Does GFC treatment have side effects?

Why the risk profile is unusual

GFC starts with about 10ml of your own blood. It is spun in a centrifuge to activate the platelets and separate out the growth factor fraction, and roughly 4 to 5ml of that concentrate is injected across the thinning areas of the scalp.

Because what goes back in came out of you, the allergic-reaction risk that applies to an introduced drug is very largely removed. That is the main safety argument for autologous treatments generally, and it is a real one.

What remains is essentially the risk of any injection into the scalp.

What to expect for a day or two

• Soreness where the injections were placed. Anaesthetic cream is applied for 30 to 45 minutes beforehand, so most patients describe pressure during the session rather than pain, with the tenderness arriving afterwards.
• Redness across the treated area.
• Itching, which is common and settles.
• Slight swelling in some people — ice helps, and it is the one thing worth applying rather than waiting out.

The appointment itself takes about 30 minutes and there is no downtime; you go back to your day the same afternoon.

What to avoid, and for how long

• Hair products — six hours.
• Exercise, swimming, steam and direct sun — two days.
• Aspirin, anti-inflammatories and blood thinners — usually paused 48 to 72 hours before the session, on your doctor's instruction. Do not stop prescribed medication on your own; this is a conversation to have at the consultation.

Call the clinic if

Redness spreads or worsens after the second day, swelling increases rather than settling, you develop any discharge or a fever, or soreness is still significant after several days. These are uncommon and all easier to manage early.

One expectation worth setting

Side effects are the small question here. The bigger one is what GFC can achieve: reduced shedding is usually the first change people notice, and visible density takes months, which is why comparison photographs are taken at the three-month mark. Regrowth cannot be guaranteed, and it depends on how much active follicle remains — which is why hair loss is diagnosed before it is treated, not after.

See the GFC treatment page, how it compares in PRP vs GFC, or the full range of hair regrowth options. The consultation is ₹500, waived against treatment.