Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is currently used in different medical fields. The interest in the application of PRP in dermatology has recently increased. It is being used in several different applications as in tissue regeneration, wound healing, scar revision, skin rejuvenating effects, and alopecia. PRP is a biological product defined as a portion of the plasma fraction of autologous blood with a platelet concentration above the baseline. It is obtained from the blood of patients collected before centrifugation. The knowledge of the biology, mechanism of action, and classification of the PRP should help clinicians better understand this new therapy and to easily sort and interpret the data available in the literature regarding PRP. In this review, we try to provide useful information for a better understanding of what should and should not be treated with PRP.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) was identified as having a beneficial effect in alopecia and has been postulated as a new therapy for androgenetic alopecia (AGA). To assess the efficacy of PRP for the treatment of AGA. This was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study in 25 patients with AGA. Platelet-rich plasma was injected in half-head and the other half-head with placebo. Each patient received a total of 3 treatments of PRP, 1 month apart. Six months after the first treatment with PRP, significant differences were seen in mean anagen hairs (67.6 ± 13.1), telogen hairs (32.4 ± 13.1), hair density (179.9 ± 62.7), and terminal hair density (165.8 ± 56.8) when compared with baseline (p < .05). Platelet-rich plasma was also found to increase hair density when comparing with the control side (p < .05). For the first time, the authors found a correlation between anagen hairs and patients >40 years and beginning of AGA ≥25 years old (p < .05) and hair density and male sex, age ≤40 years, positive family history of AGA and >10 years of duration of the disease (p < 0.05). Application of PRP showed a positive effect on AGA and could be regarded as an adjuvant therapy for AGA.

Background: No study has clearly demonstrated the steroid-sparing effect of emollients in the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD). Aim: Evaluating the effect of an emollient containing oat extracts on the amount of topical corticosteroids used in infants with moderate to severe AD. Study Design: During 6 weeks, 173 infants under 12 months old treated for inflammatory lesions by moderate- and/or high-potency topical corticosteroids randomly received the emollient or not (control group). Methods: Evaluation of corticosteroid consumption by weighing the tubes, disease severity by the Scoring Atopic Dermatitis Index (SCORAD), and infants’ and parents’ quality of life by Infant’s Dermatitis Quality of Life Index and Dermatitis Family Impact scores at D0, D21 and D42. Results: Compared to the control group, the amount of moderate- and high-potency corticosteroids used in 6 weeks decreased by 7.5% (not significant) and 42% (p < 0.05), respectively, in the emollient group. The SCORAD index, and infants’ and parents’ quality of life significantly improved (p < 0.0001) in both groups. Conclusion: The emollient treatment significantly reduced the high-potency topical corticosteroid consumption in infants with AD.