What exactly is a Vampire facelift?
The Vampire Facelift consists of facial injections that help reshape or plump up problem areas on the face, while the Vampire Facial is a topical application that improve skin tone and the surface skin. Both procedures use a PRP mixture culled from the patient’s blood.
How do you perform a Vampire facelift?
In order to perform a Vampire Facelift, you withdraw some of a patient’s blood, isolate the platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and then inject it into a problem area to smooth wrinkles and give the skin a more youthful look. This nonsurgical procedure has more in common with filler injections like Restylane and Juvederm, than a traditional facelift
What are the pros and cons of a Vampire Facelift?
Pros
- It’s safe for all skin tones and types.
- There’s little chance of an allergic reaction from the treatment: hyaluronic acid is found naturally in the body, and PRP is derived from your own blood.
- Hyaluronic acid–based fillers, including Juvéderm and Restylane, can be dissolved early with hyaluronidase if you don’t like your results.
- Results aren’t as dramatic (especially if you have sagging skin) and don’t last nearly as long as a surgical facelift, which can rejuvenate your face for up to 10 years.
- There’s little scientific evidence to back up the claims for the treatment.
- RealSelf members who said that the treatment was “Not Worth It” weren’t convinced that the PRP enhanced their results beyond a liquid facelift with dermal fillers alone.
- The treatment is fast (typically less than an hour), painless, and requires little downtime.
Cons
How does a Vampire Facelift work?
“The hyaluronic acid ‘lifts’ collapsed areas, which helps restore a more youthful and natural structure to the face. But it’s the addition of PRP that starts the magic,” says Westport, Connecticut, plastic surgeon Dr. Ellen Mahony.
“PRP serves as the vehicle to deliver your own biologic growth factors to activate stem cells,” says Dr. Mahony. “The injected substance takes the form of blood vessels, collagen and elastin, hyaluronic acid, and fatty tissue, and the matrix that holds cells together and thickens the skin. Fine lines, texture, moisture, and overall skin quality and integrity are improved.”
PRP contains eight growth factors, each of which plays a role in cell turnover, growth of new blood vessels, collagen production, and tissue repair. “Studies show that the growth factors in PRP also inhibit melanocytes, the cells that produce melanin, the pigment responsible for brown spots,” explains Dr. Michele Green, a dermatologist in New York City. “It’s a wonderful treatment—it’s not painful, there’s almost no downtime, and you get amazing nonsurgical rejuvenating results.”
Who’s a good candidate for a Vampire Facelift?
Most of the concerns people want to address with a Vampire Facelift show up with age, so it’s good news that the treatment is appropriate for anyone who’s interested in facial rejuvenation—even those in their 50s and beyond.
The younger you are, the better your body will respond to the PRP. “I’ve had different age ranges of patients who’ve gotten Vampire Facelifts, and each patient sees a great deal of change in their skin tone and texture,” says Dr. Green.
Over time, you should see 10–15% more volume in your face, and the benefits can last a few years. That said, its ability to turn back the clock is much more limited than a surgical facelift.
While the treatment is safe for most people, a Vampire Facelift isn’t recommended for anyone with hepatitis C, HIV, or AIDS; any type of blood cancer; cardiovascular disease that requires taking a blood thinner; and skin cancer in the area to be treated. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, these conditions affect your blood’s platelets, making them unable to deliver the expected results.
How long does a Vampire Facelift last?
The benefits of a Vampire Facelift can last a year or more, but because everyone’s body metabolizes fillers differently, your results may fade sooner. After a series of treatments, the results may last nine months or 18 months, depending on aging, sun exposure, and genetics
