Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42126441›Full record

SynthesisAesthetic plastic surgery2026

The Efficacy of Growth Factor Injection in Androgenic Alopecia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Azhar Alali, Mohammed Alahmadi, Ghazal Alsisi, Sara Alghamdi, Ghaida Elmehallawy, Lama Albelowi, Haya Altouri, Layan Albejawi

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Aesthetic plastic surgery, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Azhar AlaliDepartment of Dermatology, King Fahad General Hospital, Medina, Saudi Arabia.
Mohammed AlahmadiDepartment of Dermatology, King Fahad General Hospital, Medina, Saudi Arabia. mohammedaalahmadi20@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6552-8795
Ghazal AlsisiDepartment of Dermatology, King Fahad General Hospital, Medina, Saudi Arabia.
Sara AlghamdiDepartment of Dermatology, King Fahad Hospital, Al-Baha, Saudi Arabia.
Ghaida ElmehallawyCollege of Medicine, Taibah University, Medina, Saudi Arabia.
Lama AlbelowiDepartment of Dermatology, King Salman Medical City, Medina, Saudi Arabia.
Haya AltouriCollege of Medicine, Taibah University, Medina, Saudi Arabia.
Layan AlbejawiCollege of Medicine, Al Rayan National Colleges, Medina, Saudi Arabia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAndrogenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common cause of hair loss, and current pharmacotherapies have limitations. Autologous platelet-derived therapies, including PRP, its standardized derivative PRGF, and other growth factor concentrates (GFC), have emerged as regenerative options, but differences in preparation and mixed clinical evidence remain. METHODOLOGY: Following PRISMA guidelines, seven databases were searched for randomized and non-randomized studies on intralesional growth factor injections for AGA. Outcomes included hair density, thickness, satisfaction, and adverse events, with quality assessed using RoB2, MINORS, and MMS tools.

resultsTwelve studies (745 patients) were included. GFC showed progressive hair density gains from 19.6 hairs/cm

conclusionAutologous growth factor injections appear safe and improve hair density, thickness, and patient satisfaction over 12 months, especially with newer concentrates. However, high risk of bias, substantial heterogeneity (I LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors   www.springer.com/00266 .

Indexed as

AlopeciaIntercellular Signaling Peptides and ProteinsFemaleHairHumansInjections, IntralesionalMalePatient SatisfactionTreatment OutcomeIntercellular Signaling Peptides and ProteinsAndrogenetic alopeciaGrowth factor therapyHair regrowthIntralesional injection

Identifiers

PMID42126441

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.