Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy: The Vampire Facial

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy is a popular skin rejuvenating treatment sometimes known as the Vampire Facial. The colloquial name “Vampire Facial” comes from the use of the patient’s own blood in the treatment, and the prevalence of vampires in popular culture. This procedure has garnered a lot of media attention because of its popularity with movie stars and celebrities and its sensational nickname. The terms platelet rich plasma, PRP and the Vampire Facial are used interchangeably:

An introduction to Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy:

PRP therapy was first developed, used and validated for orthopedic surgery with a body of clinical literature accumulated over more than thirty years. In this treatment, the healing platelets from blood plasma separated from a patient’s own blood are re-injected into the body to enhance healing. Platelets are tiny blood cells that are important in the clotting process. As the clot is formed, the platelets release enzymes that promote healing and play a role in tissue regeneration by attracting stem cells to aid in the repair of a damaged area.

The same process is used in the Vampire Facial. The patient’s own blood is drawn, treated, and then the platelet-rich plasma is micro-needled into the patient’s face. We use this to encourage skin healing and renewal through new collagen production and fresh skin cells full of human growth factors. This increase in collagen and growth factors creates a more youthful, plumper, and firmer appearing skin. As a result of the Vampire Facial treatment, the patient’s skin is naturally refreshed with little downtime.

How the Vampire Facial works:

The Vampire Facial is a non-invasive treatment made up of micro-injections into areas of the face and or body. This treatment is very similar to normal micro-needling, but has the added benefit of the PRP

Before any treatment, you will should book a thorough consultation with us. This is your opportunity to discuss your goals and expectations for the treatment and we will ask about your medical history. Whether it is on the same day or at a future date, the treatment will follow the same steps:

1. The lab or the doctor will draw 2-3 test tubes of blood
2. These will be placed into the centrifuge. This equipment spins the blood at high speed to separate the lighter plasma from the rest of contents of the blood. This isolated platelet rich plasma is “activated” by a special process to begin releasing growth factors that, once injected into the body, will increase collagen production and have other healing effects.
3. The treatment area is thoroughly cleansed and prepared
4. If required or requested, your therapist will apply a topical numbing cream to your face to keep you comfortable during your treatment. We prefer to avoid numbing cream as it causes constriction of the blood vessels
5. The separated and activated platelet rich plasma is micro-needled back into your face
6. Repeat – Best results are obtained after about three treatments spaced about a month apart, though a single treatment can be effective for some individuals
7. Watch and wait: – Growth factors contained in the plasma stimulate the release of the skin’s stem cells. The skin is being tricked into believing that it has been injured and must heal itself with new, fresh tissue. This somewhat sneaky process allows the skin to create new collagen, new blood vessels, and new cells. The results will not be immediate, so while you patiently wait a few weeks and even a few months, your skin will begin to transform itself

Caring for your rejuvenated skin

After your PRP therapy, skin hydration, pigment control and sun protection are paramount. You will need to purchase your “skin care kit” at the first consultation. These products will be used during each of the 3 suggested treatments

Who is the ideal candidate for the Vampire Facial?

PRP therapy is autologous, which means it comes from one’s own body. Therefore, in theory, we should all be good candidates for this treatment if we want to improve the quality and appearance of our skin. Specifically, the Vampire Facial can be used to treat:

• Crow’s feet
• Dark circles around the eyes
• Fine lines around the mouth
• Dull, rough, or grey skin tone and texture
• Sun damaged skin
• Acne scarring
• Crepey skin in the eye, neck and décolletage areas

This procedure is not recommended for those with blood-related conditions, anemia, or blood or bone cancers. Patients who take blood thinning medication or non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) should discontinue their medication for a few weeks prior to their treatment and for a few days afterwards according to physician instructions.

Recovery after PRP therapy

The Vampire Facial requires little recovery time. There may be redness and some tenderness on the first day that appears much like sunburn. Occasionally some bruising may occur.

The initial redness will subside on the second day, and some patients then notice some swelling and a sandpaper texture to the skin the day after treatment.

By the third day, the swelling should diminish. The sandpaper texture to the skin may persist for up to a week.

Though you may notice these changes, you will not likely have any significant downtime as a result of these symptoms. You can go back to your regular daily activities after your appointment and, with a light make-up application, no one will be the wiser about your procedure.

Micro-needling

As far as skincare tech goes, microneedling’s created quite the buzz in the beauty industry. It works by tiny needles punching the skin to create a healing response which stimulates collagen production and leads to a smoother and firmer complexion. Now its rejuvenating abilities are extending to the scalp too. Microneedling for hair growth is a procedure that’s increasing in popularity and could prove particularly beneficial for those suffering from progressive types of hair loss such as androgenic alopecia (male pattern baldness) which affects both men and women.

What’s more, it could also be effective in treating other types of hair loss too such as traction alopecia (caused by frequent pulling of the hair), telogen effluvium (stress related excess hair shedding) and alopecia areata (where the immune response mistakenly attacks the hair follicles).

Here’s what you need to know:

Like facial microneedling, it creates micro-injuries

The skin’s healing mechanism responds to ‘micro injuries’ caused by the micro needles, which leads to a rise in important growth factors and stem cells in the scalp as well as hair growth-related genes to create an increase in hair production.

Plump Cherry takes it a step further by introducing PRP (Protein Rich Plasma) which is filled with your own natural growth factors. (Your blood will be taken at the lab and spun down for 10 – 15 min, which separates the platelets from the plasma)

It’s better to have a course in a clinic rather than try it at home. We use a mechanical microneedling pen that allows a variation in needle depth and a greater number of penetrations per second. The treatment is usually carried out every four weeks and on average three to six treatments are required.

You need to keep it clean

You will need to arrive with freshly washed hair. How painful it is, depends on your pain threshold. Some individuals find microneedling easy to tolerate, we generally will not use topical anaesthetic

Your hair hides any redness while you recover

There’s not a lot of downtime, and how much depends on the size of the needles that were used. The treatment depths will dictate downtime to a degree and there is always variation between individuals, However, the redness can be concealed to a degree by the hair and, roughly, it should settle within a couple of days.

It’s not a quick fix

An investment of both time and money, microneedling isn’t an easy fix, and may not be your first line of treatment if your hair is thinning. It is always important to have a proper assessment for hair loss as it may be that there is a simple answer such as previous stress now being reflected in hair loss months later, or low iron or thyroid abnormalities causing hair loss

We would also suggest a diet full of iron-rich foods and antioxidants. Supplementation with NADplus and ProActive Collagen is highly beneficial.We can also provide you with the latest medical shampoo and serum, Thymuskin

Microneedling can be a valuable step. It’s a safe and effective way to treat trickier forms of hair loss, and is a medication-free approach. What’s more, science has proved that it can make common topical treatments for hair loss such as Minoxidil more effective