Your own blood, or a repair gel
PRP, or platelet rich plasma, is made by drawing a little of your own blood, spinning it to concentrate the platelets and growth factors, then injecting that into the scalp to encourage the follicles. Polynucleotides are purified chains derived from DNA fragments, injected to support tissue repair and the environment around the follicle. Both aim to strengthen thinning hair rather than replace lost hair, and they are increasingly used alongside each other rather than as strict rivals.
Your own growth factors
A blood draw, a spin in a centrifuge, then injections of your concentrated platelets across the thinning scalp. It has the longer track record of the two for hair, usually given as a starter course every few weeks, then maintained. Because it uses your own blood, allergy to the material itself is not a concern.
A scalp repair environment
Purified polynucleotide chains are injected to support repair and improve the condition of the scalp around the follicle. There is no blood draw, and the product is standardised in a vial. It is a newer option for hair with growing interest, though the long term evidence base is still developing.
How they really differ
Costs are indicative ranges to give a sense of scale and vary by clinic, practitioner, protocol and city. Always confirm the full price and what the treatment can realistically achieve with the clinic before booking.
Times to choose something else
Both treatments support hair that is thinning, not hair that is already gone. Where follicles have closed and the scalp is truly bald, no injection will regrow them, and the honest route may be a hair transplant or simply accepting the change. Thinning also has medical causes, from thyroid issues to iron deficiency and pattern hair loss, so a proper diagnosis comes first, and proven medical treatments such as minoxidil or finasteride often do more of the heavy lifting. A good clinic investigates the cause before selling a course, and will tell you when an injectable is unlikely to be worth your money.
Both are injectable procedures with real risks, including tenderness, swelling, bruising, bleeding and a small risk of infection at the injection sites. Evidence for hair varies and is still developing, especially for polynucleotides. This page is general information, not medical advice. Results vary, no outcome can be guaranteed, and the underlying cause of hair loss should be assessed by a qualified medical practitioner first.
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