It was perhaps a certain paparazzi favourite celebrity who had first spoken about vampire facials and how effective they were. When celebrities claim that a certain type of skin treatment is working really well for them, all their followers want to try out the same for themselves. The same trend occurred with vampire facials and while the first procedures were done in early 2013, they are still maintaining their popularity.
It is interesting to note that a growing number of people, especially women are looking at procedures, which will make them look younger. However, most of them are not too enthusiastic about invasive procedures, because they are concerned about scars, sutures, needles and the extended healing process. This is perhaps why there has been a growing interest in non-invasive procedures, such as vampire facials.
Let’s look at all the important aspects associated with vampire facial, which is also known as PRP facial, starting with what it exactly is:
PRP stands for platelet rich plasma and has been used for rejuvenating hair growth, since a long time. However, the restorative properties of PRP were found to be useful in other domains too, including rejuvenating the human skin. The concept is that a small amount of blood is taken out of the body, and the platelets are separated from the blood. These platelets are then treated with special boosters and then reintroduced back into the body. If the procedure is a facelift, the nourished platelets will be injected into the face or if the case is a facial, the same PRP will be used for the procedure. Irrespective of which procedure you choose, you can be assured that your face will look young and rejuvenated. What is even better about these procedures is the fact that the PRP will help stimulate the natural production of collagen, making the skin more elastic and supple.
Here is what to expect from a vampire facial:
The first step for a vampire facial is a blood test, because the doctor needs to confirm that you do not have any health conditions. Once the same has been established, a small amount of blood will be taken out from your body; normally about one tube or the equivalent of two teaspoons. The blood will then be placed in a vial, which in turn will be placed inside a centrifuge. The spinning action of the centrifuge will allow for the platelet and plasma to be separated. At times, red blood cells are also mixed in, which is why the facial often gives a reddish hue.
The area will be firstly numbed, often with a topical cream and once the skin has become numb, the area will be cleaned and made ready for the procedure. This numbing step is however required only if you are undergoing a vampire facelift. For a facial, this step will not be required and the mixture will be applied directly to the face. There are those who will sing greater virtues of undergoing a vampire facelift, because in that process, the platelet rich plasma is directly reintroduced into the skin.
Moving onto the pain part of a vampire facelift:
When there are needles involved, a fear of possible pain is natural and to many, the procedure might sound really frightful. However, when the numbing process has been done properly, there is little chance of any pain, although a slight of amount of discomfort could be felt. Through the needles, precise amounts of the PRP will be injected into the skin, although the same can be applied directly on the skin itself too. What is important is that you get the treatment done only through experienced and licensed professionals. The thing that is truly great about procedures such as these are that there is next to no downtime – you can get the procedure done and the next day, you can be back to your normal routine. There are also numerous people who are able to return to their regular activities, the same day, after a few hours of rest.
This is what you can expect from the vampire facial and why it might work for you too:
- The procedure is known to revitalise the skin of the face and the neck
- It can reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines
- It can also help with the reduction of certain types of scars
- The procedures will stimulate the production of collagen, which in turn will give you smoother skin
- The procedure, especially the facelift, will help handle sagging skin, areas of the face that might look hollow or even thin skin
The foundation of why the procedure works for most people is in the platelet rich plasma. This PRP contains growth factors which have regenerative properties and they revitalise the skin from within. This allows the skin to heal better and also have a higher level of collagen production which keeps the skin younger, for longer.
However, PRP or vampire facelifts are not meant for everyone – if you are constantly plagued by acne, pigmentation or melasma, then this could not be the procedure for you.
In most cases, the results become visible after the first few sessions, but in order to see the true results, you might have to invest a little more time. After having examined your skin, your physician will be able to suggest the exact number of sessions you might require.