Vampire Facial 101: Benefits, Process, & Recovery

As a woman who’s struggled along with her pores and skin for almost a decade—we’re speaking pimples, texture, and hyperpigmentation—I get a little bit nervous about attempting new merchandise, therapies, and routines. I’m at all times combating a battle of wanting to enhance my pores and skin, however being scared to include something new into my routine. I’ve to worry break outs and rashes, and naturally, the prospect that the brand new product or remedy I attempted simply ended up being a waste of cash. However after visiting my dermatologist and taking numerous deep dives on skincare TikTok, I’ve grow to be obsessive about studying all concerning the therapies that would profit my pores and skin and tips on how to maintain it alongside the way in which. My latest curiosity? Vampire facials. To be taught extra concerning the scary-looking remedy, I reached out to a board-certified dermatologist and skincare professional, Dr. Fatima Fahs, to seek out out precisely what the method is, who can profit from it, what  the restoration is like, and extra.

What’s a vampire facial?

A vampire facial is a mixture of microneedling with the addition of PRP (platelet-rich plasma, a portion of our blood that accommodates development elements). Many are aware of microneedling by itself as a minimally invasive remedy that may assist with pores and skin issues like pores and skin texture, stretch marks, scars, and wrinkles by stimulating collagen manufacturing. “Microneedling is a process completed within the workplace that makes use of sterile needles on a motorized system utilized to the pores and skin. These needles can penetrate the pores and skin at depths up to some millimeters. At this depth, the needles are used to trigger managed harm within the dermis layer of the pores and skin.” Dr. Fahs defined. “Throughout the dermis lies the extracellular matrix, composed of collagen and elastin. As this layer is penetrated, a wound-healing cascade is initiated and the physique works to ‘heal’ the pores and skin by inducing collagen and elastin manufacturing, subsequently plumping the pores and skin and enhancing its look.”

In an effort to add PRP to this course of, blood is taken out of your arm, spun in a centrifuge (a tool that separates varied elements of a fluid) to separate the plasma and platelets that comprise your individual development elements, after which microneedled again into your pores and skin. The expansion elements from the PRP might help enhance the manufacturing of collagen and stimulate pores and skin restore even additional than microneedling can alone, so collectively, they create an ultra-effective process.

TL;DR: As a substitute of puncturing your pores and skin with naked needles like traditional microneedling, platelet-rich plasma from your individual blood is microneedled again into your pores and skin to assist enhance the manufacturing of collagen.

What are the advantages of vampire facials?

In the event you, like me, want a little bit assist enhancing pores and skin texture, hyperpigmentation, treating pimples scars, and addressing effective traces, don’t let the identify of this remedy scare you away. Microneedling and PRP supply a number of advantages, together with treating all the aforementioned woes throughout the weeks following remedy and persevering with for months thereafter. “At first, you’ll discover extra of a glow to your pores and skin, and over time, as collagen formation happens, you may also see the advance of texture, scarring, and hyperpigmentation,” defined Dr. Fahs. She says that her sufferers discover that their pores and skin seems firmer and brighter after remedy.

Is a vampire facial painful?

If I can’t see or really feel needles, I don’t thoughts them a lot, and fortuitously, Dr. Fahs says that topical numbing treatment is utilized previous to the process to scale back the ache that might be felt from the microneedling needles, making the process fairly tolerable for most individuals. Nonetheless, for those who’re not a fan of needles, or blood for that matter, you possibly can ask your physician about different therapies to focus on your pores and skin issues.

What’s the restoration like?

Following remedy, it’s no shock that your pores and skin will seem pink and barely swollen, type of such as you’ve developed a sunburn. In spite of everything, it was simply punctured with needles, so for those who lookup shut, you possibly can see pinpoint wounds on the pores and skin. Due to this, “it’s best to strive your finest to keep away from solar publicity, as it may trigger hyperpigmentation,” mentioned Dr. Fahs.

Your physician will go over any really helpful post-care regimens with you after your remedy, which probably will embrace avoiding washing your face till later within the day, utilizing light, fragrance-free skincare to keep away from irritation, and making use of moisturizer to assist your pores and skin heal and regenerate. Dr. Fahs recommends utilizing cooling serums or sheet masks together with any post-procedure routine to alleviate any discomfort you could expertise, however usually, your pores and skin ought to really feel higher wherever from a number of days to every week post-treatment.

In the event you’re questioning when you can begin sporting make-up once more, we’ve obtained excellent news: as a result of the addition of PRP accelerates the therapeutic course of, most sufferers are in a position to resume sporting make-up inside 24 hours of remedy.

Are there at-home options to vampire facials?

Vampire facials value round $500+ per session, so it could be tempting to strive at-home microneedling therapies, however Dr. Fahs says to proceed with warning. At-home units can have advantages, nevertheless, they don’t penetrate to the depths that an in-office remedy does and might have detrimental results in your pores and skin for those who’re not cautious (like damaging the pores and skin’s barrier). Plus, you don’t get the super-speed therapeutic advantages and the enhance in collagen manufacturing that PRP provides. In the event you’re contemplating attempting an at-home system, it’s finest to speak to your physician about your choices and which they advocate, if any. They’ll additionally advocate different therapies, serums, or routines that may allow you to along with your pores and skin issues and are higher suited to your price range.