Personal perspective
Overall, it all depends on the person if he wants to go for the new, minimally-invasive, and natural approach of GFC vs PRP.
Consult a doctor
Every treatment may not be suitable for every person as everyone’s skin and hair fall issue is different. Moreover, we can’t decide on our own, which treatment to choose for our hair loss. It is always best to consult an experienced, qualified, and board-certified dermatologist who can check your medical history, assess your concerns, and suggest the required and most suitable treatment option whether it’s gfc vs prp. The additional benefit of consulting a dermatologist is that they can prepare your body for the treatment and also guide you with the aftercare instructions for the best results.
Conclusion
Almost everyone is facing this hair fall issue these days. It can be due to a change in lifestyle, stress, age, some illness, medication, hormonal imbalance, genetics, etc. Treating it is of utmost importance. GFC vs PRP, both are supremely amazing hair restoration treatments. Choosing one of these is certainly subjective.
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