The Vampire Facial and Facelift may conjure up images of blood-thirsty monsters, but these cosmetic procedures aren’t as scary as they sound, that is unless you have a fear of blood and needles.
The key ingredient in both the Vampire Facial and Facelift is your own blood. Two teaspoons of blood are drawn from your arm. Using a centrifuge, the red and white blood cells are separated out, leaving a platelet rich plasma, known as PRP, which contains powerful growth factors.
For decades, PRP has been used successfully to regenerate tissue in sports medicine, orthopedics, dentistry and other applications, but only recently has it been used for cosmetic purposes. Celebrities Kim Kardashian and Bar Refaeli have helped popularize these unconventional cosmetic procedures.
The Vampire Facial uses a microneedling device to create tiny puncture wounds in the top layer of the skin. Before the holes seal up, your own platelet rich plasma is painted onto your face with the hope of stimulating tissue growth.
“After each Vampire Facial my skin was softer, smoother and had better color and texture to it,” says Dr. Gregory Pisarski, plastic surgeon from Pearland, Tex., who performs Vampire Facials and has had several performed on his own face. The average cost for this one-hour treatment is about $500 to $800 and is usually performed by a licensed esthetician in a spa or doctor’s office.
As you age, your face may start to look hollowed out, especially around the eyes and corners of the mouth, requiring more than just a facial. A Vampire FaceLift adds volume to your face and gives you a more sculpted look, while improving the color and texture of your skin. A hyaluronic acid filler, such as Juvederm or Restylane, is injected into the face to add fullness, followed by the injection of the PRP. Common side effects include swelling and bruising for several days after the procedure.
When looking for a provider, Pisarski says the most important factor is finding a practitioner who has extensive experience with cosmetic injectables. Although serious complications are rare, an untrained provider who incorrectly injects a facial filler could cause blindness, tissue loss or a blood clot.
The cost of the Vampire Facelift varies from $1,500 to $2,500, with big cities charging more. “If somebody advertises for less than $1,500, be very suspicious,” warns Dr. Charles Runels, who coined the term Vampire Facial and FaceLift. “There’s an art to it. We take pride in having a really quality procedure using FDA-approved materials.”
In order to use Runels’ Vampire Facial and FaceLift trademarks, providers must undergo specialized training and pay a monthly licensing fee. To find a provider near you, visit vampirefacelift.com.