Hype Or Hope: Trying Out The Vampire Facial

The idea of a Vampire Facelift conjures up all sorts of images, doesn’t it? I don’t want to be a spoiler here, but the only way you’re getting close to a vampire is by watching Vampire Diaries. The only connection to vampires is blood. You will survive a Vampire Facelift, but most likely not a vampire. I was fortunate enough to win a Vampire Facelift as part of my prize for being an SA Style Awards winner. I had read about the groundbreaking natural treatment, which is extremely popular among celebrities in the US, and was intrigued to try it out.

The Vampire Facelift promises to provide a gradual increase in volume by helping to stimulate your body’s own collagen production. Other benefits include a reduction of fine lines, a moisturizing effect, skin tightening, lifting, and smoothing. It also helps to even out skin tone. And interestingly, it is used with great results by athletes to help them recover from injuries. I’ve even heard that it has been used on prize-winning racehorses to repair damaged ligaments.

So, off I went to Medi-Sculpt Clinic. I met with the founder, Dr. Anushka Reddy, who is a GP specializing in aesthetic treatments. Dr Reddy explained the procedure to me and also took my blood. She watched over the treatment from start to finish, which was comforting, although the treatment itself was conducted by her qualified somatologist, Roxanne.

What is a vampire facelift?

I could use a convoluted medical description, or I could just explain it as I experienced it. Simply put, a Vampire Facelift is a non-invasive aesthetic procedure that makes use of your own blood to rejuvenate your face. First, Dr Reddy drew some blood from my arm and processed it in a centrifuge to create “platelet-rich plasma” (PRP).

Hyaluronic acid was added. While my blood was spinning in the centrifuge, Roxanne took a good look at my skin using the Visio. She needed to understand the overall state of my skin, see where most of my damage was and be aware of any sensitive areas. She then applied a topical anesthetic to my face to numb the skin. Find out more about the benefits of hyaluronic acid on the skin and joints.

Once my skin was numb (this took about 45 minutes), she got to work. Roxanne used a derma pen, a high-speed, handheld medical device that uses multiple micro-needles to pierce the skin and create “controlled damage” on the surface. This ensures the plasma penetrates the skin barrier. The growth factors in the plasma then activate multipotent stem cells already in the skin, tricking them into “thinking” there’s been an injury and new, younger tissue should be generated.

The procedure, from start to finish, was just an hour. At times the derma pen was a bit niggly on my skin, but for the most part, I was pain-free, thanks to the anaesthetic. Obviously, the skin becomes red from the needling, so after the procedure, Roxanne applied a specially formulated cover tint that would stay on until the next day. I went straight back to work, and the only reminder of my treatment was that my skin tingled a little during the afternoon.

Does it live up to its promise?

I was happy with the results. And while this was a prize, I would be happy to invest in future treatments. Within the first week, my skin felt tighter and looked brighter. After three weeks, my skin looked plumper and had a healthier glow. Research shows that results improve over time. The Vampire Facelift is an excellent non-invasive natural alternative, using your own blood to catalyze your skin health. It is a positive aging therapy for those who want to avoid an injectable such as Botox, fillers, or surgery. And best of all, it can be done over lunchtime, with no downtime at all.