Despite the risks, vampire facials are generally safe. Consumers were recently warned against using plasma infusions from young donors, saying that the purported anti-aging benefits do not exist. PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) was first used in orthopedics to help athletes recover more quickly after injuries. Kim Kardashian popularized PRP Facials a couple of years ago and gave them their informal name, the “Vampire Facial”.
The procedure does not require a certified surgeon and can be performed in spas by dermatologists and beauticians. The process begins with the removal of a pair of blood vials from the patient's arm. The blood is centrifuged to separate the platelets from the rest of the blood. A local anesthetic is applied to the face and platelets are injected into the face through small injection holes.
PRP injections are usually combined with microneedles, a tactic in which fine needles pierce the skin, stimulate cells to create more collagen, and produce a youthful appearance. The FDA does not need to regulate or approve PRP treatments. However, the organization requires developers of PRP kits to obtain authorization for their products before they are offered for sale on the open market. While dermatologists still have a lot of unanswered questions, the procedure itself seems safe. The idea of a spa treatment that leverages the body's own resources instead of injecting drugs or fillers appeals to fans of vampire facials. The FDA requires that you “have a responsibility to be well informed about the product, to base its use on sound scientific foundations and sound medical evidence, and to keep records of the use and effects of the product”.
Rigorous scientific studies on this popular “Vampire Facial” procedure find that it is no more effective than injecting salt water into the face. If you're trying to understand if the FDA approved platelet-rich plasma therapy, know that getting authorization for the kit is NOT the same as getting approval for treatment. An HIV scare linked to so-called vampire facials at an American spa has given a major health warning to a procedure much loved by celebrities and athletes. In a statement, the Cellular Medicine Association founded by Dr. Charles Runels, the creator of the vampire facial treatment, said that treatment providers in New Mexico were impostors who were not on its list of certified doctors. The device used to prepare the patient's own blood for topical treatment after the microneedle component of the vampire facial has been made must be approved by the FDA for the preparation of blood to return to the body. As of today, the FDA does not require doctors to obtain approval to practice PRP therapy as long as they are responsible.
Vampire facials involve drawing patients' blood, separating the plasma, and then re-injecting it into the skin. The FDA released a statement this month saying that such treatments, which have been marketed as a way to combat a variety of diseases, have no proven benefits and have many potential risks.
