Collagen generation is key for slowing the appearance of age. At RejuvenationMD, we were one of the early adopters of the Vampire Series® or Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapies because of the versatile and effective nature of the treatment. One of the more commonly known PRP treatments is the Vampire Facial®, which made headlines in 2013 when Kim K. shared her experience getting the treatment.
What is Platelet-Rich Plasma?
Platelet-rich plasma is derived from the blood, thus the association of the term “Vampire.” It is a substance that is rich in growth factors, proteins and cytokines, which stimulate the growth of new tissue. Consequently, PRP has been used in medicine for decades as a nonsurgical therapy that forms new tissue, blood vessels, and cartilage. It can even support new bone growth.
Orthopedists inject PRP into joints to strengthen cartilage and the surrounding tissue and tendons to increase joint support and address pain by reducing inflammation. Platelet-rich plasma is used to heal sports injuries, torn rotator cuffs, and torn tendons. But orthopedics isn’t the only field using this power-packed therapy. Dentistry, urology, ophthalmology, cardiology, gynecology, and other specialties employ PRP injections because platelets generate new cells and become new target tissue making it an excellent natural treatment option.
Dr. Charles Runels adapted PRP for aesthetics and sexual wellness, coining (then trademarking) the therapies with the Vampire title. Founder of RejuvenationMD, Dr. Tianna Tsitsis (Dr. T), studied Runels’ protocols and introduced the Vampire treatments to her practice to offer patients safe, nonsurgical solutions to common issues like hair loss, Stress Urinary Incontinence, erectile dysfunction, sagging skin and more. One of the more popular treatments from the Vampire Series is the Vampire Facial — a healthy, restorative treatment that is safe for anyone with skin!
What You Need to Know About the Vampire Facial
Because of PRP’s ability to stimulate new collagen and tissue, the Vampire Facial is especially ideal for those who have acne scars, enlarged pores, uneven skin texture, hyperpigmentation, wrinkles and fine lines.
Treatment can take about an hour depending on the treatment area. After drawing your blood, a provider separates the platelet-rich and platelet-poor plasma to be microneedled into the face (ideally the neck and chest too).
Once the platelets are delivered deep into the layers of the skin, the stimulation of new collagen, elastin and skin cells begins. This new tissue improves the integrity of the skin, lifting, tightening and brightening skin, while evening its tone and texture.
It’s worth noting that when blood is relatively toxin free the treatment is more effective. To maximize results, RejuvenationMD asks their patients to do the following one week prior to treatment:
- Stop smoking and drinking alcohol. Having healthy, toxin-free blood will make the treatment more effective
- Avoid anti-inflammatories including foods, NSAIDs and supplements like Vitamin E & A
- Stop using Retin A and retinol products
- Avoid spray tanning
- Discontinue systemic steroids like prednisone
- Arrive to the appointment well-hydrated for ease of blood draw
It’s also recommended to eat a nutrient-rich diet to support the treatment process. A healthy body heals faster and generates new collagen at a faster rate.
For best results, Dr. Tsitsis recommends patients get one Vampire Facial a month for three months. The body can take anywhere from three to five months to generate new tissue. Remember to trust the process. After just three treatments patients see visible improvement in their skin. To maintain results, RejuvenationMD recommends scheduling one treatment per quarter as part of a healthy skin care regimen.
4 Reasons to Get a Vampire Facial
If naturally achieving healthier, stronger skin isn’t reason enough to pick up the phone and schedule an appointment, here are four reasons to include the Vampire Facial as part of your anti-aging routine.
It’s Minimally Invasive.
The PRP treatment is a noninvasive, nonsurgical alternative to other anti-aging treatments. The Vampire Facial offers lasting results because the body produces brand new, healthy tissue. In some cases, the Vampire Facial has even become more popular than dermal fillers because there are no injections.
Microneedling Is Good for Skin
Microneedling is a minimally invasive treatment that creates “micro” channels in the skin to tighten it. The micro trauma made to the skin stimulates collagen and elastin production. Adding PRP to this treatment supports the skin by delivering nutrients, proteins and growth factors to rev collagen production into high gear.
The Treatment Is Safe
With PRP, we’re using your own blood. There are no foreign substances that the body won’t recognize. It’s a tolerable, easy treatment that’s safe for all skin types and skin tones. Post treatment, there may be superficial reactions like bruising, redness, and swelling, but these side effects are temporary. However, those who are at risk for blood clotting or bleeding disorders, must consult a physician prior to treatments.
Radiant, Firmer & Smoother Skin
Everyone can benefit from this treatment. The Vampire Facial targets premature wrinkles and fine lines, sun damage and acne scarring, minimizing enlarged pores and improving the integrity of weakened skin. Vampire Facials result in stronger, healthier, tighter and brighter skin.
The Vampire Series of Treatments
The Vampire Facial is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to PRP therapies. We can harness the regenerative power of PRP to restore hair, enhance breast size and shape, generate lift and volume (as an alternative to filler), increase sexual wellness for both women and men, and more. The beauty of Vampire treatments is that there’s no downtime and there are no contraindications, for many patients, these treatments are a viable alternative to surgery.
At RejuvenationMD, we invest in advanced technology to achieve the best results for our patients. As such, we use an aesthetic centrifuge that is designed to extract all of the valuable platelets from the blood. This centrifuge is essential to the treatment outcome as not every centrifuge is designed for PRP— some can’t achieve optimal separation of the plasma from the red blood cells. If you’re seeking a Vampire treatment, make sure your provider has an aesthetic centrifuge or the treatment won’t yield optimal results.
About
RejuvenationMD is an award-winning medical aesthetics practice in Western Washington offering over 55 treatments and services to support facial rejuvenation, body contouring, skin health and sexual rejuvenation. Learn more about RejuvenationMD by visiting www.RejuvenationMDMedSpa.com
