If anyone still thinks dermatology is boring, we are taking it up a notch today talking about “Vampire Facials”! If you’ve been wanting to ask me if you should get one, the short answer is: NO! Not unless it is in a doctor’s office, but here’s the full scoop:
What is a Vampire Facial? A Vampire Facial has two major components – Microneedling and Platelet Rich Plasma. While the term Vampire Facial is generic to describe the facial involving those two things, there is an official trademarked procedure as well.
Microneedling is a newer procedure that involves using a device that is designed to poke thousands of holes in the skin. Dr. Rosenberger has performed microneedling at Appalachian Spring Dermatology since 2017. We use a device called Dermapen 3 that pokes thousands of microscopic holes of injury where new skin will be regenerated. Regeneration of new skin can improve the texture, tone, and appearance of the skin. To learn more about the history of microneedling and devices, see our microneedling page. The majority of patients do not find microneedling painful, and the results are great with little to no downtime.
Platelet Rich Plasma is a procedure in which the patient’s blood is drawn, processed in the laboratory on-site, and then reapplied to the patient’s face after the microneedling procedure. It is very difficult, and there is a lot of scientific debate on what platelet-rich plasma is and how it works (or doesn’t). For this reason, there are hundreds of “recipes” and kits to obtain the platelet-rich plasma portion from the patient’s blood.
Over the years, there have been a lot of things that are curious to me in dermatology. Microneedling with Platelet Rich Plasma is one such thing. The exact same procedure is used to reduce the appearance of wrinkles on the face AND grown hair on the balding head. Hmmm… what if my face keeps its wrinkles and grows hair?
A few questions to ask before having a “Vampire Facial”?
What are the credentials of both the treating practitioner and the establishment?
There are currently no rules about who can perform this procedure. Meaning, a high school student at a spa could theoretically be performing the procedure. Ask about the training the practitioner received. The practitioner must have extensive knowledge of skin structure and function. More importantly, they must be trained in sterile procedures to avoid two things: infection and cross-contamination or BOTH. There are currently a few legal cases of patients contracting HIV and other diseases from microneedling performed by unknowledgeable practitioners. We believe the treatment is best performed by or under the direct supervision of a board-certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon.
Take it from Dr. Pimple Popper,
Ask the board-certified dermatologist doing the procedure to show you when they are using the syringe to draw your blood or the microneedle device before they use it, so you can observe that the instruments are sterile and single-use,” Lee said. “Drawing up the [platelet-rich plasma] should and can be done in front of you, and you should observe that the tube of blood has been labeled with your name. If anything feels wrong or uncomfortable about the environment or if you don’t feel like you’re getting enough information, it’s a good idea to leave and go elsewhere.
What Device is Being Used?
There is extensive variance in microneedling devices – at home and professional devices. The best devices have a SINGLE USE disposable needle cartridge. Never reuse a needle cartridge, even your own. For microneedling to be effective and not overly damaging to the skin, the needle needs to be super sharp. Dull needles are more traumatizing to the skin and may cause unnecessary scarring. We use Dermapen3, which was chosen both on its safety and efficacy. It has a single-use needle cartridge with 12 needles that pokes 1,300 holes per seconds in the skin.
Is it worth spending your hard-earned money?
We think the answer is yes, for microneedling, as long as the device used can go deep into the skin, at least 2.5 mm. We have been performing microneedling in the office for some time now with great results!
Dr. Rosenberger still does not perform PRP post microneedling because there isn’t enough scientific data to justify the risks and additional cost. If a “vampire facial” sounds scary and hokey, you’re right!
What do you think? Have you had microneedling or Platelet Rich Plasma?
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