Vampire Facial
What Exactly Is a Vampire Facial?
You’ve probably seen the photos on Instagram over the past couple of years of celebrities or beauty content creators’ faces seemingly slathered in blood.
What could be mistaken for Halloween makeup is actually a skin-care treatment often referred to as a “vampire facial,” or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy. Basically, a mask made out of a component of your very own blood — not anyone else’s — is spread all over your face to rejuvenate your complexion. As terrifying as this technique may seem, it actually boasts impressive, virtually painless results that will have your skin glowing like Edward Cullen’s.
What exactly is PRP, though?
When blood is placed into a centrifuge, it separates into three distinct layers: plasma on top, platelets and blood cells in the middle, and red blood cells at the bottom.
- plump up thinning lips
- enhance or fill in shallow areas on the face
- decrease or remove the shadow or wrinkle under the eyes caused by the lower eyelid
What is the vampire facial process like?
Now, you’re probably wondering how your blood goes from flowing through your veins to spread onto your face. Well, you’ll need to get your blood drawn first. Then, the vials of your blood are placed in a centrifuge to isolate the platelets from your red blood cells.
From there, your dermatologist could go a couple of different routes with PRP. Your platelets can be injected directly into your skin like fillers to stimulate collagen production and achieve rejuvenation.
Depending on how aggressive the microdermabrasion was, recovery might take a day or two of downtime before you’re ready to hit the streets, Shamban says. You’re sure to emerge from treatment a bit red, almost like a sunburn.
Who benefits most from PRP treatments?
Those with premature wrinkles, high levels of sun damage, or anyone who desires a fresher, more even-toned complexion are ideal candidates for the vampire facial. However, if you have a history of blood diseases, including clotting or bleeding disorders, you should avoid PRP treatments.
In the risks and side effects department, you won’t find as many as you may imagine. In fact the only risk you really run is bruising from getting your blood drawn, as well potential, minor bruising on your face from the injections or microneedling.
