Vampire facials are said to refresh and heal

A new facial is gaining popularity around Baltimore, and while it won't make you live forever, some doctors and patients say it will make you look younger at least for a few months.

The vampire facial, a nonsurgical procedure made famous by celebrities like Kim Kardashian, uses a patient's blood to stimulate healing and regenerate cells.

"After healing, my skin just seemed smoother," said Grace Ban, an Odenton resident who received the procedure to reduce the appearance of acne scars and minimize the wrinkles around her eyes. "Even my husband commented a few times after the treatment. He said, 'Your skin looks great.'"

But before you book your appointment, experts say it's important to understand just how the procedure works and to know that the science supporting any aesthetic benefit is inconclusive.

"Everybody would like to look younger and more fresh," said Dr. John Kim, a faculty member with the American Academy of Aesthetic Medicine. "The jury's still out on long-term efficacy of these procedures, but short term, there's some definite benefits."

There are several different forms of "vampire" treatments, says Dr. Beth Comeau, the Ellicott City aesthetic medicine doctor who treated Ban. All of the treatments use platelet-rich plasma (PRP), created by separating a patient's platelets from red and white blood cells. This concentrated amount can contain five to 10 times more platelets, which stimulate growth in the tissue.

The Vampire Facelift, a term trademarked by Alabama doctor Charles Runels in 2010, occurs when a doctor or medical professional injects dermal fillers for volume and then PRP into the patient's face.

A vampire facial, known as the "PRP facial" in Comeau's office, starts at $600 and involves topically applying PRP after micro-needling a treatment where doctors make tiny punctures in a patient's skin.

"It's like aerating the skin so we can provide the deeper tissues with this platelet-rich material so it is stimulated to grow new, healthy skin," Comeau said.

The open channels created by micro-needling allow the PRP to reach deeper layers of skin. Once it reaches a wounded area, PRP stimulates fibroblasts, the cells that produce collagen, Comeau said.

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Vampire facials are said to refresh and heal