Steps to Prepare for PRP Hair Restoration Session

Preparation for your PRP hair restoration session starts before appointment day, with a medication review, simple dietary choices and a few changes to your hair care routine.

Ask your provider to review your medicines and supplements early. They may recommend a break of at least one week from NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen, and blood thinners. Never stop prescribed medication without your prescriber’s approval.

In the days before treatment, drink water regularly and eat balanced meals rather than starting restrictive diets or new supplements. Avoid alcohol for at least 24 hours beforehand. Allow at least one week between colouring or chemically treating your hair and your session. Arrive with clean hair, free of styling products, and follow your provider’s personalised instructions if they differ from this guidance.

Why Avoid NSAIDs and Blood Thinners?

Medication advice before PRP hair restoration serves two purposes: protecting the treatment’s intended healing response and reducing bleeding risk. NSAIDs can affect platelet function, which matters because PRP uses a concentrated portion of your own blood containing platelets to stimulate a natural healing response. Your clinician may restrict these medicines around treatment, with instructions based on what you take and why you take it.

Avoiding NSAIDs and blood thinners, where medically appropriate, helps reduce the risk of excessive bleeding during scalp injections. These medicines work differently, so they should not be treated as interchangeable or stopped under a blanket rule.

The recommended preparation period is at least one week without these medicines before the procedure. Never stop a prescribed blood thinner yourself. Managing the condition it treats takes priority over keeping your appointment.

Give your clinician the names and doses of everything you take, including occasional painkillers, non-prescription products and supplements. Use that review to get precise instructions:

• Which medicines or supplements, if any, need to be paused?
• When should you take the last dose?
• When can you restart each one?
• What can you use if you need pain relief during the preparation period?

Do not choose a replacement painkiller without checking first. If you have already taken a restricted medicine, tell the clinic what you took and when. Your clinician can then decide whether it is appropriate to proceed or reschedule.

The Role of Hydration in PRP Hair Restoration

Alongside your medication plan, keep hydration steady before PRP hair restoration. Adequate hydration supports your overall health and may support treatment effectiveness, although it does not guarantee a better hair-growth result.

Water helps maintain normal circulation and carry nutrients around the body. These functions support tissue health and normal healing, including recovery after scalp injections. Drinking more water than your body needs, however, has not been established as a way to improve PRP results. The goal is to meet your needs, not to force extra fluids.

Drink regularly in the days leading up to your appointment rather than trying to catch up just before it. Keep water within reach during your usual routine. If you often forget to drink at work, having water with meals and during breaks can help you maintain a steady intake. Continue your normal hydration routine on the appointment day unless your clinician advises otherwise.

There is no single fluid target for everyone: your needs vary with activity, heat and your health. Thirst and pale-yellow urine can offer rough guidance for many adults, but neither is a precise measure. Medicines and supplements can also change urine colour.

Do not override an existing fluid restriction for your appointment. Follow a hydration plan that supports your preparation without conflicting with your medical care.

Dietary Recommendations for Optimal Results

Alongside regular hydration, focus on varied, balanced meals before PRP hair restoration rather than a single “hair growth” ingredient. A diet rich in vitamins and minerals supports normal hair growth and recovery after treatment, although it cannot guarantee your individual response to PRP. You do not need a special treatment diet.

Include a protein source such as eggs, fish, poultry, beans or lentils, alongside vegetables, fruit and wholegrain foods. Vary your choices across the week to avoid relying on the same few foods. Porridge with fruit and yoghurt, or lentils with vegetables and brown rice, are practical meal options. Adapt them to suit your allergies, intolerances and dietary restrictions.

If you exclude several food groups or have a known nutrient deficiency, ask your clinician whether your eating plan needs adjustment before your appointment. Do not assume that high-dose vitamins or a hair supplement will improve your results. Have any supplement checked against your health history and medicines before adding it to your routine.

Avoid alcohol before your session. Alcohol can contribute to dehydration and may affect healing, so avoiding it supports preparation.

Ask your provider whether you should eat before the appointment, and follow their instructions rather than changing your usual meal routine yourself. If you have diabetes or another condition requiring timed meals, request guidance that fits your existing care plan. Confirm this in advance so you know how to prepare on the day.

