Blood gives life and is now being used to enhance beauty.

You may have heard of the Vampire Facial®, a trademarked name for the platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, facial gaining popularity as a more natural means of rejuvenating skin.

Unlike fillers that use synthetic substances, PRP uses the patient’s own natural healing mechanisms to activate and rejuvenate cells effectively diminishing wrinkles, acne scarring and stretch marks, and adding volume in the face, hands, décolletage and neck.

“PRP facials are for those who want to augment their natural beauty,” says Dr. Sonja Fung of the Live Well Clinic in La Quinta.
“I see the best results in people who are proactively looking to prevent aging skin naturally without major corrective surgery.”

This cutting-edge procedure can be completed in under an hour with an estimated 24-hour downtime for redness. A single vial of blood is drawn and spun down in a centrifuge to retrieve the most viable fibrin and platelets. Then the top layer is extracted and reinserted to the target area through microneedling using very fine short needles.

Results, which last an average of 18 months, are subtle with gradual improvement over a three- to five-week period and full correction at four to seven weeks. Best results are seen with two to four treatments given one to three months apart. Practitioners say that with time, the results get better and better.

As an injected procedure, the treatment should only be performed by a doctor or licensed practitioner. For optimal results, many offer PRP in combination with dermal fillers, Botox or laser therapy as PRP builds tissue over time while traditional fillers break down over time.

Practitioners in Greater Palm Springs offering PRP facials include Eugene Rajaratnam, MD, at the California Wellness Institute in Rancho Mirage; Sonja Fung, ND, at the Live Well Clinic in La Quinta; and Nicole Ortiz, ND, at True You Medical in Palm Desert.

Source: 1) Platelet-Rich Plasma Procedure May Improve Facial Appearance – Medscape – Mar 06, 2012.