Kourtney Kardashian’s unusual treatment for hair loss

Hair loss is a condition that can strike at any time, for numerous reasons. It affects both men and women of all ages, and it seems that even the most genetically blessed of celebs aren’t exempt from it.

In the latest episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Kourtney Kardashian revealed that she had been having issues with hair loss, and chose to undergo a very interesting treatment for it.

This all came about when her younger sister Kim Kardashian publicly pointed out a patch of thinning hair on the top of Kourtney’s head:

“Kourtney you have a really big spot on the top of your head,” exclaimed Kim before saying “Oh my god. I’m afraid for your life. Have you seen that?”

“No but I feel it. It’s a hole in my head. I swear it’s from my ponytail. It was so tight, I had a bump on my head like this,” Kourtney replied, referencing a sky-high ponytail look she recently wore for a red carpet event.

“Your hair is gone. You have to go to the hospital right now,” replied Kim.

Well, if that’s not an over-dramatic reaction, we don’t know what is! Here’s a clip of what went down:

Although Kourtney didn’t heed Kim’s advice and head straight to the emergency room (smart girl), in the premiere episode of KUWTK, she did start a course of treatments known as platelet-rich plasma injections (also known as PRP) to treat her hair loss.

PRP is essentially a process by which the patient’s blood is extracted, processed and re-injected back into the treatment area. And, if you’re thinking it sounds eerily similar to Kim Kardashian’s infamous vampire facial, you’re 100 per cent right!

One such clinic that offers the treatment in Australia is Crown Clinic, and we got the lowdown from the clinic’s Director James Nadin on the process…

How does the treatment work?

“It’s taking some blood out of your arm. About 20mLs, which is about a test tube full. Then we process the blood - it’s spun at a high speed in a centrifuge. What that does is separate the blood into its three elements – red cells, white cells and plasma,” explains Nadin.

“Plasma holds your body’s naturally-occurring growth factors, so once we’ve isolated the growth factors, we draw them into needles and simply inject them into the area we want to see results in.”

“If you injure yourself, it’s your body’s growth factors that heal [the wound]. Your body naturally circulates more blood to an area where it wants to see some kind rejuvenation or regeneration. That’s basically the philosophy of all of this.”

What areas can be treated using PRP?

It’s not just hair that can benefit from this unusual treatment, Nadin explains.

“Kim Kardashian was the original. She did what’s called a vampire facial – that’s PRP. It’s the same thing. The reason it can work on hair and skin is because it rejuvenates and regenerates. It’s your own natural growth factors.”

“It’s certainly the way of the future,” says Nadin, noting that it’s also being used to regenerate cartilage in other areas including knees and elbows.

Who is the treatment suitable for?

“Pretty much anybody. It’s your own body, it’s your own DNA. There are no contraindications, there are no side effects, because we’re just taking it out of your body and putting it back,” says Nadin.

As for whether the treatment works, Kourtney responded to a follower’s comment on one of her Instagram photos, saying, “Update: my hair grew back it’s about 4 inches long”. 

Impressive! With results like that, it sounds like this won’t be the last we’ll be hearing of PRP.

If you also like to keep up with the Kardashians, you might like to check out Kendall Jenner's new hair look.

What do you think of Kourtney Kardashian’s hair loss treatment? Would you try it yourself? Let us know in the comments.

Main image credit: @kourtneykardash