Pre-Session Hair Care Guidelines

Alongside your dietary preparation, keep your hair care routine simple before PRP hair restoration. Focus on a clean, comfortable scalp rather than a fresh colour or salon treatment. Follow your provider’s washing instructions, particularly if you have a scalp condition or use prescribed scalp treatments.

Avoid colouring and chemical treatments for at least one week before your session. Schedule highlights, bleaching, chemical straightening or a perm outside that window. Chemical treatments can weaken hair and affect scalp health, which may interfere with the PRP process. If you have already had a treatment within that week, tell your provider what was used and when so they can assess whether your appointment should go ahead.

Check whether to shampoo on the morning of treatment or the evening before. Arrive with clean hair, free of styling products. Use a shampoo you already tolerate, rinse thoroughly, and ask about conditioner if you normally apply it near your roots.

After washing, leave out dry shampoo, hairspray, gel, mousse, wax and styling oils. A clean scalp without oil or styling-product residue helps avoid interference with PRP application. If you use a medicated shampoo or prescribed topical hair treatment, ask for specific instructions rather than treating it as an ordinary styling product.

If your scalp feels sore, itchy or irritated, especially after colouring, contact your provider before the appointment. Describe your symptoms and any recent treatments so they can assess whether your scalp is ready.

Booking Your PRP Hair Restoration Session

Before confirming your PRP hair restoration appointment, check whether you need a consultation first and who will assess your suitability. Make sure the clinician has your medical history, medicine and supplement list, and details of any scalp concerns or recent treatments. This helps them tailor your preparation to your health.

Contact Skin & Hair Bar to discuss booking, specialist care and personalised preparation guidance. You can learn more about PRP treatments before your enquiry and bring any questions about whether treatment suits your circumstances. Ask who will perform the procedure and whom you should contact if your health or medication changes before the appointment.

Clarify the practical details before committing:

• Does the booking include an assessment, or is that arranged separately?
• What is the full fee, and is a deposit required?
• How much time should you allow at the clinic?
• What aftercare could affect work, exercise or other appointments?
• What are the cancellation or rescheduling terms?

If you receive skin or scalp treatments at Aimee’s Skin Spa, tell your PRP clinician about relevant recent or planned procedures so they can advise on timing.

Request written preparation instructions before paying a deposit or choosing a date. Check that you can follow them, and ask the clinicians to resolve any conflict with your prescribing doctor’s advice before proceeding. Keep the confirmed appointment time, clinic location and contact details together so you know where to go and whom to call with last-minute health questions.

Frequently asked questions

Can I take painkillers before my PRP session?

Check with your clinician about pain relief before PRP hair restoration. Ask your clinician to confirm that it suits your health history and other medicines. Check the active ingredients in combination products, including cold and flu remedies: they may contain an NSAID or duplicate another medicine you take. If the pain relief is for a new illness or injury, tell the clinic about that too, so the advice accounts for the underlying problem.

What if I have already coloured my hair within the week before treatment?

Give the clinic the date of colouring, the treatment used and details of any scalp symptoms before travelling to your appointment. Have the product packaging or ingredient list available. You can also ask whether a photograph of your scalp would help the assessment. Do not try to strip the colour or correct it with another chemical treatment, as this could add irritation.

How soon can I resume normal activities after treatment?

Ask for aftercare guidance about returning to your usual activities. These activities may need different advice, and your return should account for any scalp tenderness or swelling. Before treatment, explain if your work involves heavy exertion, wearing a helmet or prolonged sun exposure, so you can plan any necessary adjustments.

Choose a date you can prepare for

Choose a date for your PRP hair restoration session that leaves room for preparation and aftercare. Allow at least one week without colouring or chemically treating your hair beforehand. Tell your clinician about any nearby holiday, salon appointment or physically demanding work so you can agree on a date that fits your treatment and recovery needs.

Once your clinician has confirmed your suitability, turn your personalised instructions into calendar reminders. Include any agreed medication changes and keep the clinic’s contact details with your appointment confirmation. If an instruction is unclear, ask for clarification rather than guessing or adjusting prescribed care yourself.

When arranging your appointment with Skin & Hair Bar in Cape Town, raise any preparation steps you may have difficulty following before settling on a date. This gives you a chance to resolve questions with the team and, where needed, your prescribing doctor, so you can arrive with a clear plan that fits your health.

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