Dear Kim: When you said, "I love trying anything that makes you look and feel youthful," did you really mean having your own blood repeatedly injected into your face using an instrument with 9 needles in it???
Apparently the answer was "yes," as viewers of Sunday night's Kim and Kourtney Take Miami will attest.
In her quest for eternal youth, the 32-year-old reality show star underwent what is referred to as a "Vampire Facial." The procedure was done at the , and Kim elected to have it done without local anesthesia. She immediately seemed sorry for that decision as she whined and complained throughout the procedure. Afterwards, she :
"Oh my God, I will never get a facelift if it feels like that!"
The Vampire Facial, sometimes also called the Blood Facial, or PRP facial, is performed as follows:
- A patient's blood is drawn from a vein.
- The blood is spun in a centrifuge to separate it into its various components.
- The platelet-rich portion of the serum (PRP) is collected and applied to the face.
- The PRP is injected deeper into the skin using a motorized needle device called a dermapen (right) that creates micro-injuries to the skin.
What is the theory behind the process?
It is well known that platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, also contains a number of growth factors. These factors have been found to help wound healing in both soft and hard tissues. They also increase new blood vessel production.As we age, changes in the connective tissue reduce the skin's strength and elasticity, with the loss of collagen and elastin. The blood vessels of the dermis become more fragile. This leads to bruising, bleeding under the skin, cherry angiomas and similar conditions.
Injection of platelet-rich plasma growth factors is thought to encourage new collagen and elastin growth and give skin a more youthful appearance.
There appears to be a fairly large peer-reviewed literature base for the use of platelet-rich plasma in wound healing, bone tissue regeneration, osteoarthritis and several other applications; however, literature for its use in cosmetic procedures is much more limited.
I found three papers in peer-reviewed journals which evaluated the use of platelet-rich fibrin matrix (PRFM) in cosmetic procedures. All were by the same author, from the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary. Although the studies found PRFM to be useful and well-tolerated in cosmetic procedures, the number of patients involved was very small. I could find no clinical trials specifically related to this procedure at as this article went to press.
The "Fine Print"
The biggest risk may be dissatisfaction with the cosmetic results. There is no risk of allergic reaction because the platelet-rich plasma is derived from a patient's own blood. Other injection site risks may include:- Mild irritation
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Itching
- Discoloration
Reports are mixed about just how effective these injections are, and an individual's results may depend on the skill of the surgeon performing the procedure.
The effects of vampire injections may last 15 to 18 months. Some people may see visible improvements immediately, but full results take about three weeks.
The procedure costs between $800 and $1,500.
For those needing a little more help, there's The Vampire Facelift.
The Vampire Facelift is the next step beyond the Vampire Facial. In this case, the platelet mixture is added to a soft tissue filler such as Juvederm (restylane) and injected into hollows in the skin such as deep wrinkles and furrows. The "fine print" is pretty much the same as with the facials or as with other soft tissue fillers such as or Perlane.Lastly, the term Vampire Facial makes no sense. Don't vampires rely on other peoples' blood rather than their own? The name of this new procedure is just an attention-grabbing marketing ploy, designed to "suck" money out of patients along with their blood.